Poto Williams

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.

The Honourable Poto Williams MP
Williams in 2020
8th Minister for Building and Construction
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 November 2020
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern
Preceded by	Jenny Salesa
40th Minister of Police
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 November 2020
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern
Preceded by	Stuart Nash
9th Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
In office 3 July 2019 – 6 November 2020
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern
Preceded by	Peeni Henare
Succeeded by	Priyanca Radhakrishnan
Assistant Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
In office 8 November 2017 – 3 July 2019
Preceded by	Lindsay Tisch
Succeeded by	Ruth Dyson
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Christchurch East
Incumbent
Assumed office 28 January 2014
Preceded by	Lianne Dalziel
Majority	17,336
Personal details
Born	7 January 1962 Wellington, New Zealand
Political party	Labour
Alma mater	Southern Cross University

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. "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

• Media related to Poto Williams at Wikimedia Commons