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Michael Wood (New Zealand politician)

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The Honourable
Michael Wood
Wood in 2023
4th Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety
In office
6 November 2020 – 21 June 2023
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
Preceded byAndrew Little
Succeeded byCarmel Sepuloni
58th Minister of Immigration
In office
14 June 2022 – 21 June 2023
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
Preceded byKris Faafoi
Succeeded byAndrew Little
2nd Minister for Auckland
In office
1 February 2023 – 21 June 2023
Prime MinisterChris Hipkins
Preceded byVacant (last held by Judith Tizard)
Succeeded byCarmel Sepuloni
28th Minister of Transport
In office
6 November 2020 – 6 June 2023
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
Preceded byPhil Twyford
Succeeded byDavid Parker
Deputy Leader of the House
In office
6 November 2020 – 14 June 2022
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Preceded byIain Lees-Galloway
Succeeded byKieran McAnulty
Chief Government Whip in the House of Representatives
In office
27 June 2019 – 2 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Preceded byRuth Dyson
Succeeded byKieran McAnulty
Parliamentary Under-Secretary
for Ethnic Communities
In office
26 October 2017 – 27 June 2019
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
MinisterJenny Salesa
Succeeded byPriyanca Radhakrishnan
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Mount Roskill
In office
3 December 2016 – 14 October 2023
Preceded byPhil Goff
Succeeded byCarlos Cheung
Personal details
Born (1980-05-10) 10 May 1980 (age 44)
Political partyLabour
SpouseJulie Fairey
Children3

Michael Philip Wood (born 10 May 1980) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician and a former member of the New Zealand House of Representatives, representing Mount Roskill between 2016 and 2023.

He was Minister of Immigration, Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, Minister of Transport, and Minister for Auckland in the second term of the Sixth Labour Government until his resignation in June 2023 due to controversies over shares.[1][2]

Early life

[edit]

Wood was born in 1980. He attended Pakuranga College[3] and graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Arts in 2005.[4] While a university student Wood worked as a Christmas tree salesman. After finishing university he initially worked in retail jobs for several years, including at Hugh Wright's, a men's clothing store. He joined the union movement, and worked as an organiser as a senior negotiator for the financial sector union Finance and Information Workers Union. He then joined Habitat for Humanity as an advisor working on several issues such as their health and safety procedures.[5][6]

Labour Party activism and candidancy

[edit]

In 1998, his first year at university, he became critical of the direction of New Zealand under the Fourth National Government, confirmed by that year's power crisis in Auckland. Wood reflected that the period was "a sign that things weren’t working well in our society."[6] He joined Princes Street Labour and later took part in the Hikoi for Hope, a 1998 nationwide protest against inequality led by the Anglican Church of New Zealand.

Before being elected to Parliament for the first time in 2016, Wood stood unsuccessfully for Labour on numerous occasions, often in safe National seats. He stood in Pakuranga during the 2002 and 2005 elections and was on the Labour Party list in 2008. He was the Labour candidate during the 2011 Botany by-election and in the 2014 election stood in Epsom.[7][8]

Wood successfully contested the Puketāpapa Local Board representing Roskill Community Voice alongside his wife Julie Fairey in 2010.[9] He was re-elected to that role in 2013,[10] but declined to contest the position again in 2016 after being selected to run in the safe Labour seat of Mount Roskill in the 2017 election.

Wood had been for some time prior to his nomination the Mount Roskill electorate chairman. The electorate had been held by Phil Goff since 1993. Goff announced his candidacy for the 2016 Auckland mayoralty election in November 2015.[11] Wood was announced as Labour's new Mount Roskill candidate in June 2016, with an endorsement from Goff. The announcement was made early in the electoral cycle because of the potential for a by-election in late 2016 or early 2017 subject to Goff winning the mayoral election and resigning from Parliament.[12][13]

Member of Parliament

[edit]
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
2016–2017 51st Mt Roskill Labour
2017–2020 52nd Mt Roskill 27 Labour
2020–2023 53rd Mt Roskill 23 Labour

First term, 2016–2017

[edit]

Following Goff's election to the Auckland mayoralty and resignation as a Member of Parliament in October 2016, Wood was confirmed as the candidate for the Mt Roskill by-election.[14] Turnout was above average for a by-election, and Wood received more than twice as many votes as his closest rival, Parmjeet Parmar of the National Party.[15]

