Rosewarne grew up in Wellington. He has Samoan ancestry.[1] He trained as a mechanic at Wellington Polytechnic, before enlisting in the army.[1][2] In his maiden speech to parliament, he said he was accepted into basic training despite failing both the mathematics test and the literacy test.[2]
As a staff sergeant in 2016 he contributed to the New Zealand Defence Force response to the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake, driving one of 27 trucks carrying over 44 tonnes of vital supplies into the region.[4] He retired from the Army in July 2022 at the rank of Captain just days before his swearing into Parliament.[5]
Political career
Rosewarne succeeded Clayton Cosgrove as Labour's candidate in Waimakariri at the 2017 general election.[6][7][8] He was defeated by Matt Doocey by 10,766 votes, and his list ranking of 52 was not high enough to see him enter Parliament.[9] He was reselected three years later to contest Waimakariri again in the 2020 general election.[10] He lost to Doocey again, but picked up a large swing, cutting Doocey's majority to 1,507 votes.[11]
Despite the loss, Rosewarne became a Member of Parliament in July 2022, following the resignation of Kris Faafoi.[12][13] His maiden speech, given on 27 July, recounted how he found his way to politics and the Labour Party after receiving state-funded treatment for otherwise-terminal cancer in 2014.[14]
Rosewarne was initially appointed as a Labour member on the transport and infrastructure committee. In 2023, he sat on the foreign affairs, defence and trade committee, the education and workforce committee, and the finance and expenditure committee.[15] He put himself forward for the Labour nomination in the seat of Christchurch East for the 2023 general election to replace the retiring Poto Williams, but was unsuccessful.[16]
Rosewarne ran for a third time in Waimakariri in 2023, but lost to Doocey again. His position of 32 on the Labour Party list was not high enough to see him reelected.[17][18] Following Labour's election defeat, he expressed regrets at the loss of perks that came with his job as a Member of Parliament including his Air New Zealand Koru Club privileges.[19]
Personal life
He lives in Waimakariri with his wife and their two children.[10] In 2014, Rosewarne was diagnosed with leukaemia and took immunotherapy drugs in order to beat the condition which would have otherwise been terminal.[20]
