Mrs Malama said she was standing for Labour because she wanted to be part of a government that would address the pressures building on families and communities.
"Labour’s focus on jobs, homes and health will make a difference for people who are living payday to payday, unable to see beyond everyday worries.
"The people I see in the community want practical policies from their government, like Labour’s three free GP visits.
"That will make a real difference in households and lift the burden on tertiary health care that comes from delaying treatment because of money worries.
"I’ve connected with people on factory floors, fishing boats, and community halls, as well as working with students and families navigating the education system."
Mrs Malama is an attendance whānau ora navigator for Kōia te Mātauraka, a charitable organisation established by seven Ngāi Tahu papatipu rūnaka to deliver on education aspirations across the Canterbury region.
She is also a family liaison and a Pasifika group co-ordinator at a local primary school.
She has held roles as the Pacific community connector at Multicultural Aoraki, as part of the business development team at Ara Institute of Learning and is director of the Aoraki Moana Festival.
Mrs Malama’s Pasifika values guided how she worked and led.
She believed these values were not only for Pasifika communities, but for everyone, grounded in collective wellbeing, shared responsibility and care for others.
A thriving community was one where everyone felt valued, she said.
Of Tokelauan and Tongan heritage, Mrs Malama was raised in Timaru.
Her family were among the first Pasifika families to settle in the area — a history that continues to shape her sense of responsibility to community and place. — Allied Media