On 16 December 2016, he was named as the Labour Party's spokesman on Consumer Affairs, Ethnic Communities, and Revenue. On 7 February 2017, the first sitting day of Parliament since his election, he took the House of Representatives' Oath of Allegiance and was appointed to the Finance and Expenditure Committee.[16][17]

Sixth Labour Government

[edit]

In the 2017 New Zealand general election, Wood retained the Mount Roskill electorate, preserving his large majority.[18] He was sworn in as Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Ethnic Communities following the formation of the Sixth Labour Government, and was additionally appointed as chair of the Finance and Expenditure Committee.[16][19][20]

In a June 2019 reshuffle, Wood was promoted to Chief Government Whip, succeeding Ruth Dyson.[21] He was a member of the Epidemic Response Committee, a select committee that considered the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22]

In the 2020 New Zealand general election, Wood was re-elected in Mount Roskill by a final margin of 13,853 votes, defeating the National Party's candidate Parmjeet Parmar.[23] He was promoted to cabinet following the 2020 election, becoming Minister of Transport, Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, and Deputy Leader of the House.[24][25]

In a cabinet reshuffle announced by Ardern on 13 June 2022, Wood was succeeded as Deputy Leader of the House by Kieran McAnulty and took on the position of Minister of Immigration whilst retaining the Transport and Workplace Safety portfolios.[26][27]

In late January 2022, Wood in his capacity as Transport Minister announced that the New Zealand Government had approved a NZ$14.6 billion project to establish a partially tunneled light rail network between Auckland Airport and the Auckland CBD. The planned light rail network would integrate with current train and bus hubs as well as the City Rail Link's stations and connections. He also confirmed that the Government would decide on plans to establish a second harbour crossing at Waitemata Harbour in 2023. The light rail network was supported by the Green Party but criticised by the ACT party as a waste of taxpayer money.[28]

In early July 2022, Wood in his capacity as Immigration Minister stated that hospitality and tourism businesses needed to raise their wages in order to attract more foreign workers to New Zealand. His remarks were criticised by the ACT party candidate Chris Baillie, who accused him of attacking businesses. Wood defended his remarks, stating that he had spoken to hospitality and tourism workers.[29] On 5 July, he defended the Government's decision to exclude nurses from its fast-track residency pathway on the ground that nurses left their profession after gaining residency status. The National Party's immigration spokesperson Erica Stanford criticised the exclusion of nurses as discriminatory and claimed that it worsened the country's shortage of nurses.[30]

On 1 February 2023, Wood gained the additional portfolios of Minister for Auckland and Associate Minister of Finance in Prime Minister Chris Hipkins' Cabinet.[31]

Conflicts of interest and removal from ministerial positions

[edit]

Wood lost his ministerial roles in June 2023 due to a failure to meet an obligation to declare financial interests that were in conflict with his ministerial responsibilities.

On 6 June, Wood was suspended from his transport ministerial portfolio by Hipkins after failing to declare that he had shares in Auckland Airport. Wood had purchased about 1,530 shares (now worth about NZ$13,000)[dubious – discuss] in the 1990s.[32] Though he had declared the shares to the Cabinet Office when he became a minister in 2020, he failed to declare them in the public register of MPs' assets and other interests until 2022 and had falsely advised the Cabinet Office that the shares had been divested. Kieran McAnulty assumed the role of acting Transport Minister.[1][33]

On 8 June, Wood confirmed that he had sold his Auckland Airport shares for about $16,400, with the money being donated to the Anglican Trust for Women and Children.[34] He also corrected his additional pecuniary interest registers.[35] Sir Maarten Wevers, the Registrar of Pecuniary and Other Specified Interests, launched an inquiry into whether Wood had complied with obligations to declare his interests.[36] The report of the inquiry was published on 18 July. Wevers was critical of Wood for having failed to manage his conflicts of interests as a minister, including "a lack of awareness of the need to correct errors and omissions" and to do so in a timely way, and for tarnishing the reputation of Parliament.[37][38] Wood was referred to Parliament's Privileges Committee.[37]

