Jami-Lee Ross

Jami-Lee Ross
MP
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Botany
Assumed office
5 March 2011
Preceded by Pansy Wong
Majority 12,839 (2017)
Personal details
Born (1985-12-10) 10 December 1985
New Zealand
Political party National
Spouse(s) Lucy Schwaner
Children 2

Jami-Lee Matenga Ross[1] (born 10 December 1985) of the New Zealand National Party has been the Member of Parliament for the Botany electorate in Auckland since the March 2011 Botany by-election, when he became the youngest Member of Parliament at the time. He was previously a local government politician on the Auckland Council and, before that, was on the Manukau City Council from the age of 18.

Early life

Ross was brought up by his grandmother as his mother was "not in the best space to raise a child", and he has never met his father, who descends from the Māori iwi of Ngāti Porou. He attended Dilworth School, a boarding school for pupils from difficult backgrounds, then Pakuranga College, but left without formal qualifications. He holds a commercial pilot's licence from April 2012,[2] having trained at Ardmore Flying School. He has also studied towards a politics and economics degree at the University of Auckland.[3]

He is married to Lucy Schwaner, a former member of the Howick Local Board.[4][5]

Political career

Auckland Council
Years Ward Affiliation
2010–2011 Howick Citizens & Ratepayers

Ross has been a member of the National Party since 2003. He was elected to the Manukau City Council in 2004, aged 18, and worked as an electorate secretary in Pakuranga for MP Maurice Williamson.[6]

He stood for a place on the new Auckland Council in the Auckland local elections, 2010, winning a seat for the Howick ward. He was subsequently elected co-leader of the Citizens & Ratepayers ticket.[7] He resigned from the Council on 7 March 2011, after being elected to parliament.[8]

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2011 49th Botany National
2011–2014 50th Botany 54 National
2014–2017 51st Botany 29 National
2017–present 52nd Botany 27 National

On 27 January 2011, the National Party selected Ross as their candidate for the Botany by-election to be held on 5 March 2011, to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Pansy Wong.[6] He won the election with a majority of 3,972.[9] Upon his swearing into Parliament Ross became the youngest Member of Parliament, taking the title of Baby of the House from Gareth Hughes, a Green Party MP. Ross was re-elected as MP for Botany in the November 2011 election and 2014 election.

Ross has served as one of the National Party's whips in Parliament. He was appointed Third Whip in 2013, was promoted to Junior Whip after the 2014 election, and elected as Senior Whip after the incumbent Tim Macindoe was appointed as Minister of Customs in May 2017.[10]

On 2 October 2018 Jami-Lee Ross issued a statement that he was standing down from his portfolios and from the front bench of the Opposition due to personal health issues. His transport portfolio will be picked up by Paul Goldsmith, and Judith Collins will take over his infrastructure portfolio.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "2011 Botany by-election: Results of the official count". New Zealand Gazette. 16 March 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  2. ↑ Refer to talk page
  3. ↑ "No Plan B for Botany's young gun". The New Zealand Herald. 5 February 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
  4. ↑ Smith, Simon (23 January 2013). "Chairman fails in attempt to dump deputy". Auckland Now. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  5. ↑ "Local board member who quit within minutes paid $1600". 16 December 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Nats and Labour make choices for Botany". TVNZ. 27 January 2011.
  7. ↑ Orsman, Bernard (12 October 2010). "Defeated but defiant: right wing's new faces hint at old-style politics". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  8. ↑ Howick councillor Jami-Lee Ross resigns scoop.co.nz, 7 March 2011
  9. ↑ "Final Botany results counted, Jami-Lee to be sworn in". Newshub. 15 March 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  10. ↑ Nicholas Jones (2 May 2017). "Promotion for Botany MP Jami-Lee Ross to senior whip position". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  11. ↑ "National MP Jami-Lee Ross stands down for health reasons". Radio New Zealand. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
Pansy Wong		 Member of Parliament for Botany
2011–present		 Incumbent
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