Aliimuamua Sandra Alofivae (born ) is a New Zealand

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...

Career

Alofivae set up a legal practice, King Alofivae Malosi, in 1994 with colleagues La-Verne King and

Ida Malosi Ida Malosi is a lawyer and judge from New Zealand. She is the country's first woman Pacific Island judge. Early life Malosi was raised in Bluff and Invercargill in the South Island of New Zealand. Malosi's parents were immigrants from Samoa; h ...

, and became a barrister sole in 2005. She has represented children and their families and her practice become one of the biggest child protection practices in South Auckland. She served as a Families Commissioner for six months and her work in this role influenced the 2014 Vulnerable Children’s Act. Alofivae was also elected to the Counties Manukau District Health Board in December 2010. She served two terms on the board, but did not stand again in the 2016 elections. Alofivae has been the chair of the South Auckland Social Well-Being Board, which works with the government on issues facing pre-school children. In 2018, Alofivae was appointed to a Royal Commission of Inquiry, commissioned by the

New Zealand government , background_color = #012169 , image = New Zealand Government wordmark.svg , image_size=250px , date_established = , country = New Zealand , leader_title = Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern , appointed = Governor-General , main_organ = , ...

, to investigate abuse and neglect of people in state care and in faith-based institutions. This Commission is scheduled to produce two reports: one in 2020 and one in 2023. In April 2019 the Commission did not answer questions on whether Alofivae, who is Presbyterian, had a conflict of interest. Her subsequent conflict of interest management plan provided that she would not sit on any hearings relating to the Presbyterian Church,

Honours and awards

In the

2016 Queen's Birthday Honours The 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded as pa ...

, Alofivae was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the Pacific community and youth. In 2018 she received a Blake Leader Award, presented by the Sir Peter Blake Trust. She also has an honorific title bestowed to her by her family in the village of Sa'anapu, Samoa.

Personal life

Alofivae grew up in Māngere, Auckland. Her father died when she was one year old. She attended

Epsom Girls' Grammar School , motto_translation = ''Through difficulties to greatness.'' , coordinates = , type = State Single Sex Girls Secondary (Year 9–13) with Boarding Facilities , established = 12 February 1917 , MOE = 64 , principal = Lorraine Pound , colo ...

, describing it as "a very white school" and saying "I didn’t experience any real racism until I started high school." She is a mother of four and is a Presbyterian.

References

Year of birth missing (living people) Living people 20th-century New Zealand lawyers 21st-century New Zealand lawyers Lawyers from Auckland New Zealand Presbyterians New Zealand women lawyers New Zealand people of Samoan descent 20th-century New Zealand women lawyers 21st-century New Zealand women lawyers {{NewZealand-law-bio-stub