Poto Williams

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Honourable
Poto Williams
MP
Hon Poto Williams.jpg
Williams in 2020
8th Minister for Building and Construction
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Preceded byJenny Salesa
40th Minister of Police
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Preceded byStuart Nash
9th Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
In office
3 July 2019 – 6 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Preceded byPeeni Henare
Succeeded byPriyanca Radhakrishnan
Assistant Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
In office
8 November 2017 – 3 July 2019
Preceded byLindsay Tisch
Succeeded byRuth Dyson
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Christchurch East
Incumbent
Assumed office
28 January 2014
Preceded byLianne Dalziel
Majority17,336
Personal details
Born (1962-01-07) 7 January 1962 (age 59)
Wellington, New Zealand
Political partyLabour
Alma materSouthern Cross University

Munokoa Poto Williams MP (born 7 January 1962) has served as a member of Parliament in the New Zealand Labour Party parliamentary caucus since the 2013 Christchurch East by-election. She became the second Cook Islander elected to the New Zealand Parliament – after Alfred Ngaro.

Early life and education[]

Williams[1] was born in Wellington and grew up in Auckland, where she attended Beresford Street School and Auckland Girls' Grammar.[2] Williams graduated from Southern Cross University in New South Wales, Australia with an MBA.[3]

Professional career[]

Williams has worked for the Ministry of Education, BirthRight, Healthcare NZ and disability agencies.[2] She moved from Auckland to Christchurch's suburb of New Brighton in January 2013 to take up a position as regional manager of the St John of God Hauora Trust.[4] She resigned from that role during the election campaign so that she could focus "110%" on the election.[5]

Political career[]

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2013–2014 50th Christchurch East Labour
2014–2017 51st Christchurch East 28 Labour
2017–2020 52nd Christchurch East 25 Labour
2020–present 53rd Christchurch East 21 Labour

Williams first got politically involved through making submissions on family violence and child welfare issues, which she has a strong interest in.[2] She has served as a member of the Community Child Protection Review Panel, was involved in the Waitakere Community Law Service and Community Waitakere, and was part of the Living Wage Campaign and the LIFEWISE Big Sleepout.[6]

Fifth National Government, 2013–2017[]

Williams won the 2013 Christchurch East by-election with a "whopping"[7] 61 per cent of the vote, delivering a "crushing victory".[8] On 28 January 2014, Williams was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives.[9]

During the 2014 general election Williams won the Christchurch East electorate, defeating National candidate Jo Hayes by 4,073 votes.[10]

Sixth Labour Government, 2017–present[]

During the 2017 New Zealand general election in September, Williams retained the Christchurch East electorate, defeating Jo Hayes by 7,480 votes.[11] On 19 October 2017, a Labour-led coalition government was formed with support from New Zealand First and the Green parties.[12][13]

On 8 November 2017, Williams was elected to the office of Assistant Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives. National Party Opposition Members tried challenging her nomination for the office on the basis she was not yet sworn in. Speaker Trevor Mallard dismissed the challenges made by National Members by stating that one of the criteria for being nominated and elected as a presiding officer was being a Member of Parliament – which she was by virtue of the finalised election results. She however would not be able to conduct her business as Assistant Speaker until she had been sworn in.[14]

Following a cabinet reshuffle in late June 2019, Williams was appointed as a minister outside Cabinet, becoming Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector as well as an Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Social Development and Immigration.[15][16][17]

During the 2020 New Zealand general election, Williams was re-elected in Christchurch East, defeating National's Lincoln Platt by a margin of 17,336 votes.[18] In early November 2020, Williams assumed the ministerial portfolios for Building and Construction and Police as well as the associate ministerial portfolios for Children and Public Housing.[19]

Political positions[]

In May 2017, Williams suggested removing the presumption of innocence afforded to alleged perpetrators of sexual assault.[20]

References[]

  1. ^ Rashneel Kumar (3 November 2020). "NZ MP Cook Islander at heart". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Chch East candidate: Poto Williams". Stuff.co.nz. 16 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  3. ^ Hutching, Chris. "New bloods vie for Christchurch East". National Business Review. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  4. ^ "Labour picks community worker for Chch East". Radio New Zealand. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  5. ^ Conway, Glenn (28 September 2013). "Unknown, but undaunted". The Press. p. A15.
  6. ^ "Poto Williams selected as Labour Christchurch East Candidate | Scoop News". Scoop.co.nz. 22 September 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  7. ^ Bayer, Kurt (30 November 2013). "Poto Williams wins Christchurch East by-election". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  8. ^ "Chch by-election an easy Labour win". The Press. 30 November 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  9. ^ (28 January 2014) 696 NZPD 1.
  10. ^ "Official Count Results – Christchurch East". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  11. ^ "Christchurch East – Official Result 2017 election". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  12. ^ Chapman, Grant (19 October 2017). "Full video: NZ First leader Winston Peters announces next Government". Newshub. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  13. ^ Hurley, Emma (19 October 2017). "An 'historic moment' for the Green Party – James Shaw". Newshub. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  14. ^ "Read Hansard Reports". Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  15. ^ Devlin, Collette (27 June 2019). "Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's Cabinet reshuffle – the ups and downs". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  16. ^ Small, Zane (27 June 2019). "Jacinda Ardern's Cabinet reshuffle: Phil Twyford's Housing portfolio split into three". Newshub. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  17. ^ "Winners and losers – PM reveals first substantive Cabinet reshuffle". Radio New Zealand. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  18. ^ "Christchurch East – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  19. ^ "Ministerial List for Announcement on Monday" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 November 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  20. ^ Wall, Tony (30 April 2017). "Police are telling rape victims their hands are tied if the accused denies it". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 4 May 2017.

External links[]

New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Christchurch East
2013–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Building and Construction
2020–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by Minister of Police
2020–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
2019–2020 		Succeeded by
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