Death threats, swastikas, racism: on Efeso Collins’ campaign trail

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I understand the research, says Efeso Collins, an academic at heart. Its told him that people fear tall, black men. He is surprisingly tall.

He knew it anyway: years ago, when he was just a lowly local politician, he occasionally blogged about the micro-aggressions he faced as a Samoan man a police interrogation at the airport which stopped when they learned his profession; being quizzed in a Town Hall lift as to why he was ascending to the councilors floor.

He still experiences purse-clutching at the bus stop, but since declaring his ambition to become Aucklands first Polynesian mayor, its become much more overt: a swastika on a poster, being called a black bastard and a black c… It comes about once a week, he reckon.

His response is to carefully moderate how he presents himself to the world.

Instead of his preferred hoodie and South Sydney shorts, his uniform is a suit and a close shave. Today, hes in a dark shirt, plain blazer, neat lavalava (hes stounded to receive emails asking why he wears a skirt).

Collins speaks softly anyway, in a voice a half-octave higher than expected, but he always aims to be calm and unthreatening. I am a big guy, and I know that. I am very aware of it. Youve got to get in the door and if that means youve got to dress a certain way for people to feel okay, and have a conversation, thats the reality of it.

READ MORE:* Auckland mayoralty: Labor Party backs councilor Efeso Collins as its candidate* Auckland councilor shaken by bomb threat after criticizing TV show* Goff v the ‘B’ Team: Investigations, bullying and distrust at Auckland Council

Its not a mask: he says he is generally calm and unflappable, a serenity he partly attributes to his background refereeing touch and netball. It was tested by maverick publican Leo Molloy, who bailed out of the mayoral race last month but only after repeatedly baiting Collins. He looks sad for a moment. I just thought: Who talks like that? What normal human being talks like that? It is so disrespectful and unbecoming of someone wanting this office.

But never does he become angry even when his campaign team has asked him to. He says he doesn’t need to bang a desk to show an inner steel. Can I tell you the challenge? I know I am a tall, brown man, and anger can be misconstrued. Because I have to remember some people will not assess me the same as others.

The pursuit of justice

David White/Stuff

Auckland mayoral candidate Efeso Collins, photographed for Stuff by David White.

Collins grew up in Otara, sixth of six children of hard-grafting Samoan immigrants who met at a dance at the Orange Hall in Newton. His mother was a nightshift cleaner, his father a taxi-driver and Methodist minister. He gives a sepia-toned snapshot of a safe, loved childhood surrounded by extended family and friends.

His elder siblings went to work young, but for the youngest, greater things were in store. He briefly attended Auckland Grammar School, but lasted a term he says it was too alien and remembers being gobsmacked that people took European holidays. He went to Tangaroa College instead, where he was elevated a year, and ended up at Auckland University, studying sociology, education and history.

After graduation, he worked for the university in a youth mentoring role, encouraging enrollments from unfamiliar families with tertiary education. Then he was a civil servant with the ministries of education and social development, and ran his own consultancy business training middle managers in leadership.

The university job took him to the UK, Philippines and the US, studying how their institutions worked to assist first in family students to succeed. He played a role in the maturing of his political beliefs, he says: it solidified my pursuit of social justice and rebalancing the books.

It also caused a spell of depression. I went through stages where I didnt feel good enough, he says. I felt insufficient, felt inadequate. His academic supervisor diagnosed it: I think, deep down, you think youre dumb. It led to a PhD enrollment; a deepened relationship with his now-wife Fia, which had begun as a friendship, but blossomed thanks to her steadfast support; and it also delayed his entry into politics.

That career didnt begin until 2013, with election to the tara local board. When he lost the Labor nomination for the Panmure seat in 2014 to Jenny Salesa, he decided to focus on local government, winning a council seat in 2016.

In 2018, Collins voted against the Regional Fuel Tax, an 11.5 cent per liter regional impost on petrol, arguing that it would unfairly hurt his poorer constituents. In doing so, he went against the mayor, Phil Goff, and the government, and found himself siding with Auckland Councils so-called B Team of outcast right-leaning councilors.

David White/Stuff

Efeso Collins says his working day typically begins at 6am.

Collins says he met with one cabinet minister afterwards to discuss ways we could restore a sense of trust and confidence. He admits he and Goff probably got offside with each other, but denies a mutual antipathy, saying the relationship has been repaired and they have a good understanding.

One councilor says of Collins: He has, in the past not so much this term rowed his own boat, taken a contrary line to Goff, and shown a degree of independence. The councilor says Collins could heal a split chamber: Hes a likeable guy, pretty straight up.

Collins says he would be an inclusive, open and honest leader who would try to engage councilors who felt sidelined. And I think I’ve got relationships with people that if we disagree, we will still be able to go out and have a beer together.

Collins diverged from Labor again over Covid, when he became a media-friendly voice of the south, and said the government should have rolled out universal vaccines to south Auckland early. The Crown got it completely wrong. So here I was, a Labor ward councilor, saying to Labour: youve got it wrong.