Before the inquiry could be completed, on 21 June, Wood resigned as a minister, after revelations that additional shares he owned in Chorus, Spark, and National Australia Bank (NAB) had not been disclosed.[2][39][40] After announcing Wood's resignation, Hipkins announced that Carmel Sepuloni would take on his roles as Minister for Auckland and Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety. Andrew Little would take on the Immigration portfolio, David Parker would take on Transport, and Kiri Allan would take on the Associate Finance role.[41] Hipkins also announced new procedures for ministers regarding the declaration of conflicts of interest.[42]

On 29 June, Wood was granted the use of the honorific prefix The Honourable for life, in recognition of his term as a member of the Executive Council.[43]

On 18 July, Wood was referred to Parliament's Privileges Committee for failing to manage his conflict of interests as a minister.[44] On 23 August, the Privileges Committee found that he had neglected his duties over a significant period of time but that his actions did not amount to contempt. The Committee recommended that he apologise to Parliament for failing to declare his shareholdings.[45]

2023 general election

[edit]

During the 2023 New Zealand general election held on 14 October, Wood lost the Mt Roskill electorate to National Party candidate Carlos Cheung.[46] After the election, he was elected to the Labour Party policy council. In campaign material for that election, he said Labour needed to develop more progressive tax policy that addresses inequities before it would be able to return to government.[47]

Post-parliamentary career

[edit]

After leaving Parliament, Wood was appointed as Negotiation Specialist at trade union E tū, where he advocated for workers impacted by a restructure at TVNZ in March 2024.[48][49]

Political positions

[edit]

Wood was opposed to End of Life Choice and in favour of legalising recreational cannabis.[6]

During the 2022 Wellington protest, Wood stated on 17 February there was a "river of filth" and claimed that anti-vaccine mandate protesters were motivated by violence, anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia. He also implored members of the centre-right National and ACT parties not to engage with the protesters.[50][51]

Personal life

[edit]

