Duncan Webb

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Duncan Webb
MP
File:Dr Duncan Webb.jpg
Webb in 2020
Chief Government Whip in the House of Representatives
Assumed office
14 June 2022
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
Preceded by Kieran McAnulty
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Christchurch Central
Assumed office
23 September 2017
Preceded by Nicky Wagner
Majority 14,098
Personal details
Born 1966/1967 (age 57–58)[1]
England
Political party Labour (1999–present)
Children 3
Alma mater University of Canterbury
Profession Lawyer
Website Labour Party profile

Duncan Alexander Webb (born 1967) is a New Zealand lawyer and politician, currently serving as Chief Government Whip in the House of Representatives since 2022.[2] He has been the Member of Parliament for Christchurch Central since 2017, representing the Labour Party.

Personal life

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.[3]

He attended Shirley Boys' High School and left before finishing his final year, proceeding directly to the University of Canterbury to study law.[1][3] Webb graduated Bachelor of Laws with Honours in 1989 before being awarded a Doctor of Laws in 2007.[4]

Webb currently lives in Christchurch and has worked as a lawyer and as a law professor at University of Canterbury.[5] 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.[6] He is a long-time member of the Labour party, joining in 1999.[7][3] He has three sons.[5] He split from his wife, Tania, in 2016.[1]

Political career

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate List Party
2017–2020 52nd Christchurch Central 43 Labour
2020–present 53rd Christchurch Central 43 Labour

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.[3] Labour had failed to regain the seat in the 2014 election and Webb was selected as the party's candidate for the 2017 election.[8] Webb's campaign chair was ex-Mayor of Christchurch Garry Moore.[1] Webb defeated Wagner by 2,871 votes.[9] 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).[10][11] 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.[12]

During the 2020 New Zealand general election, Webb was re-elected in Christchurch Central, defeating National candidate Dale Stephens by 14,098 votes.[13] 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.[11] After a June 2022 Cabinet reshuffle, in which senior whip Kieran McAnulty became a minister, Webb was promoted to senior whip.[14]

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.[15] However, the social services committee recommended it not proceed.[16] 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.[17]

Political positions

In his maiden speech, Webb identified himself as a socialist.[18] He voted in favour of the End of Life Choice Bill in 2019[19] and Abortion Legislation Bill in 2020.[20]

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.[21] 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.[22] 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.[23][24] 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),[25][26] and the New Zealand Jewish Council.[27]

On 11 May 2021, Webb and 16 other New Zealand Members of Parliament donned keffiyeh to mark World Keffiyeh Day.[28]

References

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  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Christchurch Central
2017–present		 Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Senior Whip of the Labour Party
2022–present		 Incumbent
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