James Shaw (New Zealand politician)

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James Shaw
Shaw in 2023
Co-leader of the Green Party
In office
30 May 2015 – 10 March 2024
Serving with
Metiria Turei (2015–2017)
Marama Davidson (2018–2024)
Preceded byRussel Norman
Succeeded byChlöe Swarbrick
6th Minister for Climate Change
In office
26 October 2017 – 27 November 2023
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
Preceded byPaula Bennett
Succeeded bySimon Watts
30th Minister of Statistics
In office
26 October 2017 – 6 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Preceded byScott Simpson
Succeeded byDavid Clark
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Green party list
Assumed office
20 September 2014
Personal details
Born
James Peter Edward Shaw

(1973-05-06) 6 May 1973 (age 50)
Wellington, New Zealand
Political partyGreen
Residence(s)Aro Valley, Wellington
ProfessionPolitician
WebsiteGreen Party profile

James Peter Edward Shaw (born 6 May 1973) is a New Zealand politician. He has been a member of parliament since 2014 and a co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand from 2015 to 2024.

Voters elected Shaw to the New Zealand parliament at the 2014 general election as a list representative of the Green Party. The party selected Shaw as its male co-leader in May 2015. Following Metiria Turei's resignation in August 2017, Shaw became the party's sole leader for the duration of the 2017 general election.[1]

In October 2017 the Green Party agreed to support a Labour-led government. Shaw became the Minister of Statistics, Minister for Climate Change and Associate Minister of Finance (outside Cabinet). Following the 2020 general election, the Greens agreed to cooperate with the Labour majority government, and Shaw was re-appointed as the Minister for Climate Change.

In January 2024 Shaw announced that he would be resigning the co-leadership and retiring from politics.[2][3]

Early life[edit]

Shaw was born in Wellington, and was primarily raised by his single mother Cynthia Shaw.[4] When he was twelve years old his mother entered into a relationship with fellow teacher Susanne Jungersen. Shaw credits his two mothers for instilling him with his passion for politics and social justice.[5] He attended Wellington High School (1985–1990) and Victoria University of Wellington. He later moved to London, living there for 12 years, before returning to New Zealand in 2010.[6] Shaw completed an MSc in sustainability and business leadership at the University of Bath School of Management in 2005.[7]

Career before politics[edit]

Before returning to Wellington in 2010, Shaw worked in the consulting division at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Between 2011 and 2014, Shaw worked as both a consultant for HSBC bank on "environmental awareness programmes for future leaders" and also at Wellington social enterprise the Akina Foundation.[8]

Political career[edit]

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2014–2017 51st List 12 Green
2017–2020 52nd List 1 Green
2020–2023 53rd List 2 Green
2023–present 54th List 2 Green

Early political career[edit]

As a teenager Shaw attended a candidates debate in Wellington Central during the 1990 election. He found himself agreeing with the Green Party candidate Stephen Rainbow and decided to volunteer for Rainbow's campaign.[9] At age 19, Shaw stood in the 1992 local elections in the Western ward for the Wellington City Council.[10] Three candidates were elected, with Shaw coming seventh of ten candidates.[11]

In the 2011 election, Shaw stood in the Wellington Central electorate, succeeding Sue Kedgley as the Green Party candidate in this seat. He came third in the candidate vote after Labour and National, but second in the party vote, beating Labour into third place.[12][13] He was 15th on the 2011 party list and the highest-placed candidate who did not make it into Parliament.[14]

Shaw at the triennial Aro Valley candidates meeting, 2014

Shaw has said that in the 2011 Greens selection process, party members "didn't have a lot of time to get to know me" and disregarded him as "an ex-PWC management consultant in a suit". He says he has proved his worth to the party subsequently and was rewarded with a higher list ranking in both the draft and final party lists for the 2014 election.[8][12]

Bryce Edwards said in The New Zealand Herald that Shaw represented "the more environmentally-focused, non-left side of the [Green] party – what might be called the New Greens faction – people who are more at home in the business world wearing corporate attire than amongst the far left. ... There will be many that see Shaw as a future co-leader of the party."[15]

First term in Parliament and ascension to leadership[edit]

Shaw was elected to Parliament for the first time as a Green Party list MP in the 2014 general election.[16] He also unsuccessfully contested the Wellington Central, coming third place to Labour's Grant Robertson and National's Paul Foster-Bell with 5,077 votes.[17] His first term in Parliament was the final term of the John Key and Bill English-led National Government. The Green Party, led by Russel Norman and Metiria Turei, was not part of the Government. Shaw was initially appointed as Green Party spokesperson for a selection of justice and business-related portfolios and made a member of the Justice and Electoral Committee.[18]