That disloyalty might have blocked him from the mayoralty, but he played the situation adroitly, nominating way back in January, then holding his nerve when a more natural Labor choice, Richard Hills, floated his interest. Cannily, he forced a Labor nomination process, which led to his official endorsement and the backing of the party electoral machine. But theres been a noticeable lack of high-profile endorsements and Goff was late to the party with his official anointing.

Theres a feeling within Labor that Collins hasnt necessarily done the hard yards. Their support was through gritted teeth, says one left-winger. They wanted anyone but Efeso. They didnt think he could win, and he wasnt one of them. He doesn’t play the game.

Collins navigates the issue carefully. He says he was always committed to standing, but welcomes the partys backing. He admits the relationship has been challenged over the years but says local government allows for some independence; he intends to keep disagreeing, politely, when he needs to. For example, he says, he believes light rail to the airport should be at the surface, while the government wants to tunnel.

In a similar vein, Collins has got out in front of his previous anti-abortion and gay marriage positions and now talks about going on a journey and supporting choice.

The insider reckon Collins can win. He has a presence, he has that charisma. I miss him. But they are bloody lucky theres three people standing [the other leading candidates are right-leaning Viv Beck and Wayne Brown] … its the fight of the tallest dwarf.

One right-wing politico says the feeling on that side of the fence is that Collins is fiscally weak, and hasnt properly costed his key policy, of free public transport. But he despairs at the alternatives.

Voters are no doubt confused by the choice. When we hold our interview at a cafe, the photographers camera attracts the attention of a man finishing his lunch. Who is it? he asks. Hes an undecided vote: Theres just so many of them. By the time he finishes eating, he decides he likes the cut of Collins jib. Hell vote for him. Good luck mate, he declares.

Earlier, wed been at David Tuas immaculate Onehunga gym, where the former heavyweight boxer has agreed to shoot an endorsement video.

David White/Stuff

Efeso Collins enlists the support of David Tua.

Tua says it would be massive for the city to have its first Polynesian mayor. New Zealand has changed in so many ways so why not? He praises Collins courage in carrying on despite the vitriol, and says hes convinced Collins is running for the right reasons.

Having Tuas support will, of course, play well to Collins supposed base. But Collins educational background makes him keenly aware of the rough truth: the young, brown, the south and the west dont typically vote. Not in big numbers. The central, north, older, white, wealthy do.

Collins says hes tried to split his time evenly between the two battlegrounds. If youre being strategic, you know the votes arent in the south and west [but] if we only speak to the [north and central areas], we produce policy that only speaks to them and on their behalf. This is an all-of-Auckland approach. Im not just focusing on over-50s, they might be the only ones voting, but I want to focus on everyone.

He has a tightrope to walk. He cant take his base for granted one Samoan Aucklander says to me: Just because hes Samoan and from tara doesnt mean Im going to vote for him but hes also got to try not to scare the horses with the tributary palagi.

One meeting in Rodney, apparently, went particularly badly. It shocked Harry Toleafoa, a lawyer and Tara local board member who is acting as Collins unofficial campaign driver.

Toleafoa was also surprised by how unperturbed Collins was. He says that meeting may not have been a vote-winner, but it may have debunked some preconceptions. Lets be real: sometimes that might have been their only interaction with a Pacific male, and he comes across articulate, easygoing: yeah, we might not win their vote, but it goes a long way to informing their interactions …. he’s not just standing for himself: hes representing an entire group of people you don’t often see at the highest levels of governing.

Sifting his thoughts

David White/Stuff

Efeso Collins: I know the research.

Once a month, Collins goes for supervision supervision, not counseling where he talks through his challenges, stresses and workloads.

My supervisor tells me that I internalise, that I sift, eh, and then I come out with the response, and so thats my thinking process. That sounds stressful. Sometimes it is, because you are carrying quite a lot.

Last year, the frequency increased to once a fortnight when he fielded a death threat related to his criticism of the TV show Police Ten-Seven. The bomb squad swept his office and thuhu apartment. Explaining that and the swastika graffiti to his nine-year-old daughter were difficult conversations: There is a depth of sadness I have that my poor girl is experiencing this.

He took three weeks off before Fia asked him: Do you believe we are called to do this?

He does. Aware of past slights that hes lazy, he tells me hes attended 54 campaign events from the end of May to when we talk, in late August, while still serving as a councilor. An average day begins sometime around 6am and ends as late as 2am, with his relaxation being a late-night workout with his mates at the local Jetts gym.

He has committed to being home for at least two breakfasts or dinners a week, but most days he leaves before his two daughters are awake, and is home after they are asleep. If he wins, he intends to rework the mayoral office to have a corner for his kids, and an exercise bike for him, so he can pedal and read briefing papers.

Essentially, says Toleafoa, what has kept him sane has been his family. He describes a man with an excellent sense of humor who laughs and jokes on his way to campaign meetings. That comes largely from his security: he is secure in himself, secure in his family and knows exactly what he does.

Serene, unflappable, unthreatening, never, ever angry. He says you wont ever hear him shout in a debate. I am prepared, Collins says, to fight with my brain and my mouth. I dont hit out, and I dont swear. That’s not my style.

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