Josiah Tualamali’i

In July 2023 Josiah was appointed as one New Zealand’s Children’s Commissioners. He is the youngest ever, and first Pacific person to hold this role. Josiah, the Commissioners and their team speak up and team up for the rights of children, and young people in care and custody up to 25 years of age.

At 22 years old in 2018 he was a panel member of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction assisting young people and all communities to directly inform mental wellbeing for Aotearoa. He has 11 years of governance experience and is a social justice campaigner. He co-led the successful national letter campaign and petition to support his elders' call for an apology for the “Dawn Raids” from the New Zealand Government and Parliament in 2021.

He has received the New Zealand Prime Minister's Pacific Youth Award for Leadership (2016), a Christchurch Civic Award (2016), and in 2024 was one of the three finalists for Young New Zealander of the Year.