Norman announced his retirement from the co-leadership position in January 2015, triggering a leadership contest.[19] Despite having only been an MP for seven months, Shaw successfully contested the election against longer-serving MPs Kevin Hague and Gareth Hughes and extra-parliamentary candidate Vernon Tava.[20] During the campaign, Shaw said that as co-leader he would try and connect with "the 28 per cent of voters that considered voting Green last year and didn’t and remove all of the barriers that are currently stopping them voting Green".[21] At the election held at the Green Party AGM on 30 May 2015, Shaw won 54 per cent of the delegates' first preference votes, compared to Hague who won 44 per cent (the other two candidates both won 1 per cent).[4]

The day after becoming co-leader, he called for a cross-party consensus on climate change and said there was room for the Greens and National to work together on the issue.[22] He also said in his first major speech that he wanted the Green Party to be "more like modern New Zealand", and expand its membership both in terms of numbers and to include a more diverse group of people.[4]

"The New Greens", North and South magazine cover, May 2017
Shaw and "the New Greens" are presented as more mainstream than traditional perceptions of the party. North & South magazine cover, May 2017.

2017 general election[edit]

The leadership pairing of Turei (a lawyer) and Shaw (a management consultant) pitched itself as a more mainstream, professional version of the party compared to previous incarnations which were associated with "being wacky, smoking dope, hugging trees and eating lentils."[23] A Vanity Fair-style photoshoot presented the co-leaders alongside four new candidates on the cover of North & South magazine in May 2017. Despite this, the party launched "radical" policy reform to the New Zealand welfare system and tax system.[24] In the policy announcement on 16 July, Turei admitted committing benefit fraud in the 1990s[24][25] and later admitted to electoral fraud in the same period.[26] Under pressure, she eventually resigned on 9 August, leaving Shaw as the Green Party's sole leader for the duration of the 2017 general election campaign.[27]

As sole leader, Shaw relaunched the party's campaign in Auckland and a new slogan ("Love New Zealand") on 13 August.[28] In September, Shaw launched the party's climate policy: a Zero Carbon Act with the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the establishment of an independent Climate Change Commission, and the replacement of the current New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme with a Kiwi Climate Fund that pays an annual dividend of $250 to each New Zealander and is generated by taxing farmers for pollution.[29]

The Green Party's share of the party vote dropped to 6.3%, resulting in eight MPs being elected. Shaw was re-elected on the party list.[30] He also contested Wellington Central, coming third place to Labour's Grant Roberston and National's Nicola Willis.[31]

Possible government arrangements after the election included a National/Green government, a Labour/Green/New Zealand First government and a National/New Zealand First government. Shaw ruled out cooperating with the National Party.[32] New Zealand First also negotiated with National but decided to form a coalition government with the Labour Party,[33] with confidence and supply from the Green Party.[34]

Coalition Government, 2017–2020[edit]

Shaw with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Wellington, 2018

Shaw was appointed Minister of Statistics, Minister for Climate Change and Associate Minister of Finance (outside Cabinet) in the coalition government.[35][36][37]

As Minister for Statistics, Shaw received criticism from National MP Nick Smith for the low response rate during the 2018 New Zealand census.[38] Shaw attributed the lower response to a lack of Internet access particularly among the older generation.[39]

In April 2018, Shaw as Minister for Climate Change expressed support for the Government's decision to end future gas and oil exploration, hailing it as the "nuclear-free moment of our generation." He also reiterated the Green Party's support for ending deep-sea oil and gas exploration, stating that "fossil fuels are not our future."[40][41]

According to figures released by the Department of Internal Affairs, Shaw was the government minister to spend the most on air travel fares in late 2018. Shaw spent NZ$77,771 on international air travel fares during the period between October and December 2018 while Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spent NZ$54,487 during that same period. Shaw clarified that these air travel fares had been spent on attending multiple international climate change conferences.[42][43][44]

Shaw at the School Strike for Climate in Wellington, 2019

On 14 March 2019, Shaw was assaulted while walking to Parliament, sustaining a black eye and lacerations to his face. The attack was condemned by politicians from all sides of the political spectrum. Police confirmed that a 47-year-old man was arrested and charged with injuring with intent to injure in relation to the incident.[45][46][47][48] During a press conference held the following day, Shaw expressed support for climate change school strikes held across the country calling for governments worldwide to take action on climate change. Shaw declined to give details about the assault, stating it was under police investigation.[49][50]