Wood is married to Julie Fairey, who was elected to the Auckland Council during the 2022 Auckland local elections as a councillor for the Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa ward.[52] Wood and Fairey have a long history of being politically active; both having run campaigns as electorate MPs in the 2002 New Zealand general election.[53] In 2010, Wood and Fairey were elected together as members of the Puketāpapa Local Board.[54] Wood lives in Roskill South with his wife and their three sons. For several years he was the main caregiver for his children.[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Transport Minister Michael Wood stood down after airport shares controversy". Radio New Zealand. 6 June 2023. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Watch: PM Chris Hipkins announces Michael Wood has resigned". Radio New Zealand. 21 June 2023. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  3. ^ Wood, Michael (1 July 2014). "ACT Education Policy an Extreme Attack on our Schools" (Press release). Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Graduation search results". University of Auckland. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Michael Wood". New Zealand Labour Party. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d Young, Audrey (13 January 2021). "Meet the Minister: Michael Wood – Transport and Workplace relations". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Official Count Results – Botany". Electoral Commission. 16 March 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  8. ^ Electoral Commission (10 October 2014). "Official Count Results – Epsom". Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  9. ^ "Election results in your area – New Zealand News". NZ Herald. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Local elections: Full Auckland results". NZ Herald. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Phil Goff to run for Auckland mayor". NZ Herald. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  12. ^ Trevett, Claire (13 June 2016). "Labour names Michael Wood for Mt Roskill to take over Phil Goff". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  13. ^ Trevett, Claire (12 June 2016). "Labour Party selects Michael Wood to replace Phil Goff as Mt Roskill candidate". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  14. ^ Saxton, Amanda (9 October 2016). "Parties ramping up for Mt Roskill by-election". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  15. ^ "Mt Roskill by-election: Labour candidate builds healthy lead". Radio New Zealand. 3 December 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  16. ^ a b "Wood, Michael – New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  17. ^ "Daily progress for Tuesday, 7 February 2017 – New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz.
  18. ^ "Mt Roskill – Official Result". Electoral Commission. 7 October 2017.
  19. ^ "Jacinda Ardern reveals ministers of new government". The New Zealand Herald. 25 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  20. ^ "Ministerial List". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  21. ^ "Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's cabinet reshuffle – the ups and downs". Stuff. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  22. ^ "Epidemic response". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  23. ^ "Mt Roskill – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  24. ^ "Ministerial List for Announcement on Monday, 2 November 2020" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 November 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  25. ^ Sowman-Lund, Stewart (2 November 2020). "Live updates, November 2: Full cabinet list: Deputy PM Grant Robertson, Twyford demoted". The Spinoff. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  26. ^ "Labour's Cabinet reshuffle sparked by departure of Faafoi, Mallard". Radio New Zealand. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  27. ^ "Ministerial List (changes to take effect on 14 June 2022)" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  28. ^ Small, Zane (28 January 2022). "$14 billion Auckland light rail bid gets green light, decision on second Waitemata Harbour crossing on 2023". Newshub. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  29. ^ "Michael Wood: There's no need to apologise for hospitality and tourism comments". Newstalk ZB. 4 July 2022. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  30. ^ Neilson, Michael (5 July 2022). "New Immigration Minister Michael Wood grilled on nurse shortage as Health NZ CEO joins criticism". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  31. ^ "Prime Minister Chris Hipkins reveals Cabinet reshuffle". RNZ. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  32. ^ Coughlan, Thomas (6 June 2023). "Transport Minister Michael Wood promises to sell his Auckland Airport shares, National alleges conflict of interest". NZ Herald. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  33. ^ Pearse, Adam (6 June 2023). "PM: Michael Wood was asked six times to ditch Auckland Airport shares, explanation not 'adequate'". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  34. ^ Desmarais, Felix (8 June 2023). "Michael Wood sells Auckland Airport shares". 1News. TVNZ. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  35. ^ Ensor, Jamie (8 June 2023). "Michael Wood confirms he's finally sold his Auckland Airport shares". Newshub. Warner Bros. Discovery New Zealand. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  36. ^ Ensor, Jamie (8 June 2023). "Top official launches inquiry into Michael Wood pecuniary interests after shares shambles emerges". Newshub. Archived from the original on 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  37. ^ a b "Embattled Labour MP referred to Privileges Committee". 1News. TVNZ. 18 July 2023. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  38. ^ Wevers, Maarten (18 July 2023). "Registrar's Inquiry into Hon Michael Wood's compliance with the requirements of Appendix B of the Standing Orders". bills.parliament.nz. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  39. ^ "Michael Wood resigns as minister, PM bemused by conflict failures". 1News. TVNZ. 21 June 2023. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  40. ^ "Michael Wood resigns as a minister after further revelations". Newsroom. 21 June 2023. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  41. ^ "Michael Wood resigns as minister after revelations of further shareholdings". The New Zealand Herald. 21 June 2023. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  42. ^ Traylen, Jem. "PM Hipkins puzzled but determined after losing another cabinet minister". businessdesk.co.nz. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  43. ^ "Retention of the title "The Honourable"". New Zealand Gazette. 3 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  44. ^ "Embattled Labour MP Michael Wood referred to Privileges Committee". 1News. TVNZ. 18 July 2023. Archived from the original on 23 July 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  45. ^ "Michael Wood ordered to apologise to Parliament over shareholdings". Radio New Zealand. 23 August 2023. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  46. ^ "Mt Roskill – Official Result". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  47. ^ "Michael Wood among familiar faces to win Labour election, as party mulls tax discussion". NZ Herald. 27 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  48. ^ E tū (7 March 2024). "TVNZ Workers Concerned With Company's Process And Will Fight Proposed Cuts". Scoop. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  49. ^ Chin, Frances (8 April 2024). "How Michael Wood came a cropper – and his new jobs". The Post. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  50. ^ Sadler, Rachel (17 February 2022). "Labour's Michael Wood warns MPs who want to support anti-mandate protest it has 'river of filth' running through it". Newshub. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  51. ^ "Covid-19 Omicron convoy protest: Govt in crisis meeting over protest, MP Michael Wood speaks out on dark undercurrent". The New Zealand Herald. 17 February 2022. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  52. ^ "Local elections 2022 – Official results" (PDF). Local elections 2022 – Official results. Auckland Council. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  53. ^ Scott, Matthew (27 September 2022). "Rumble in Mt Albert: the race for Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa ward". Newsroom. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  54. ^ "Husband and wife win seats on local board". Stuff. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michael Wood (New Zealand politician).
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Mount Roskill
2016–2023 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Transport
2020–2023 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety
2020–2023 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Immigration
2022–2023 		Succeeded by
In abeyance
Title last held by
Judith Tizard 		Minister for Auckland
2023 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Leader of the House
2020–2022 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Senior Whip of the Labour Party
2019–2020 		Succeeded by
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