Moʻale Finau Explained

Moʻale Finau
Office4:Governor of Ha'apai
Primeminister4:ʻAkilisi Pōhiva
Term Start4:9 February 2015
Term End4:26 June 2018
Predecessor4:Havea Tu‘iha‘angana
Successor4:Mohenoa Puloka
Constituency Mp10:Haʻapai 12
Term Start10:1 September 2022
Predecessor10:Viliami Hingano
Term Start11:16 November 2017
Term End11:18 November 2021
Predecessor11:Viliami Hingano
Successor11:Viliami Hingano
Term Start12:25 November 2010
Term End12:27 November 2014
Predecessor12:none (constituency established)
Successor12:Viliami Hingano
Majority12:11.1%
Birth Date:10 February 1960
Party:Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands

Moʻale Finau (born February 10, 1960[1]) is a Tongan politician and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga.

He is a member of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.

Finau has a Master of Arts degree in Geography and a Certificate in Law.[1] He worked as a teacher, businessman and leadership training officer before entering politics.[1] He stood unsuccessfully as an independent for the seat of Haʻapai in both the 2005[2] and 2008[3] general elections. In the 2010 general election he stood in the new Haʻapai 12 constituency for the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands, and was elected with 31.9% of the vote.[4] He lost the seat by 4 votes in the 2014 election.

In February 2015, Finau was appointed Governor of Ha'apai.[5] In May 2016 he was charged with careless driving after injuring a man while driving in Tongatapu.[6] In September 2017 the Auditor-General found that he had unlawfully spent T$150,000 from a community development fund on his own projects.[7]

He was re-elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 2017 Tongan general election. He lost his seat again in the 2021 Tongan general election.[8] He was re-elected in the 2022 Ha’apai 12 by-election.[9] [10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mo'ale Finau . Parliament of Tonga . 2011-04-03.
  2. Web site: KINGDOM OF TONGA LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS OF 17 MARCH 2005 . Adam Carr . 28 December 2020.
  3. Web site: KINGDOM OF TONGA LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS OF 24 APRIL 2008 . Adam Carr . 28 December 2020.
  4. http://www.matangitonga.to/user?article=article/tonganews/politics/20101125_tonga_election_download_results.shtml 2010 general election results
  5. Web site: Commoner becomes governor of Tonga's Ha'apai . Radio New Zealand International . 9 February 2015 . 9 February 2015.
  6. Web site: Ha’apai Governor charged with careless driving after man injured . Kaniva Tonga . 20 May 2016 . 9 January 2022.
  7. Web site: Haʻapai governor regarded development fund as a blessing for his own projects, report says . Kaniva Tonga . 21 September 2017 . 9 January 2022.
  8. Web site: Tonga elects all-male parliament with nine new People's Reps . Matangi Tonga . 18 November 2021 . 18 November 2021 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211118122442/https://matangitonga.to/2021/11/19/tonga-elects-all-male-parliament-nine-new-peoples-reps . 18 November 2021.
  9. Web site: Acting Speaker congratulates Mo’ale Finau on winning Ha’apai 12 by-election . Legislative Assembly of Tonga . 5 September 2022 . 6 September 2022.
  10. Web site: Mo'ale Finau wins Ha‘apai 12 By-Election . Matangi Tonga . Linny Folau . 7 September 2022 . 7 September 2022.