On 8 May 2019, Shaw introduced the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill into the New Zealand Parliament. The Bill subsequently passed its first reading on 22 May 2019.[51][52][53]

James Shaw at the School Strike for Climate Change, Wellington 2019

In late August 2020, Shaw attracted criticism from the opposition National Party, school principals, teachers unions' and members of his own Green Party after he approved the allocation of NZ$11.7 million from the Government's $3 billion COVID-19 "shovel-ready" recovery fund to the private "Green School New Zealand" in Taranaki. This funding boost violated the Green Party's own policy of opposing state funding being allocated to private schools. Shaw had defended the decision, claiming it would have created 200 jobs and boosted the local economy. Former Green MPs Catherine Delahunty, Mojo Mathers and Sue Bradford criticised Shaw's decision as a betrayal of the Green Party's policies and principles.[54][55][56]

According to Newshub, Shaw refused to sign the Government's NZ$3 billion "shovel-ready" infrastructure fund until the Green School in Taranaki was approved.[57] On 1 September, Shaw apologised for approving the funding of the Green School, describing it as "an error of judgment." Shaw has also apologised to Green Party members in a Zoom call. Representatives of the school have reportedly approached the Crown to convert part or all of the Government's grant into a loan.[58][59] On 3 September, the Education Minister Chris Hipkins disputed Shaw's claim that he had given verbal approval to the allocation of NZ$11.7 million to the private Green School in Taranaki.[60] On 2 November, it was reported that the owners of the Green School had reached a settlement for the Government's NZ$11.7 million grant to be converted into a loan; a development that was welcomed by local principals.[61][62]

Supporting the Labour Government, 2020–2023[edit]

During the 2020 New Zealand general election, Shaw was re-elected on the Green Party list.[63] He also contested the Wellington Central electorate, coming third place to Labour's Grant Robertson and National's Nicola Willis.[64]

Labour won an outright majority in the 2020 general election. Despite this, Labour and the Green Party agreed a "cooperation agreement" on 31 October 2020 that resulted in Shaw retaining the Climate Change portfolio and become Associate Minister for the Environment (Biodiversity).[65][66][67]

At the 2021 party annual general meeting Shaw was challenged for the co-leadership by Dunedin climate activist and software developer, James Cockle. Cockle stated his unhappiness with the progress the Greens were making during the Parliamentary term and wanted the Greens to become a "major party" and cease being seen as "Labour's little helper" as was the case under the current leadership. Shaw responded, stating he was "quietly confident" he would be re-elected by party members.[68] Shaw was overwhelmingly re-elected, winning 116 delegate votes with just four to Cockle.[69]

In mid September 2021, Shaw attracted media attention after Prime Minister Ardern granted him and a team of nine diplomats spaces in the managed isolation and quarantine system to attend the upcoming 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference summit in Glasgow. Shaw's planned trip to the Climate Change conference was criticised by National Party leader Judith Collins and ACT Party leader David Seymour for denying places to homeward bound New Zealanders seeking places in managed isolation.[70][71]

Shaw was not reconfirmed by Green Party delegates in the annual party co-leadership confirmation in July 2022, triggering a leadership election.[72] Shaw stated Ardern had confirmed that he would retain his position as Climate Change Minister regardless of any potential change to his leadership.[73] Two days after the confirmation vote, Shaw announced that he would put himself forward to continue in the leadership role.[74] On 10 September, Shaw was re-elected as Green Party co-leader by 142 (97%) of the 145 eligible delegates at the party's annual general meeting.[75][76]

Sixth National Government, 2023–present[edit]

During the 2023 New Zealand general election, Shaw was re-elected to Parliament on the party list. The Greens won a total of 15 seats.[77]

In late November 2023, Shaw assumed the Green Party's climate change, finance, public services and regulation spokesperson portfolios.[78]

On 5 December 2023, Shaw was granted retention of the title The Honourable, in recognition of his term as a member of the Executive Council.[79]

In January 2024 Shaw announced that he would be resigning the co-leadership role effective from March 2024, triggering the 2024 Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand co-leadership election. He will remain a member of parliament to see through some remaining legislation, then retire from politics.[2][3]

Political views[edit]

Shaw believes that the market can be reformed to incorporate sustainability within its normal operations. In an interview with the Aro Valley Valley Voice he put forward his views:

