Catherine Wedd | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Wedd in 2024 | |
| Member of theNew Zealand Parliament forTukituki | |
| Assumed office 14 October 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Anna Lorck |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Catherine Jane Loft 1979 or 1980 (age 45–46) |
| Political party | National |
| Relations | Bill Tolhurst (grandfather) |
| Children | 4 |
Catherine Jane Wedd (née Loft; born 1979 or 1980)[1] is a New Zealand politician andMember of Parliament for theNational Party. Wedd currently serves as the chairperson of the Environment Select Committee.[2] She is also Chair of the New Zealand Population and Development Committee which is a cross-party group focused on championing sexual and reproductive health and rights of women.[3] She is a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Minister Mark Mitchell for Cyclone Recovery[3] and was formerly the Deputy Chair of the Finance and Expenditure Committee and a member of the Primary Production Committee.[3]
Wedd was born and raised inTaumarunui. Here Wedd attended Ohura Area School, Tokirima School, Turaki Primary School and later Nga Tawa School in Marton.[4]
She completed a Bachelor of Law and Arts, majoring in Political Science and English and a post graduate diploma in Journalism at Canterbury University.[4]
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–present | 54th | Tukituki | 23 | National | |
On 21 January 2023, Wedd was announced as the National Party candidate forTukituki in the2023 New Zealand general election.[5] She defeated the incumbentAnna Lorck, with whom she previously worked at Attn Marketing PR, with a margin of 10,118 votes.[6][7] Lorck and Wedd were joint directors of that company.[8]
During her campaign, Wedd criticized the government's response toCyclone Gabrielle, saying perceived uncertainty about relief payments negatively impacted growers;[9] she elsewhere supported the deregulation of the horticulture industry. Wedd has expressed support for a police crackdown on gang membership in the Hawke's Bay region, and has been critical of the education system.[10][7]
On 6 May 2025, Wedd introduced a private member's bill called the "Social Media Age-Appropriate Users Bill" that would bar access to social media platforms for people under the age of 16 years. Since National's coalition partnerACT New Zealand had refused to support the bill, theSixth National Government was forced to introduce it as a member's bill rather than a government bill.Prime MinisterChristopher Luxon has confirmed that National would seek cross-party support for the legislation.Labour Party leaderChris Hipkins has expressed interest in support the bill whileNew Zealand First leaderWinston Peters said the bill should be subject to a select committee inquiry.Green Party co-leaderChlöe Swarbrick said she wanted to learn more about the bill but described it as simplistic.[11]
Wedd and her husband Henry have four children.[10] Wedd's grandfather was National Party MPBill Tolhurst, who representedWhanganui from1969 to 1972.[10] Her grandmother Jeni Tolhurst also stood for selection.[12]
| New Zealand Parliament | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament for Tukituki 2023–present | Incumbent |
