Jenny Marcroft
MP
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for New Zealand First party list
Assumed office
14 October 2023
In office
23 September 2017 – 17 October 2020
Personal details
Born1963 (age 60–61)
Political partyNew Zealand First (until 2021; 2022–present)
Other political
affiliations		Labour (2021)
ProfessionBroadcaster

Jennifer Lyn Marcroft MP (born 1963) is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the New Zealand First party.

She served from 2017 to 2020, and returned in the 2023 New Zealand general election.

Early life

Both Marcroft's parents died during her childhood leaving her an orphan at 16. She then lived with a violent step-father in Rotorua who motivated her to run away from home.[1] She is part Māori on her father's side and identifies as Ngāpuhi.[1] Marcroft's mother was a family friend of former Deputy-Prime Minister Don McKinnon, who supported her entry into politics.[1]

Broadcasting career

Marcroft had a career spanning over 30 years in the broadcasting industry, mostly reading the news on the radio for Independent Radio News, however she also read the news on television for TV3 at times.[2] During her career she worked to ensure her pronunciation of Māori names was correct, receiving criticism for doing so. During the 1990s as a newsreader she was told not to say "kia ora" at the beginning of bulletins, but decided to persist anyway.[1]

Political career

Member of parliament

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2017–2020 52nd List 9 NZ First
2023–present 54th List 5 NZ First

First term, 2017–2020

In 2017 election Marcroft stood for New Zealand First in the Tāmaki electorate and was placed ninth on New Zealand First's party list.[3][2] She duly entered parliament via the party list.[4]

Following the formation of a Labour-led coalition government on 19 October 2019, Marcroft was designated as New Zealand First's spokesperson on the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), arts, culture and heritage, broadcasting, communication IT, conservation, environment, health and human rights. On 15 November 2017, she was appointed to Parliament's environment select committee. On 24 October 2018, Marcroft was appointed to Parliament's health select committee. On 30 June 2019, Marcroft was appointed to the Parliamentary Service Commission's artworks committee.[5]

On 23 October 2019, Marcroft successfully secured an amendment into David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill that the Government hold a binding referendum on decriminalising euthanasia. In justifying her call for a referendum on euthanasia, Marcroft stated that "this issue basically, directly affects the fabric of society and so we believe that temporarily empowered politicians … we alone should not decide on the bill." Parliament voted by a tight margin of 63 to 57 to incorporate the referendum amendment into the Bill.[6][7]

During the 2020 general election held on 17 October, Marcroft contested the Auckland Central electorate, coming sixth place.[8] She and her fellow NZ First MPs also lost their seats after the party's vote dropped to 2.6%, below the five percent threshold needed to enter Parliament.[9][10]

Out of Parliament, 2020–2023

In late January 2021, Marcroft along with fellow former MP Tracey Martin left New Zealand First, expressing skepticism that the party would be able to contest the next general election and opining that the party needed to rebuild and return to its roots.[11] She then subsequently joined the Labour Party.[12][13] By October 2022 Marcroft was involved with New Zealand First again and was an attendant at the party's annual conference in Christchurch.[14][15]

Following the 2022 Auckland mayoral election, incoming Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown hired Marcroft as an advisor.[16]

At New Zealand First's campaign launch for the 2023 general election Marcroft announced the party's proposal to reform Pharmac and increase the medicines budget by 1.3 billion dollars.[17] On 16 September 2023 Marcroft was ranked fifth place on New Zealand First's party list and stood in the Kaipara ki Mahurangi electorate.[18]

Second term, 2023–present

During the 2023 election, Marcroft came fourth place in the Kaipara ki Mahurangi electorate, gaining 2,531 votes.[19] However, she was re-elected to Parliament on the NZ First party list.[20] NZ First reentered Parliament, with 6.08% of the popular vote and eight seats.[21]

Following the formation of the National-led coalition government, she assumed the position of Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Media and Communications.[22]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Young, Audrey (2 January 2017). "Meet the backbencher: Jenny Marcroft". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Newsreader announced as NZ First candidate". Newshub. 23 August 2017. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  3. ^ "The NZ First Party list for the 2017 General Election". Scoop. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  4. ^ "Successful Candidates". Electoral Commission. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  5. ^ "Jenny Marcroft". New Zealand Parliament. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  6. ^ Jancic, Boris (23 October 2019). "Euthanasia bill to go to referendum after knife-edge vote in Parliament". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  7. ^ Cooke, Henry (23 October 2019). "Euthanasia referendum on the cards after tight vote in Parliament". Stuff. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  8. ^ "Auckland Central – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  9. ^ "2020 General Election and Referendums – Official Result Nationwide Party Votes Results". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  10. ^ Owen, Catrin (18 October 2020). "Election 2020: Who are the MPs ejected from Parliament?". Stuff. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  11. ^ Lynch, Jenny (29 January 2021). "Former New Zealand First MPs Tracey Martin, Jenny Marcroft quit party, citing different values". Newshub. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  12. ^ "New Zealand First, Winston Peters and election 2023: Should he stay or should he go?". NZ Herald. 12 July 2023.
  13. ^ Moir, Jo (18 June 2021). "Winston Peters' comeback no sure bet". Newsroom. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  14. ^ Moir, Jo (13 October 2022). "Peters says NZ First is coming back, again". Newsroom. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  15. ^ Manch, Thomas (13 October 2022). "NZ First kicks-off 2023 election bid with scathing attack of Labour's 'hallucinogenic objectives'". Stuff. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  16. ^ "Auckland mayor Wayne Brown hires former NZ First MP". Stuff. 16 October 2022.
  17. ^ Forbes, Stephen (7 September 2023). "NZ First promises Pharmac boost, but plans remain uncosted". Pharmacy Today. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  18. ^ "Election 2023: New Zealand First releases party list". Radio New Zealand. 16 September 2023. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  19. ^ "Kaipara ki Mahurangi - Official Result". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  20. ^ "2023 General Election: Successful candidates". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  21. ^ "Official count - Overall Results". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 7 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  22. ^ "Cabinet lineup for new government unveiled - who gets what?". Radio New Zealand. 24 November 2023. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
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