Louisa Wall

Louisa Wall
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Manurewa
Assumed office
12 April 2011
In office
4 March 2008  8 November 2008
Personal details
Born (1972-02-17) 17 February 1972
Taupo, New Zealand
Nationality New Zealand
Political party New Zealand Labour Party
Previous teams Silver Ferns (netball)
Black Ferns (rugby)

Louisa Hareruia Wall (born 17 February 1972) is a New Zealand Member of Parliament and former national representative netball and rugby union player.

Early and personal life

Born in Taupo and brought up in Waitahanui near Taupo, Wall has Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Waikato ancestry. She was named after her father's cousin Louis, who died on the day she was born.[1] Wall attended secondary school at Taupo-nui-a-Tia College. She earned qualifications from the Waikato Institute of Technology, the University of Waikato and Massey University; and worked in the health field.[2] She identifies openly as lesbian.[3]

Sport

In 1988 Wall became the youngest member of the "Young Internationals" netball squad to train under former New Zealand Captain and New Zealand Coach, Lyn Parker. In 1989 the selectors named her in the Silver Ferns netball team (New Zealand's national representative netball team) at the age of 17. Wall also represented New Zealand in the Black Ferns women's rugby team.

Political career

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate List Party
2008 48th List 46 Labour
2011 49th List 43 Labour
20112014 50th Manurewa none Labour
2014present 51st Manurewa 12 Labour
Louisa Wall
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
World Cup
1998 Amsterdam Rugby

In the 2005 election Wall stood unsuccessfully in the Port Waikato electorate and occupied the 46th position on the Labour list. She became a Labour Party MP on 4 March 2008 to replace retiring list MP Ann Hartley.

In the 2008 election she stood in Tāmaki Makaurau, against Māori Party leader Pita Sharples. She failed to win the seat, and due to her low list placing (position 43) did not return to Parliament as an MP. However, in December 2010, she was selected to represent Labour in Manurewa for the 2011 election due to the retirement of George Hawkins. After Darren Hughes resigned from Parliament in April 2011, and people higher on Labour's list, such as Dave Hereora, Judith Tizard and Mark Burton, decided not to take up the list position, Wall was returned to Parliament as a Labour List MP serving in the 49th New Zealand Parliament.[4] She subsequently won the Manurewa electorate and was returned to the 50th New Zealand Parliament; she had opted not to be on Labour's party list for that 2011 election.[5] She was back on the list (in position 12) for the 2014 election but won her electorate comfortably.[6]

In May 2012, Wall submitted a bill to legalise same-sex marriage in New Zealand to the private member's bill ballot, and it was subsequently drawn from the ballot and introduced to Parliament in late July 2012.[7] On 29 August 2012, the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill passed its first reading with a vote of 80-40. On 17 April 2013, the bill was passed into law, making New Zealand the 13th nation to allow same-sex marriage. At the third reading, Wall gave a speech[8] likening the passing of the bill to Treaty of Waitangi settlement acts previously passed by the New Zealand parliament.[9] Wall said the passing of the bill was like winning a "World Cup final".[10]

References

  1. Hewitson, Michele (9 April 2011). "Michele Hewitson interview: Louisa Wall". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  2. "Louisa Wall's biography". New Zealand Labour Party. Archived from the original on 2 November 2008. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  3. "MP Louisa Wall sworn in". Television New Zealand. 4 March 2008.
  4. "Louisa Wall back in Parliament". The New Zealand Herald. 6 April 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
  5. "Louisa Wall passes on Labour's list". 3News. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  6. "Official Count Results -- Manurewa". Electoral Commission. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  7. Davison, Isaac; Shuttleworth, Kate (26 July 2012). "MP's to vote on gay marriage". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  8. "Wall introduces bill for last time". 3 News NZ. 17 April 2013.
  9. "MPs vote to legalise same sex marriage". Television New Zealand. 17 April 2013.
  10. "Vote like a 'World Cup final' - Wall". 3 News NZ. 18 April 2013.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
George Hawkins
Member of Parliament for Manurewa
2011–present
Incumbent
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