KEY POINTS:
He has a chiefly title, but tomorrow Su'a William Sio will be sworn in as a rank-and-file Labour Party MP.
However, few people expect the Deputy Mayor of Manukau City to remain a backbencher for long.
"William is a natural politician," Manukau Mayor Len Brown says.
"That's the
best way to describe him, and I mean that in the best sense. He's an absolute natural."
In a diverse council, his deputy is able to walk across the divides and offer a rational and common sense approach to things, Mr Brown said.
"I think Labour might well find him in that extremely useful role of being a person who can broker arrangements and agreements across the parliamentary chamber."
Labour Party president Mike Williams said Mr Sio had played a key role in getting the Pacific Island community out to vote in the last election - an important factor in Labour's narrow win.
"He is on the Labour New Zealand council, and he tends to give his views in a measured fashion. He is circumspect, and highly intelligent. Being a long-standing local body representative, he knows that city backwards. I think he will be a real asset."
Mr Sio was 48th on Labour's list last election and comes to Parliament after Dianne Yates' retirement. Given the date he begins his parliamentary career, Mr Sio, 47, was relieved to discover what time he will be sworn in tomorrow.
"I understand it happens at 2 o'clock, which is a good thing because I understand April Fool's ends at 12."
Mr Sio was born in Samoa and raised in his father's village, Matatufu. The family migrated to New Zealand in 1969, settling in Otara. Mr Sio and wife Jean have seven children between them, ranging from teenagers to three youngsters.
"I hold the matai title of Su'a from my father's village, I am the keeper of our family genealogy. Family is important to me," Mr Sio said.
After a career as a public servant and trade unionist, Mr Sio successfully stood for Manukau City Council. He is expected to step down from the council after being sworn in as an MP.
The son of a staunch Labour supporter who made sure everybody else in the family was too, Mr Sio grew up around politics. He became a Labour Party member in 1986, and by 1989 was a branch president. In that position he and the Otara electorate committee worked tirelessly to nominate and elect a Pacific Islander to replace outgoing MP Colin Moyle.
In this year's election Mr Sio will find himself running against that MP, the now independent Taito Phillip Field, for the Mangere seat.
"It is unfortunate, but Taito has made his decisions." Mr Sio said. "Labour has selected me and given me the endorsement to stand in Mangere. I take that very seriously."
