[3] He was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 2009 in a by-election following the appointment of Sione Laumanuʻuli Luani as Governor of Vava'u.

[5] He lost his seat just over a year later at the 2010 Tongan general election.

[6] In October 2021 the High Court of New Zealand ordered Fulivai and his wife to repay over $250,000 to a New Zealand businessman as part of a fraudulent land deal.

[1][7][8] New Zealand police subsequently charged him with obtaining by deception.

[7] In December 2021 the same businessman took action to recover a further $340,000 paid as part of a yellow fin tuna project.