[6] After graduating he joined Russell McVeagh McKenzie Bartleet in Auckland as a solicitor, working in the area of corporate and commercial law.

[8] Following his successful election, Lotu-Iiga was appointed Chairman of the City Development Committee on the Council under Mayor John Banks.

That month, incumbent Labour Party MP Mark Gosche, who held a majority of over 6,000 votes, announced he would stand down from the seat in the forthcoming general election.

[citation needed] Gosche's large majority meant that Maungakiekie was still considered a safe Labour seat.

On election night, Lotu-Iiga beat Labour List MP Carol Beaumont by a margin of 1,942 votes[11] in what was one of the largest electoral swings in the country.

[13] Lotu-Iiga faced some criticism for not resigning from his role as an Auckland City Councillor when he was elected as an MP.

[16][17] In November 2011, Lotu-Iiga was reelected the MP for Maungakiekie, beating Carol Beaumont a second time with an increased majority.

[24] Following the 2017 election, Lotu-Iiga became Manukau Institute of Technology's deputy chief executive Pasifika on 25 September 2017.

Lotu-Iiga is an active leader of the Pasifika community and holds the Samoan high chief (alii) title of Peseta.

Lotu-Iiga has coached the Auckland under-14 rugby team and once served as a board member of the Primary health organisations of New Zealand.