Jenny Salesa

The Honourable
Jenny Salesa
MP
Salesa in 2023
First Assistant Speaker of the House of Representatives
In office
26 November 2020 – 6 December 2023
SpeakerTrevor Mallard (2020–2022)
Adrian Rurawhe (2022–2023)
Preceded byRuth Dyson
Succeeded byMaureen Pugh
7th Minister for Building and Construction
In office
26 October 2017 – 6 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Preceded byNick Smith
Succeeded byPoto Williams
Minister for Ethnic Communities
In office
26 October 2017 – 6 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Preceded byJudith Collins
Succeeded byPriyanca Radhakrishnan
65th Minister of Customs
In office
27 June 2019 – 6 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Preceded byKris Faafoi
Succeeded byMeka Whaitiri
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Panmure-Ōtāhuhu
Manukau East (2014–2020)
Incumbent
Assumed office
20 September 2014
Preceded byRoss Robertson
Majority18,626
Personal details
Bornc. 1968 (age 56–57)
Tonga
Political partyLabour
SpouseDamon Salesa
Alma materUniversity of Auckland
ProfessionPublic servant

Jennifer Teresia Salesa (née Latu, born c. 1968)[1] is a New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party who has served as a Member of Parliament since 2014. She was first elected as MP for Manukau East, and after its abolition in 2020 won the replacement electorate of Panmure-Ōtāhuhu. She served as a Cabinet Minister in the Sixth Labour Government as Minister for Building and Construction, Minister of Customs (from 2019) and Minister for Ethnic Communities from 2017 until 6 November 2020.

Early life and career

She is of Tongan heritage and is married to university academic Damon Salesa.[2] Prior to entering Parliament Salesa had worked in the public sector, and overseas in the United States.[3]

Political career

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2014–2017 51st Manukau East 31 Labour
2017–2020 52nd Manukau East 19 Labour
2020–2023 53rd Panmure-Ōtāhuhu 13 Labour
2023–present 54th Panmure-Ōtāhuhu 24 Labour

In opposition, 2014–2017

Salesa replaced long serving MP Ross Robertson in the Manukau East seat when he retired at the 2014 election. She was successful in gaining the Labour party nomination for the seat, ahead of Auckland Councillor Efeso Collins.[4][5] Salesa won the seat by a margin of 13,254 votes, beating the National Party candidate Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi.[6]

In government, 2017–2023

During the 2017 New Zealand general election held on 23 September, Salesa retained Manukau East by 12,589 votes, beating the National Party candidate Bakshi.[7]

In mid-October 2017, Salesa was elected as a Cabinet Minister by the Labour Party caucus following Labour's formation of a government with New Zealand First and the Greens.[8] She was appointed Minister for Building and Construction and Minister of Ethnic Communities, and Associate Minister of Education, Health, and Housing and Urban Development.[9]

In late June 2019, Salesa was made Minister of Customs following a cabinet reshuffle, replacing Kris Faafoi who assumed the portfolio of Associate Minister for public housing.[10][11]

During the 2020 New Zealand general election, Salesa contested the Panmure-Ōtāhuhu electorate, defeating National Party candidate Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi by a final margin of 18,626 votes.[12]

When the new Cabinet was announced following the election, Salesa lost all her ministerial positions. She was instead nominated for the role of Assistant Speaker.[13] On 9 November 2020, Salesa was granted retention of the title "The Honourable" for life, in recognition of her term as a member of the Executive Council.[14] She was officially appointed an Assistant Speaker on 26 November.[15]

In opposition, 2023–present

During the 2023 New Zealand general election, Salesa retained the Panmure-Ōtāhuhu electorate by 7,970 votes, defeating National's candidate Navtej Randhawa.[16]

In late November 2023, Salesa became spokesperson for ethnic communities and customs in the Shadow Cabinet of Chris Hipkins.[17]

References

  1. ^ "Roll of members of the New Zealand House of Representatives, 1854 onwards" (PDF). New Zealand Parliament. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Jenny Salesa to stand for Labour in Manukau East". Pacific Guardians. 24 February 2014. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  3. ^ "Jenny Salesa named as Labour candidate for the Manukau East electorate". newstalkzb.co.nz. 22 February 2014. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Labour to select candidate for Manukau East | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz.
  5. ^ Roberts, Sarah (28 February 2014). "Labour picks Manukau East candidate" – via Stuff.co.nz.
  6. ^ "Official Count Results – Manukau East (2014)". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Manukau East - Official Result". Electoral Commission. October 2017. Archived from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Who's in? Who's out?". Radio NZ. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  9. ^ "Ministerial List". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  10. ^ "Winners and losers – PM reveals first substantive Cabinet reshuffle". Radio New Zealand. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  11. ^ Small, Zane (27 June 2019). "Jacinda Ardern's Cabinet reshuffle: Phil Twyford's Housing portfolio split into three". Newshub. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  12. ^ "Panmure-Ōtāhuhu – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  13. ^ Cooke, Henry; Coughlan, Thomas (2 November 2020). "Cabinet reshuffle: The winners and losers from Jacinda Ardern's new lineup". Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  14. ^ "Retention of the title "The Honourable"". New Zealand Gazette. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  15. ^ "Daily progress for Thursday, 26 November 2020". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  16. ^ "Panmure-Ōtāhuhu - Official Result". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins reveals new shadow Cabinet". Radio New Zealand. 30 November 2023. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
New electorate
 Member of Parliament for Panmure-Ōtāhuhu
2020–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Manukau East
2014–2020 		Succeeded by
Electorate abolished
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Building and Construction
2017–2020 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Ethnic Communities
2017–2020 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Customs
2019–2020 		Succeeded by