Labour picks two-term sitting MP to stand in Whangārei

The Labour Party has selected Angie Warren-Clark - the party’s current List MP based in the Bay of Plenty - as its candidate for Whangārei in October’s general election.

The Labour Party has chosen a two-term sitting MP as its candidate to replace incumbent Emily Henderson for Whangārei in October’s general election.

Labour’s Whangārei Electorate Committee has selected Angie Warren-Clark - who was raised in Northland - as its candidate to try to retain the seat it won for the first time in almost 50 years in 2020.

In that election Henderson beat the then incumbent, National’s Shane Reti, but Henderson is not standing for re-election in the October 14 election.

Warren-Clark is the Labour List MP based in the Bay of Plenty and has served as a List MP for two terms, having entered Parliament in 2017.

“I am delighted to be moving home to Northland, a community I was raised in and spent my formative years in. My selection and confirmation to run for the electorate fulfils a desire to return to my roots in Northland, to give back to the community that I grew up in and to be closer to my parents who are aging,” she said.

“Most of my family lives in or close to Whangārei and my husband is Ngāpuhi/Ngāti Kahu ki Whaingaroa and the call to return home has been growing for us both. I am sorry to leave the community of Tauranga that I have lived in and served for many years, however, I’m excited for the new opportunity to move back to a place I know well and love, while being able to support my family better. My family and heart have called me home.

“I want to acknowledge the excellent work that MP for Whangārei Dr Emily Henderson has done in the 53rd term. She has served the community exceptionally well as the electorate MP. Whangarei Base Hospital received funding of $572 million to significantly upgrade the hospital, 155 social houses built with more being developed, and significant funding has been allocated to transport. All of this speaks to the value Labour places on the largest city in Northland.

“I want to continue Emily’s legacy of service to the community. I have Emily’s support, the Labour members in Whangārei and BOP, and the wider party to run as the candidate. Having six years’ experience as a MP means I can hit the ground running, campaign on the bread-and-butter issues for our community and ensure that Whangārei continues to be represented by a Labour MP. I’m humbled to have the selection and I’m going to leave it all on the field to get our Chris Hipkins-led Labour Government re-elected.’’

Warren-Clark is the chair of the social services select committee, chair of the NZPPD (NZ Parliamentarians Population and Development Group), member of the environment select committee and is the Labour lead on the parliamentary culture work in relation to the Debbie Francis report into bullying and harassment in Parliament. She brings her background of environmental, social service and community advocacy to her MP duties.

In the 2020 election Henderson won the Whangārei seat for the party for the first time since 1972. She got 17,823 votes, compared to Reti’s 17,392.