Kerrin Leoni Explained

Kerrin Leoni is a New Zealand politician who is an Auckland Councillor. In 2022, Leoni was elected as the Whau ward councillor.

Early life

Leoni is of Māori (Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāi Takoto, and Ngāti Kurī) and European (Italian and Irish) descent.^[1] Leoni has a master's degree, completed in 2007, from Auckland University of Technology. Her thesis was on young Māori children leaving foster care in New Zealand.^[2] Leoni spent 10 years of her life living in London, where she ran a contracting business and was a member of the cultural group Ngāti Rānana.^[3] She returned to New Zealand in the mid-2010s.

Political career

Leoni was elected to the Waitematā Local Board in 2019 on the City Vision ticket. She served as deputy chair for the first half of the term.^[4] On 23 February 2020, Leoni was selected as Labour's candidate for the electorate for the,^[5] officially launching her campaign in August.^[6] Despite a strong pro-Labour swing, Leoni lost to the incumbent National MP Tim van de Molen.^[7] Her list placement of 66th was not high enough to enter parliament.

In the 2022 local body elections, Leoni was elected as a councillor for the Whau ward, after narrowly winning the election from the incumbent councillor Tracy Mulholland. Leoni is the first female Māori councillor to be elected to the Auckland Council.^{[8] [9]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kerrin Leoni - Candidate for Waikato - NZ Labour Party . New Zealand Labour Party . https://web.archive.org/web/20200929142135/http://www.labour.org.nz/kerrinleoni . 29 September 2020 . 16 October 2022.
2. Leoni . Kerrin . 2007 . Masters thesis . Ka tipu mai nga taiohi Māori: a study of taiohi Māori leaving care in New Zealand . Tuwhera Open Access, Auckland University of Technology . 10292/9708 .
3. Web site: Team of 6 million: How NZ can harness the power of Kiwis living overseas . Laura . Walters . 10 August 2021 . . 16 October 2022.
4. Web site: Halfway point brings change of Deputy Chair for Waitematā Local Board . 29 April 2021 . Auckland Council . 16 October 2022.
5. Web site: Labour Selects Candidate For Seat That Helen Clark And Jacinda Ardern First Stood In . 24 February 2020 . Scoop . 16 October 2022.
6. Web site: First-time candidate Kerrin Leoni launches Labour's bid for the Waikato electorate . 2 August 2020 . . Lawrence . Gullery . 16 October 2022.
7. Web site: Official Count Results — Waikato. New Zealand Electoral Commission.
8. Web site: 15 October 2022 . Local elections 2022 – Official results . Local elections 2022 – Official results . Auckland Council . 16 October 2022.
9. News: Auckland's first wāhine Māori councillor wants mana whenua to have more say . 18 October 2022 . . 19 October 2022.