Barbara Edmonds | |
|---|---|
 Edmonds in 2023 | |
| 37thMinister of Internal Affairs | |
| In office 1 February 2023 – 27 November 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Chris Hipkins |
| Preceded by | Jan Tinetti |
| Succeeded by | Brooke van Velden |
| 14thMinister for Pacific Peoples | |
| In office 1 February 2023 – 27 November 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Chris Hipkins |
| Preceded by | William Sio |
| Succeeded by | Shane Reti |
| 10thMinister for Economic Development | |
| In office 12 April 2023 – 27 November 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Chris Hipkins |
| Preceded by | Megan Woods (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Melissa Lee |
| Member of theNew Zealand Parliament forMana | |
| Assumed office 17 October 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Kris Faafoi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Rachael Fati Poe 1981 (age 43–44)[1] Auckland, New Zealand |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | Chris Edmonds |
| Children | 8 |
| Residence(s) | Porirua, New Zealand |
Barbara Rachael Fati Palepa Edmonds, (born 1981) is a New Zealand politician.[2] She was elected as theMember of theNew Zealand Parliament forMana, representing theLabour Party, in 2020. She served as theMinister of Internal Affairs,Minister for Pacific Peoples,Minister of Revenue andMinister for Economic Development in the final year of theSixth Labour Government.
Edmonds was born Rachael Fati Poe, inNorth Shore, Auckland, to parents Selani (Fale’ula,Faleatiu) and Palepa (Safotu,Fasito’o)[3] who had immigrated fromWestern Samoa in 1978. Her mother died from cancer when she was four years old and Edmonds inherited her name Palepa (Barbara) on her fifth birthday.[4][5][6] Her father, previously a naval administrator, left his job to care for his children.[7] Edmonds' first language isSamoan and she did not speak English fluently until she began primary school.[8]
Edmonds was educated atCarmel College, where she was head girl in 1998.[7] Her school was next door to North Shore Hospital where members of her family were working in the kitchen, laundry and as cleaners.[9] After a period studying physiotherapy and working for a private insurance company, she graduated with aconjoint degree of aBachelor of Laws andBachelor of Arts from theUniversity of Auckland in 2008.[7][10] She married Chris Edmonds, whom she met at age 16 and with whom she shares eight children.[5][11] Edmonds was a parent elected member of the Board of Trustees ofMana College.[12]
Edmonds is a specialist tax lawyer, and before entering Parliament, worked in both the private and public sectors. In 2016, she was seconded fromInland Revenue Department to work as a private secretary toMichael Woodhouse andJudith Collins, as National PartyMinisters of Revenue.[4][13] In 2017, she was appointed as a political adviser to Labour's revenue and police ministerStuart Nash.[4] She received praise for her work on theArms (Prohibited Firearms, Magazines, and Parts) Amendment Bill, which was passed following the2019 Christchurch mosque shootings.[7][14][15]
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–2023 | 53rd | Mana | 49 | Labour | |
| 2023–present | 54th | Mana | 18 | Labour | |
In May 2020, Edmonds was selected as Labour's candidate in Mana, replacing incumbentKris Faafoi.[16] In August 2020, Edmonds was ranked 49th on theLabour Party'slist for the 2020 general election.[17]
During the2020 election, she wonMana by a large margin of 16,244, defeatingNational candidateJo Hayes.[18] Following the election, she was appointed as Labour's associate whip on 2 November.[19] She was deputy chair of theFinance and Expenditure Committee from 3 December 2020 to 22 June 2022, when she became chair.[20][21] As a first-term member of Parliament, Edmonds attracted praise fromNational Party leaderChristopher Luxon, who complimented her select committee work and described her as "very, very smart [and] very, very considered."[22] In late 2022,New Zealand Herald journalist Audrey Young ranked her second highest of the 42 new MPs who entered Parliament in 2020.[23]
In a cabinet reshuffle by new Prime MinisterChris Hipkins on 31 January 2023 Edmonds was promoted into Cabinet and appointed asMinister of Internal Affairs andMinister for Pacific Peoples, as well as Associate Minister of Health (Pacific Peoples) and Associate Minister of Housing.[24] She additionally becameAssociate Minister for Cyclone Recovery on 24 February 2023,Minister for Economic Development on 12 April 2023 after the dismissal ofStuart Nash,Minister of Revenue on 24 July 2023 after the resignation ofDavid Parker, andAssociate Minister of Finance after the resignation ofKiri Allan.[25][26][27][28]
In the internal affairs portfolio, Edmonds oversaw the completion of upgrades at 26 fire stations.[29] As economic development minister, Edmonds led the first all-female trade delegation to Australia in Australia 2023, featuring 26 female business leaders.[30] Also in August 2023, as associate housing minister, she launched consultation on retirement village policies.[31] With finance ministerGrant Robertson, Edmonds announced a new tax on multinational companies that provide digital services in New Zealand.[32]
After being re-selected as Labour'sMana candidate for the2023 general election,[33] she won an election night majority of 7,324 votes over the National Party candidate Frances Hughes.[34]
On 30 November, she became spokesperson for economic development, infrastructure and associate finance in theShadow Cabinet of Chris Hipkins.[35] On 5 December 2023, Edmonds was granted retention of the titleThe Honourable, in recognition of her term as a member of theExecutive Council.[36]
Following the resignation ofGrant Robertson in mid February 2024, Edmonds assumed the finance portfolio during a shadow cabinet reshuffle.[37][38]
Following acabinet reshuffle in early March 2025, Edmonds became part of a new leadership team focusing on the economy. She retain the finance and economy portfolio and gained the savings and investment portfolio but lost the infrastructure portfolio.[39]
| New Zealand Parliament | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament for Mana 2020–2023 | Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister of Internal Affairs 2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Pacific Peoples 2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Economic Development 2023 | Succeeded by |
