After 14 years in national politics, Labour MP Louisa Wall says she has been a “good team player” even though Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told her that she wasn’t wanted in her cabinet or caucus.
"She's the boss. She has made some decisions. I've always been a good team player and accepting those decisions and wanting to get on and contribute in any way, " she said today on Te Ao Tapatahi.
“I hold no grudges. It’s just the reality of the situation that I’ve been in. If I could have stayed, and contributed a bit more, in terms of being an MP for Manurewa, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Louisa spent three terms as the MP for Manurewa and wasn’t chosen to stand for the electorate at the 2020 election. She became a list MP during the remainder of her time in the Beehive.
There are many moments in her political career that Wall is extremely proud of, including the passing of the Marriage Equality Bill, progressing safer facilities at abortion clinics and a law change for harsher penalties for revenge porn.
She says despite the lack of career progression within Labour, she has no regrets.
“Those decisions were beyond my control. It’s like somebody thought they should be in the All Blacks but never quite made it. At the end of the day, you keep playing the game, you keep doing your job.”
Wall will move into a newly created role that was created by Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta as an ambassador for gender equality in the Pacific. She is looking forward to empowering the voices of women and the LGBTQIA community across all of the Pacific nations.
“As a politician, I’m somebody who has been involved in the political system. I’ve obviously been able to understand how important it is for women to be engaged politically. I’ll be a champion for women to have their say.”