Nikki Kaye
Encyclopedia
Nicola Laura Kaye is the member of the New Zealand Parliament for the Auckland Central
electorate, having defeated incumbent Labour
MP Judith Tizard
in the 2008 election
.
and Kohimarama
, 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.
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.
In 2006, Kaye co-founded a website, networkme.com, and acts as Director of Communications for that company.
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.
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). 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. Kaye is a supporter of reinstating trams for Auckland, and has called for a feasibility study into extending the new Wynyard Loop.
She holds up former National MP Katherine Rich as one of her role models. Kaye's own policies, placing her in the socially liberal wing of the National Party, 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". However, commenters have argued that her stance is unlikely to hurt her in her marginal electorate, which traditionally voted Labour.
Nikki 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
.
Auckland Central
Auckland Central is a New Zealand electoral division returning one member to the New Zealand House of Representatives. Its current representative is Nikki Kaye, a member of the National Party; she has represented the seat since 2008....
electorate, having defeated incumbent Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
MP Judith Tizard
Judith Tizard
Judith Tizard is a former New Zealand politician. She was a member of the Labour Party.-Early life:Judith Ngaire Tizard was born in Auckland in 1956...
in the 2008 election
New Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
.
Early life
Growing up in EpsomEpsom, New Zealand
Epsom is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is located in the centre of the Auckland isthmus between Mount Eden and One Tree Hill, south of Newmarket, and five km south of the city centre.-Notable features:...
and Kohimarama
Kohimarama
Kohimarama is a coastal residential Auckland City suburb, located to the east of the city.Situated in Eastern Auckland and has a reputation as being relatively wealthy, with many of the homes having some of the best views over Auckland Harbour. According to the 2001 census, Kohimarama has a...
, Kaye was educated at Corran School
Saint Kentigern College
Saint Kentigern College is a private, co-educational Presbyterian secondary school in the Pakuranga suburb of Manukau City in the Auckland region of New Zealand, beside the estuary of the Tamaki Estuary...
, where she was Head Prefect, before earning a science degree (in genetics) from University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
, where she also began her Bachelor of Laws, later completing it in Wellington.
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
New Zealand Young Nationals
The New Zealand Young Nationals are the youth wing of the New Zealand National Party a centre-right political party in New Zealand. It is a member of the International Young Democrat Union.-History:...
. She is presently an International Vice-Chairman of the International Young Democrat Union
International Young Democrat Union
The International Young Democrat Union is an international grouping of centre-right political youth organisations, encompassing conservative, classical liberal, and Christian democratic traditions. It is the youth wing of the International Democrat Union , which brings together centre-right...
.
Kaye began working for Bill English
Bill English
Simon William "Bill" English is the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister of Infrastructure of New Zealand.English entered parliament in 1990 as a National party MP representing the Wallace electorate...
in the office of the Leader of the Opposition in 2002, as a policy researcher. In 2003, she travelled to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, where she worked as a policy officer and project manager at the London Boroughs of Enfield and Bromley, and then at Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
, where she managed a disabled people transport program, before working as an IT project manager at the Halifax Bank of Scotland.
In 2006, Kaye co-founded a website, networkme.com, and acts as Director of Communications for that company.
Member of Parliament
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 BlueJackie Blue
Dr Jackie Blue MP is a New Zealand politician and member of Parliament for the National Party.-Personal life:Blue was born in 1956. She attended Selwyn College in Auckland, and then went on to gain a BSc from the University of Auckland in 1976 and MB ChB from Auckland Medical School in 1983...
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
Great Barrier Island
Great Barrier Island is a large island of New Zealand, situated to the north-east of central Auckland in the outer Hauraki Gulf. With an area of it is the fourth-largest island of New Zealand's main chain of islands, with its highest point, Mount Hobson, rising...
, and taking a greater interest in small businesses in Auckland. During her campaign she knocked on ten thousand doors.
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
New Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
, 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
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, on Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island is an island in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand, located about from Auckland.The island is the second-largest in the Hauraki Gulf after Great Barrier Island. It is the most populated, with nearly 8,000 permanent residents plus another estimated 3,400 who have second or holiday homes...
and Great Barrier Island
Great Barrier Island
Great Barrier Island is a large island of New Zealand, situated to the north-east of central Auckland in the outer Hauraki Gulf. With an area of it is the fourth-largest island of New Zealand's main chain of islands, with its highest point, Mount Hobson, rising...
(the latter two islands being in her electorate as well). 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. Kaye is a supporter of reinstating trams for Auckland, and has called for a feasibility study into extending the new Wynyard Loop.
She holds up former National MP Katherine Rich as one of her role models. Kaye's own policies, placing her in the socially liberal wing of the National Party, have been criticised in her own party, where some have called her a "high maintenance backbencher
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
". Others have called her "obsessive", or, in a more positive vein, "driven". However, commenters have argued that her stance is unlikely to hurt her in her marginal electorate, which traditionally voted Labour.
Nikki 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
Auckland Council
The Auckland Council is the council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It began operating on 1 November 2010, combining the functions of the existing regional council and the region's seven previous city and district councils into one "super council" or "super city" governed by a mayor, 20...
.