Wairarapa MP elected chief government whip

Kieran McAnulty MP for Wairarapa

MP for Wairarapa, Kieran McAnulty, was elected as chief government whip at a meeting of the Labour Party caucus at Parliament on Monday.

"I am delighted to be nominated for the role of chief government whip by the Prime Minister, with unanimous support of the Labour Party caucus," McAnulty said.

"This is the role I wanted, and asked for, so I am delighted to have the faith of the Government to perform this role. It is a huge honour. It gives me the opportunity to build on my experience as junior government whip over the last term of government. Through that role I have been able to help deliver significant amounts of investment in Central Hawke's Bay over the last three years and I look forward to building on that over this term."

McAnulty will lead a team of three additional whips, with responsibility for ensuring the progress of government legislation through parliament, administering leave, professional development of staff and caucus, pastoral care and discipline.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a junior whip and am excited to receive the promotion to chief government whip. Whips have direct access to those that make decisions and I am looking forward to leveraging this role to benefit Central Hawke's Bay."

Parliamentary party whips are members of parliament who make sure their party's members are present in parliament when they are needed to vote.

The term "whipping" was inherited from the British parliament, and can be traced back to the 18th-century hunting term "whipper-in", a huntsman's assistant who drives straying hounds back to the main pack using a whip.

All political parties with four or more members in Parliament have at least one party whip (Green Party whips are called musterers).