Duncan Webb
Duncan Webb | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Webb in 2023 | |
| 17th Minister for State Owned Enterprises | |
| In office 1 February 2023 – 27 November 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Chris Hipkins |
| Preceded by | David Clark |
| Succeeded by | Paul Goldsmith |
| 15th Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs | |
| In office 1 February 2023 – 27 November 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Chris Hipkins |
| Preceded by | David Clark |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Bayly |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Christchurch Central | |
| Assumed office 23 September 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Nicky Wagner |
| Majority | 14,098 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1967[1] England |
| Party | Labour (1999–present) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Canterbury |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Website | Labour Party profile |
Duncan Alexander Webb (born 1967) is a New Zealand politician, lawyer and academic. He was a law professor at the University of Canterbury from 2000 to 2008, then became a partner at law firm Lane Neave. He was elected as a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for Christchurch Central, representing the Labour Party, in the 2017 general election.
He was Chief Government Whip, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Minister for State Owned Enterprises in the Sixth Labour Government.
Early life and career
[edit]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.[2]
He attended Shirley Boys' High School and left before finishing his final year, proceeding directly to the University of Canterbury to study law.[1][2] Webb graduated Bachelor of Laws with Honours in 1989 before being awarded a Doctor of Laws in 2007.[3]
Webb currently lives in Christchurch. He lectured in law at Massey University and Victoria University in Wellington for eight years before being appointed as a professor at University of Canterbury in 2000. He continued in that role until 2008.[4] before joining Lane Neave. He also held visiting academic fellowships at the University of Exeter (1999) and the University of Cincinnati (2003), and was a Bell Gully University Fellow from 2001 to 2003.
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.[5] He is a long-time member of the Labour party, joining in 1999.[6][2] He has three sons.[4] He split from his wife, Tania, in 2016.[1]
Member of Parliament
[edit]| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–2020 | 52nd | Christchurch Central | 43 | Labour | |
| 2020–2023 | 53rd | Christchurch Central | 43 | Labour | |
| 2023–present | 54th | Christchurch Central | 20 | 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.[2] Labour had failed to regain the seat in the 2014 election and Webb was selected as the party's candidate for the 2017 election.[7] Webb's campaign chair was the former mayor of Christchurch Garry Moore.[1] Webb defeated Wagner by 2,871 votes.[8] After the election, Labour formed a coalition government with New Zealand First and the Green Party.
First term, 2017–2020
[edit]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).[9][10] 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.[11]
Second term, 2020–2023
[edit]During the 2020 New Zealand general election, Webb was re-elected in Christchurch Central, defeating National candidate Dale Stephens by 14,098 votes.[12] 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.[10] After a June 2022 Cabinet reshuffle, in which senior whip Kieran McAnulty became a minister, Webb was promoted to senior whip.[13]
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.[14] However, the social services committee recommended it not proceed.[15] 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.[16]
On 31 January 2023, prime minister Chris Hipkins announced a