Damon Salesa


Damon Ieremia Salesa is a Samoan New Zealand academic. Raised in Glen Innes, he attended Selwyn College and then the University of Auckland. Salesa was the first Rhodes Scholar of Pacific descent. He is currently head of the Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland. He is married to Jenny Salesa, a lawyer and member of the New Zealand parliament for the Labour Party.
In 2017, Salesa attracted significant press both with claims that Auckland has 'residential segregation' and that Pacific Island sports stars are denied governance roles.

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