'Cook Island Kiwi' breaks with tradition

Alfred Ngaro. Photo / Dean Purcell

Alfred Ngaro has broken with a family tradition of voting Labour to throw in his lot with National. At No 37 on the party's list, the self-described Cook Island Kiwi is almost guaranteed a seat in Parliament.

With a father who was a union delegate, and a long family history of voting Labour, Mr Ngaro said his choice to stand for National had surprised many.

"Some of my friends have said, 'Hey, how come you're standing for National? Because people like you would normally stand for Labour'," he said. "I've never had one Labour person ever ask me to stand for the party ... That was a bit of a wake-up call for them because I think that they haven't made any approach to people like myself and others."

Before a failed bid for the Auckland Council last year, Mr Ngaro said he never nursed a desire to get into politics, and was originally dismissive when his friend Sam Lotu-Liga, a National MP, suggested he get involved.

But then he began to see the leadership and policy-making opportunities.

"It's around economic development just as much as it is about social development, and under a National Government, that's where I see the opportunities for our community."

The Prime Minister was also a major influence on his decision to stand, and Mr Ngaro said he admired the way John Key could connect with everyday people as well as dealing with some of the most complex issues.

For a party trying to diversify its ethnic mix, Mr Ngaro would be an asset for National, and the 45-year-old said he was keen to give more of a voice to Pacific issues.

After beginning his working life as an electrician, Mr Ngaro completed a theology degree, and has been working in the community sector for the past 20 years.

He and his wife, Mokauina, moved from West Auckland to Tamaki in 1995, starting up the Tamaki Community Development Trust to bring better social services to the area.

In 2009, he received a Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leader award for his work with the Tamaki Transformation, a project combining local groups with Government agencies.

"A lot of my credibility is around connecting and community development that I've done up and down the country and locally, and that's definitely one of the strengths that I bring."

While Mr Ngaro said it was too early to count his chickens, he had some idea of what areas he wanted to get involved in, noting a particular interest in the social sector.

A big supporter of the Maori Party's Whanau Ora programme, Mr Ngaro said he wanted to see more family-based initiatives.

He also hoped to focus on combating youth suicide, and help to turn around the perception that politicians are untrustworthy by sticking to his values.

Alfred Ngaro

* Age 45.
* National Party list-only candidate, at No 37.
* Established the Tamaki Community Development Trust, has worked as Tamaki Community Church pastor, the Auckland District Health Board Pacific committee chairman, and the Tamaki College board of trustees chairman.
* Received a Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leader award in 2009 for his work in Tamaki.