Willow-Jean Prime

Willow-Jean Prime
MP
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Labour Party list
Assumed office
23 September 2017
Personal details
Political party Labour
Spouse(s) Dion
Children 3
Alma mater University of Waikato

Willow-Jean Prime is a New Zealand politician who was elected to the New Zealand parliament at the 2017 general election as a representative of the New Zealand Labour Party.

Personal life

Prime is of Ngapuhi descent[1] and grew up in Northland.[2] She lives in Pakaraka with her husband Dion and has three children. She was pregnant during both her 2015 and 2017 election campaigns.[3][4] Prime has a Master of Laws from Waikato University.[5]

Political career

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2017–present 52nd List 17 Labour

Prime began her political career when was elected to the Far North District Council for Bay of Islands-Whangaroa in 2013 and was re-elected for a second term in 2016.[1]

Prime first ran for parliament in 2014 for the Northland electorate, placing second.[6] She then ran in the Northland by-election of 2015. The seat was strategically relevant as New Zealand First leader Winston Peters threatened to unseat the safe National position. Labour Party leader Andrew Little did not oppose strategic voting, saying "We have a candidate in the race, and she's a good candidate, and she's somebody who we want in Parliament. I have a duty to back her. But in the end, I want Northlanders to exercise their choice, to see that they could make a difference here. If they want to send a message to the government that we are sick and tired of being neglected, then they know what their choice is."[7] Peters won the by-election and Prime came third with 4.7% of the vote.

Prime ran again in Northland at the 2017 in the general election. Labour placed her 17th on its party list, the second highest rank for a Maori candidate after deputy leader Kelvin Davis.[8] Prime has stated she would resign her seat in the Far North District Council should she be elected to Parliament.[4] Prime again did not win the Northland electorate, but entered parliament via the Party list.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 Moir, Jo (2 May 2017). "Winners and losers: Who is up and who is down on the Labour Party list?". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  2. ↑ "Willow-Jean Prime". Labour Party. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  3. ↑ Nathan, Dean (2 May 2017). "Willow-Jean Prime welcomes new list rank and news of second pēpi". Māori Television. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  4. 1 2 Collins, Mikaela (3 May 2017). "Northland's Willow-Jean Prime celebrating position on the Labour Party List". The Northern Advocate. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  5. ↑ "Willow-Jean Prime". University of Waikato. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  6. ↑ "Official Count Results – Northland". Electoral Commission. 21 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  7. ↑ Kirk, Stacey (9 March 2015). "Andrew Little prods Northland to vote for Winston Peters". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  8. ↑ "Revised Labour Party List for the 2017 Election". Scoop.co.nz. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  9. ↑ "Successful Candidates". Electoral Commission. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
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