Six Labour MPs including David Clark to retire at election

December 13, 2022

Ministers David Clark, Poto Williams and Aupito William Sio are among those stepping down.

Ministers Poto Williams, David Clark and Aupito William Sio are among the six Labour MPs retiring at the 2023 election.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed MPs Jamie Strange, Marja Lubeck and Paul Eagle are also retiring.

All six MPs will stay in their roles until the election.

“I’ve had conversations with each MP and Minister. They’ve each made their own call based on their personal circumstances – which I both understand and respect," Ardern said.

She thanked the Minister for Pacific Peoples Sio for his work in the Dawn Raids apology, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Clark for leading supermarket reforms, and former Police Minister Williams for implementing gun reforms.

“Marja, Paul and Jamie have been such passionate advocates for their communities and are valued members of our team," Ardern said.

"These retirements will have no immediate impact on Cabinet with a reshuffle not scheduled until early next year."

Meanwhile, National leader Christopher Luxon said he hadn't heard about any other retirements from his party apart from what's already been announced - Ian McKelvie, David Bennett and Jacqui Dean.

Labour's six retiring MPs

David Clark

Clark first entered Parliament in 2011 as MP for Dunedin North. While Labour was in opposition, he was the spokesperson for a number of areas, including revenue, economic development and health.

Clark was stripped of his Associate Finance portfolio in April 2020 after a trip to the beach and a mountain bike trail during the Covid-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown.

Following further blunders, Clark resigned as Health Minister in July 2020. After the 2020 election, he picked up the Commerce, Digital Economy and Statistics portfolios, among others.

"I've made clear in the past what my biggest regrets are," he said after the announcement of his political retirement.

It comes after the Commerce Commission’s analysis of NZ supermarkets, and a petition that was launched Tuesday.

He is shepherding the Grocery Industry Competition Bill through Parliament. It aims to address excessive supermarket profits and encourage more competition in the sector.

Poto Williams

Williams said the decision to leave Parliament was hers alone - and that it wasn't because she thought Labour would lose the next election.

Christchurch East MP won her seat in a by-election in 2013, triggered by the resignation of Lianne Dalziel who had won the Christchurch Mayoralty.

Williams became Police Minister after Labour's 2020 election victory. Shortly after her appointment, she told 1News she wanted to focus on tackling domestic and sexual violence issues because of her previous experience in community health services.

She was Police Minister during a period of increased drive-by shootings and ram-raid incidents. Opposition parties called for her resignation earlier this year, saying she was "struggling" in the portfolio.

Under-fire Police Minister Poto Williams has been moved out of the role, with Chris Hipkins appointed to the position.

Chris Hipkins replaced the under-fire Williams in the Police portfolio in June. Williams picked up Conservation and the Disability Issues portfolio. She oversaw the launching of the new Ministry of Disabled People, Whaikaha, in July.

Hipkins told reporters on Tuesday, despite his numerous ministerial roles in the past few years, he had no plans to go anywhere - even if Labour ended up losing next year's election.

Aupito William Sio

Māngere MP Sio won his Parliamentary seat in 2008, after a stint as the deputy mayor of Manukau City and a councillor for the Ōtara ward.

He served as spokesperson for customs, local government and employment, among others, while in opposition.

During the Delta outbreak in 2021, he criticised the Ministry of Health for "failing" Pasifika.

He was Minister for Pacific Peoples during the Government's formal apology in 2021 for the 1970s dawn raids, which targeted Pasifika in an immigration crackdown on alleged visa overstayers.

"I've got other challenges I want to get stuck into," Sio said on Tuesday.

Paul Eagle

Eagle was first elected to Wellington City Council in 2010. He became then-Mayor Justin Lester's deputy in 2016.

The Rongotai Labour MP spoke to 1News about what he could offer Wellington.

He entered Parliament in 2017 as the MP for Rongotai.

In 2022, he ran to become Wellington's mayor - despite promising not to in 2020 - and finished third.

Jamie Strange

Strange was a church minister and music teacher before he entered Parliament in 2017 as a list MP. He won the Hamilton East seat in the 2020 election.

The Hamilton East MP told Stuff the role and being away from home had "put a strain" on his family. He also said he was "better suited for government than opposition", as Labour continues dropping in the polls.

The comments led ACT leader David Seymour to label Strange a "strangely honest politician".

“He’s not the only one departing the sinking ship. David Clark is on his bike, Eagle is flying the coop and the woman widely touted on Twitter as future Prime Minister - Marja Lubeck - is also on the way out," Seymour said.

Ardern said she'd seen Strange's comments but didn't take it as an expression of doubt over Labour's election chances in 2023.

"It's a reflection of the fact he's enjoyed being an MP while we've been in Government."

Marja Lubeck

List MP Lubeck was a flight attendant and union advocate before she entered Parliament in 2017.

After a petition to Parliament, Lubeck lodged Member's bill in 2018 seeking to ban conversion practices that try to change or suppress someone's sexual orientation or gender identity. It was never pulled from the ballot.

Conversion practices were eventually banned in February this year after a Government bill passed.

Lubeck said she chose to step down to spend more time with family.

"It's a tough job… it's a lot of juggling to do."

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