TALANOA - with le Afioga Aupito William Sio.

Our guest on Talanoa this month is le Afioga Aupito William Sio, minister of the Department for Pacific Peoples and associate minister of Justice in the New Zealand government.

Le Afioga Aupito William Sio (far left) ma le palemia Jacinda Adern ma nisi o sui o le vaega 'upufai a le Labour i Niu sila. Source: New Zealand Labour Party (supplied).

Some of the issues raised in our talanoaga (conversation) include:

- his background from villages in Samoa and schooling.

- work as a trade union delegate and educator.

- political life that includes stints in local government (he was a former deputy mayor of Manukau City Council) to the MP of Mangere and a cabinet minister.

- advice from the New Zealand government on measures to contain and minimize the spread of COVID-19.

AND

- his reasons for supporting the amendments to the Abortion Bill in New Zealand.