Shaw is one of the new breed of Green MPs who have no problem with leader Russel Norman's statement that the party is 'pro-market'. The fuss around that statement, he says, came from "people who are afraid of the word 'market' because of the switch to a free market economy over the last 30 years" – people, in other words, who don't understand that properly functioning markets can serve the wider good.[8]

On 5 June 2020, Shaw and fellow co-leader Marama Davidson described United States President Donald Trump as racist in response to a question fielded by press gallery journalists in response to the protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd in late May 2020.[80]

Personal life[edit]

Shaw and his wife Annabel live in Aro Valley.[8]

Electoral history[edit]

Parliamentary elections[edit]

2011 election[edit]

General election, 2011: Wellington Central[13]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Green tickY or Red XN denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
Labour Green tickY Grant Robertson 18,836 49.15 +6.97 10,459 26.56 -8.01
National Paul Foster-Bell 12,460 32.51 -4.96 15,128 38.42 +3.01
Green James Shaw 5,225 13.63 -1.14 10,903 27.69 +7.08
ACT Stephen Whittington 412 1.07 -1.21 462 1.17 -2.78
Legalise Cannabis Michael Appleby 404 1.05 +0.05 161 0.41 +0.15
NZ First Ben Craven 279 0.73 +0.73 1,132 2.88 +1.35
Pirate Gynn Rickerby 277 0.72 +0.72
Conservative Party of New Zealand Paul Stipkovits 236 0.62 +0.62 270 0.69 +0.69
Libertarianz Reagan Cutting 69 0.18 -0.01 40 0.10 -0.01
Alliance Kelly Buchanan 52 0.14 +0.14 18 0.05 -0.003
New Economics Laurence Boomert 44 0.11 +0.11
Independent Puhi Karena 32 0.08 +0.08
Māori Party   278 0.71 -0.15
United Future New Zealand   256 0.65 -0.35
Mana   250 0.63 +0.63
Democrats   15 0.04 +0.03
Informal votes 411 153
Total valid votes 38,326 39,372
Labour hold Majority 6,376 16.64 +11.92

Electorate (as at 26 November 2011): 48,316[81]

2014 election[edit]

General election, 2014: Wellington Central[82]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Green tickY or Red XN denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
Labour Green tickY Grant Robertson 19,807 51.64 +2.49 9,306 23.78 −2.78
National Paul Foster-Bell 11,540 30.09 −2.42 14,689 37.54 −0.88
Green James Shaw 5,077 13.24 −0.39 11,545 29.50 +1.81
NZ First Hugh Barr 580 1.51 +0.78 1,399 3.58 +0.70
Legalise Cannabis Alistair Gregory 353 0.92 −0.13 127 0.32 −0.09
Conservative Party of New Zealand Brian Hooper 307 0.80 +0.18 590 1.51 +0.82
Internet Callum Valentine 217 0.57 +0.57
Independent Peter Robinson 90 0.23 +0.23
Democrats James Knuckey 57 0.15 +0.15 26 0.07 +0.03
Independent Puhi Karena 52 0.14 +0.06
Internet Mana   578 1.48 +0.85[a]
Māori Party   300 0.77 +0.06
ACT   274 0.70 −0.47
United Future New Zealand   117 0.30 −0.35
Civilian   49 0.13 +0.13
Ban 1080   20 0.05 +0.05
Focus   5 0.01 +0.01
Independent Coalition   5 0.01 +0.01
Informal votes 273 101
Total valid votes 38,353 39,131
Turnout 39,232 84.14 +2.33
Labour hold Majority 8,267 21.56 +4.92

2017 election[edit]

General election, 2017: Wellington Central[83]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Green tickY or Red XN denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
Labour Green tickY Grant Robertson 20,873 49.26 -2.38 16,500 38.29 +14.51
National Nicola Willis 10,910 25.75 -4.34 13,156 30.53 -7.01
Green James Shaw 6,520 15.39 +2.15 9,198 21.34 -8.16
Opportunities Geoff Simmons 2,892 6.82 2,538 5.89
NZ First Andy Foster 797 1.88 +0.37 972 2.26 -1.32
Independent Gayaal Iddamalgoda 161 0.38
ACT Michael Warren 131 0.31 330 0.77 +0.07
Independent Peter Robinson 71 0.17 -0.11
Independent Bob Wessex 19 0.04
Māori Party   225 0.52 -0.25
Legalise Cannabis   55 0.13 -0.19
Conservative Party of New Zealand   29 0.07 -1.44
United Future New Zealand   28 0.06 -0.24
Mana   14 0.03 -1.45[b]
Ban 1080   13 0.03 -0.02
Outdoors   11 0.03
People's Party   10 0.03
Internet   9 0.02[c] -1.46
Democrats   6 0.01 -0.06
Informal votes 194 72
Total valid votes 42,374 43,094
Turnout 43,166
Labour hold Majority 9,963 23.51 +1.95

