Early life and career
Webb moved to Christchurch from London in 1974 when he was six years old.[1] His father had attended Bible college before becoming a pastor at the Māori Evangelical Fellowship Church in Wainoni. After briefly living in Aranui, Webb's family moved to South Brighton where he grew up along with his four siblings.[2]
He attended Shirley Boys' High School and left before finishing his final year, proceeding directly to the University of Canterbury to study law.[1][2] Webb graduated Bachelor of Laws with Honours in 1989 before being awarded a Doctor of Laws in 2007.[3]
Webb currently lives in Christchurch and has worked as a lawyer and as a law professor at University of Canterbury.[4] Webb has also worked for the Public Interest Project, which seeks to get innocent people out of jail, and for the Howard League, which promotes prisoners’ rights.[5] He is a long-time member of the Labour party, joining in 1999.[6][2] He has three sons.[4] He split from his wife, Tania, in 2016.[1]
Member of Parliament
A long-time member of the Labour Party, Webb was Brendon Burns' campaign chairman during the 2011 election when Burns lost Christchurch Central to National candidate Nicky Wagner.[2] Labour had failed to regain the seat in the 2014 election and Webb was selected as the party's candidate for the 2017 election.[7] Webb's campaign chair was the former mayor of Christchurch Garry Moore.[1] Webb defeated Wagner by 2,871 votes.[8] After the election, Labour formed a coalition government with New Zealand First and the Green Party.
In Webb's first term of Parliament, he served on various select committees including Regulations Review (2017–2020), Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (2017–2018), Justice (2018–2019), Finance and Expenditure (2017–2020) and Environment (as chair, 2019–2020).[9][10] Webb's first member's bill, the Fair Trading (Oppressive Contracts) Amendment Bill, was introduced in March 2018 but was discharged that May without a first reading.[11]
During the 2020 New Zealand general election, Webb was re-elected in Christchurch Central, defeating National candidate Dale Stephens by 14,098 votes.[12] On 2 November 2020, following the election, he became one of three junior whips for the Labour Party and was also appointed chair of the Finance and Expenditure select committee.[10] After a June 2022 Cabinet reshuffle, in which senior whip Kieran McAnulty became a minister, Webb was promoted to senior whip.[13]
A private Bill on behalf of the Girl Guides Association (New Zealand branch), which was concerned with the disposition of property held by the association in Waitākere, was introduced by Webb in 2021.[14] However, the social services committee recommended it not proceed.[15] Webb's second member's bill, the Companies (Directors Duties) Amendment Bill, was introduced to the House on 23 September 2021. The purpose of the Bill is to make it clear that company directors can take actions that take into account wider matters other than the company's finances.[16]
On 31 January 2023, prime minister Chris Hipkins announced a Cabinet reshuffle, in which Webb was appointed a Minister outside of Cabinet,[17] with the portfolios of commerce and consumer affairs and state owned enterprises.[18] He held these positions until the government left office in November 2023. As commerce minister, Webb took responsibility for work regulating the supermarket industry. He appointed the first New Zealand Grocery Commissioner[19] and instituted unit pricing regulations.[20] With finance minister Grant Robertson, he announced a market study of the banking sector.[21] As minister for state owned enterprises, he instituted reviews into KiwiRail disruptions and weather forecasting.[22][23]
Webb was re-elected in Christchurch Central for a third time in October 2023, defeating Dale Stephens by a decreased margin of 1,841 votes.[24] He is currently the Deputy Shadow Leader of the House and holds the justice, regulation, Earthquake Commission, and Christchurch Issues portfolios in the Shadow Cabinet of Chris Hipkins.[25]
On 5 December 2023, Webb was granted retention of the title The Honourable, in recognition of his term as a member of the Executive Council.[26]
Political positions
In his maiden speech, Webb identified himself as a socialist.[27] He voted in favour of the End of Life Choice Bill in 2019[28] and Abortion Legislation Bill in 2020.[29]
Palestinian advocacy
Webb has also defended the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign as a form of non-violent protest against Israeli policies towards the Palestinians.[30] In early June 2018, Webb also presented a petition on behalf of Palestinian solidarity activist Donna Miles that asked Parliament to request the New Zealand Superannuation Fund to divest from "illegal" Israeli settlements in the West Bank.[31] In August 2018, Webb hosted a meeting with Unite Union Director Mike Treen, who participated in the International Freedom Flotilla's attempt that year to breach the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.[32][33] Webb's Palestinian activism has drawn criticism from Zionist advocacy groups including the Israel Institute of New Zealand (IINZ), the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC),[34][35] and the New Zealand Jewish Council.[36]
On 11 May 2021, Webb and 16 other New Zealand Members of Parliament donned keffiyeh to mark World Keffiyeh Day.[37]
Despite his vocal support for the Palestinians, Webb expressed disagreement with the use of the controversial chant "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." The chant has been associated with anti-Semitism and support for Hamas. Following controversy around Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick's use of the phrase during a Palestinian solidarity rally held in response to the 2023 Israel-Hamas war in November 2023, Webb said "he didn't participate if the chant started at rallies he attended."[38]
