An Auckland Pacific community leader says he's pleased the Pasifika Festival will return to the heart of the city but the Auckland Council is shutting pacific people out of its governance.
The Pasifika Festival. Photo: ATEED
The council has announced the festival will be back at Western Springs this summer.
The last one was held in Manukau because of the fruit fly scare.
Former chair of the Pacific People's Advisory Committee, Reverend Uesifili Unasa, said the Western Springs location means more people from other ethnic groups were likely to come.
But he said the council, and its tourism arm, were not letting Pacific people have enough of a say in how the festival is run.
He said at the moment, their involvement was limited to providing stalls and cultural displays.