2020 election[edit]

2020 general election: Wellington Central[84]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Green tickY or Red XN denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
Labour Green tickY Grant Robertson 27,366 57.26 +8 20,876 43.4 +5.11
National Nicola Willis 8,488 17.76 −7.99 6,937 14.43 −16.1
Green James Shaw 8,381 17.54 +2.15 14,587 30.33 +8.99
Opportunities Abe Gray 1,031 2.16 −4.66 1,790 3.72 −2.17
ACT Brooke van Velden 865 1.81 +1.5 2,339 4.86 +4.09
Legalise Cannabis Michael George Appleby 401 0.84 132 0.27 +0.7
Independent Jesse Richardson 385 0.81
New Conservative Liam Richfield 401 0.45 204 0.42 +0.35
Advance NZ Rose Greally 108 0.23 103 0.21
ONE Gina Sunderland 84 0.18 56 0.12
Outdoors Bruce Robert 76 0.16 27 0.06 +0.03
NZ First   537 1.11 —1.15
Māori Party   255 0.53 -0.01
Sustainable NZ   32 0.07
Social Credit   18 0.04
TEA   12 0.02
Vision NZ   8 0.01
Heartland   1 0.00
Informal votes 47,401 47,914
Total valid votes 47,787 48,090
Turnout 48,090 88.97[85] +2.41
Labour hold Majority 18,878 39.5 +15.99

Local elections[edit]

1992 Wellington local elections[edit]

Western Ward[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Val Bedingfield 5,008 61.50 -5.81
Citizens' Bryan Weyburne 3,343 41.05
Citizens' Andy Foster 2,910 35.74
Green Sheila Ahern 2,637 32.38
Citizens' Alfie Des Tombe 2,320 28.49
Capital Action Colin Robertson 1,997 24.52
Green James Shaw 1,820 22.35
Labour Frank Mackinnon 1,788 21.96
Green Alexander Ewing 1,553 19.07
Capital Action Ashley Lewis 1,050 12.89
Informal votes 380 4.66 +2.78
Registered electors 16,103

Leadership elections[edit]

2015 leadership election[edit]

Name Votes[86] Percentage
James Shaw 69 54.33
Kevin Hague 56 44.09
Gareth Hughes 1 0.78
Vernon Tava 1 0.78

2021 leadership election[edit]

Candidate Votes %
James Shaw 116 82.85
James Cockle 4 2.85
Abstentions 20 14.28
Majority 112 80.00
Turnout 140

References[edit]

  1. ^ Davison, Isaac (9 August 2017). "Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei resigns". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 13 August 2017. Co-leader James Shaw said he will be the sole co-leader for the election.
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  3. ^ a b McConnell, Glenn (29 January 2024). "James Shaw steps down as Green co-leader, to ease out of politics". Stuff. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Davidson, Isaac (31 May 2015). "'More like modern NZ' says new co-leader". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  5. ^ van der Zwan, Sebastian (25 July 2017). "Green Party's James Shaw opens up about how his two mums supported his political dreams". Woman's Day. Are Media. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020.
  6. ^ Tyler, Sue (11 September 2014). "Elections 2014: James Shaw for Wellington Central". Wellintonista. Archived from the original on 23 September 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  7. ^ "Hon James Shaw". New Zealand Government. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
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  10. ^ Zhang, Sherry (27 August 2020). "Seven MPs who got their start in youth wings – and one who didn't". The Spinoff. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  11. ^ a b Bly, Ross (1992). City of Wellington: Local Body Elections, 1992 (Report). Wellington City Council.
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  1. ^ 2014 Internet Mana swing is relative to the votes for Mana in 2011; it shared a party list with Internet in the 2014 election.
  2. ^ 2017 Mana Party swing is relative to the votes for Internet-Mana in 2014; it shared a party list with the Internet Party in the 2014 election
  3. ^ 2017 Internet Party swing is relative to the votes for Internet-Mana in 2014; it shared a party list with Mana Party in the 2014 election

External links[edit]

Party political offices
Preceded by Male co-leader of the Green Party
2015–2024
Served alongside: Metiria Turei, Marama Davidson
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Climate Change
2017–present
Incumbent
Preceded by Minister of Statistics
2017–2020
Succeeded by