Aliʻimuamua Sandra Alofivae
Aliʻimuamua Sandra Alofivae MNZM (born c. 1967)[1][2] is a New Zealand barrister.[3]
Career
Alofivae set up a legal practice, King Alofivae Malosi, in 1994 with colleagues La-Verne King and Ida Malosi,[4] and became a barrister sole in 2005.[3] She has represented children and their families[1] and her practice become one of the biggest child protection practices in South Auckland.[3] She served as a Families Commissioner for six months[1][2] and her work in this role influenced the 2014 Vulnerable Children’s Act.[3] Alofivae was also elected to the Counties Manukau District Health Board in December 2010.[1][5] She served two terms on the board,[3][6] but did not stand again in the 2016 elections.[7] Alofivae has been the chair of the South Auckland Social Well-Being Board, which works with the government on issues facing pre-school children.[3]
In 2018, Alofivae was appointed to a Royal Commission of Inquiry, commissioned by the New Zealand government, to investigate abuse and neglect of people in state care and in faith-based institutions.[8] This Commission is scheduled to produce two reports: one in 2020 and one in 2023.[9]
In April 2019 the Commission did not answer questions on whether Alofivae, who is Presbyterian, had a conflict of interest.[10] Her subsequent conflict of interest management plan provided that she would not sit on any hearings relating to the Presbyterian Church,[11]
Honours and awards
In the 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours, Alofivae was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the Pacific community and youth.[12][13] In 2018 she received a Blake Leader Award, presented by the Sir Peter Blake Trust.[3] She also has an honorific title bestowed to her by her family in the village of Sa'anapu, Samoa.[1]
Personal life
Alofivae grew up in Mangere, Auckland.[1] Her father died when she was one year old.[3] She attended Epsom Girls' Grammar School, describing it as "a very white school" and saying "I didn’t experience any real racism until I started high school."[14] She is a mother of four and is a Presbyterian.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Who we are | Abuse in Care - Royal Commission of Inquiry". www.abuseincare.org.nz. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ a b "Parents-first bid to halt child abuse". Stuff. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Ali'imuamua Sandra Alofivae". blakenz.org. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- ^ "South Auckland's paid parental leave pioneers". Newsroom. 7 December 2017.
- ^ "Counties Manukau District Health Board Annual Report as at 30 June 2011" (PDF). Counties Manukau DHB. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
- ^ Counties Manukau DHB. "Annual Report 2016" (PDF). Retrieved 29 August 2019.
- ^ Auckland Council. "District health boards" (PDF).
- ^ "Document and video library | Abuse in Care - Royal Commission of Inquiry". www.abuseincare.org.nz. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ "How it works | Abuse in Care - Royal Commission of Inquiry". www.abuseincare.org.nz. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ "Questions on conflict of interest in abuse inquiry 'shut down'". RNZ. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
- ^ https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/assets/Uploads/Conflicts-Management-Sandra-Alofivae-1.pdf[bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Pacific Islanders honoured on Queen's Birthday list". RNZ. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ "Queen's 90th Birthday honours list 2016". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ Husband, Dale (1 March 2020). "Sandra Alofivae: Hearing the call". E-Tangata. from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2020.