| Nikki Kaye | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Auckland Central |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 8 November 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Judith Tizard |
| Majority | 1,497 (4.38%) |
| Prime Minister | John Key |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 February 1980 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Political party | National |
| Committees |
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| Website | http://www.nikkikaye.co.nz |
Nicola Laura Kaye[1] (known as Nikki Kaye, born 11 February 1980 in Auckland) is the member of the New Zealand Parliament for the Auckland Central electorate, having defeated incumbent Labour MP Judith Tizard in the 2008 election.
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Growing up in Epsom and Kohimarama,[2] Kaye was educated at Corran School, where she was Head Prefect, before earning a science degree (in genetics) from University of Otago, where she also began her Bachelor of Laws, later completing it in Wellington.[2][3]
Kaye is an accomplished competitive athlete, having been the Auckland Women's 3,000 m running champion in 1997, and has raced in numerous marathons and multi-sport events. In 2008 Kaye competed in the Coast-to-Coast multisport event.
Kaye joined the National Party in 1998, becoming women's vice-chair of the southern region of the New Zealand Young Nationals. She is presently an International Vice-Chairman of the International Young Democrat Union.
Kaye began working for Bill English in the office of the Leader of the Opposition in 2002, as a policy researcher. In 2003, she travelled to Great Britain, where she worked as a policy officer and project manager at the London Boroughs of Enfield and Bromley, and then at Transport for London, where she managed a disabled people transport program, before working as an IT project manager at the Halifax Bank of Scotland.[2]
In 2006, Kaye co-founded a website, networkme.com, and acts as Director of Communications for that company.
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| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party |
| 2008–2011 | 49th | Auckland Central | 57 | National |
| 2011–present | 50th | Auckland Central | 33 | National |
Kaye returned to New Zealand in late 2007 to contest the National Party candidacy for the Auckland Central electorate. Standing against three other nominees, Kaye was considered an outsider to win a close selection battle against sitting National MP Jackie Blue for the nomination.
Kaye worked full-time as the National Party candidate from the time of her selection. Kaye campaigned on improving public transport infrastructure, improving marine protection on Great Barrier Island, and taking a greater interest in small businesses in Auckland. During her campaign she knocked on ten thousand doors.[4]
On 8 November 2008, Kaye was elected as National's MP for Auckland Central. This was greeted as one of the most significant upsets of the 2008 general election, breaking a 90-year hold by left-wing parties over the seat, and becoming the first ever National MP for the electorate.
As an MP, Kaye has, amongst other things, supported applications for the New Zealand Cycle Trail fund for routes in urban Auckland, on Waiheke Island and Great Barrier Island (the latter two islands being in her electorate as well).[5] In early 2010, she broke with the National Party's policy of encouraging mining in conservation land, including on Great Barrier - claiming long connections to the island, and fitting in with her known support for environmental causes. She had noted during her maiden speech in parliament that "Our environment is the greatest gift we have been given as a nation", and that economical considerations, especially of the short term, should not trump this.[3] Kaye is a supporter of reinstating trams for Auckland, and has called for a feasibility study into extending the new Wynyard Loop.[6]
She holds up former National MP Katherine Rich as one of her role models.[2] Kaye's own policies, placing her in the socially liberal wing of the National Party,[3] have been criticised in her own party, where some have called her a "high maintenance backbencher". Others have called her "obsessive", or, in a more positive vein, "driven".[3] However, commenters have argued that her stance is unlikely to hurt her in her marginal electorate, which traditionally voted Labour.[3]
Kaye was elected the deputy chair of the Government Administration Select Committee in February 2011. She also sits on the Local Government and Environment Select Committee and the Auckland Governance Legislation Select Committee. Through her time in Parliament on these committees she has been heavily involved in the review of the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Bill and legislation creating the Auckland Council.[7]
At the 2011 election, Kaye re-contested Auckland Central against Labour list MP Jacinda Ardern and Green candidate Denise Roche, and was placed at position 33 on the National Party list. She was subsequently re-elected over Ardern, although her majority was halved to 717.[8]
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Judith Tizard |
Member of Parliament for Auckland Central 2008- |
Incumbent |