Priyanca Radhakrishnan

Priyanca Radhakrishnan MP (born 1979)[1] is a New Zealand politician who has been elected to the New Zealand parliament since the 2017 general election as a representative of the New Zealand Labour Party and is currently Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector (since 2020).

The Honourable
Priyanca Radhakrishnan
MP
Radhakrishnan in 2023
Minister for Disability Issues
Assumed office
1 February 2023
Prime MinisterChris Hipkins
Preceded byPoto Williams
10th Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
Assumed office
6 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
Preceded byPoto Williams
Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities
Assumed office
6 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
Preceded byJenny Salesa
15th Minister for Youth
In office
6 November 2020 – 1 February 2023
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
Preceded byPeeni Henare
Succeeded byWillow-Jean Prime
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Maungakiekie
In office
17 October 2020 – 14 October 2023
Preceded byDenise Lee
Majority635
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Labour party list
In office
23 September 2017 – 17 October 2020
Personal details
Born1979 (age 43–44)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Political partyLabour (2006–present)
Alma materVictoria University of Wellington
WebsiteLabour Party profile

Early life and career

Radhakrishnan was born in Chennai, India, to Malayali Nair parents.[2][3] Her great-grandfather, Dr C. R. Krishna Pillai, was associated with left-wing politics in India, and played an instrumental role in the formation of the state of Kerala.[3] She grew up in Singapore before moving to New Zealand. In Singapore she got her first job at around 16 years of age as an educational entertainer, performing educational skits for kindergarten children.[4] She attended Victoria University of Wellington and graduated with a master's degree in development studies.[5][6]

After graduating, Radhakrishnan worked as a social worker among the Indian community in Auckland. She joined the New Zealand Labour Party in 2006 and has worked on the internal party policy development process and has been active in both local and regional party organisation.[7]

Political career
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2017–2020 52nd List 12 Labour
2020–2023 53rd Maungakiekie 31 Labour
2023–present 54th List 15 Labour

At the 2014 election, Radhakrishnan was ranked number 23 on the Labour Party list, the highest newcomer, but narrowly missed out on election due to a drop in Labour's party vote that year.[8] In October 2016, Radhakrishnan was selected as Labour's candidate for the electorate of Maungakiekie for the 2017 election.[9] She was also ranked number 12 on Labour's list, making her the highest-ranked Labour member not already an MP and a significant increase from her ranking three years earlier.[10]

Radhakrishnan did not win the electorate, but entered parliament via the Party list.[11]

Radhakrishnan was mugged in broad daylight in an Auckland street after returning from a visit to Bangladesh.[12]

Following a cabinet reshuffle on 27 June 2019, Radhakrishnan was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary for Ethnic Affairs.[13]

During the 2020 New Zealand general election held on 17 October, Radhakrishnan on preliminary results came second to National MP Denise Lee by a margin of 580 votes in the Maungakiekie electorate,[14] but was returned to Parliament on the Labour Party list. The final election results saw Radhakrishnan defeat Lee by 635 votes and become MP for Maungakiekie.[15][16]

On 2 November 2020, Radhakrishnan was appointed as Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities, Minister for Youth and Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment,[17] making her New Zealand's first Minister of Indian origin.[18] In a June 2022 reshuffle, Radhakrishnan was promoted to the cabinet as well as appointed as associate Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.[19]

Honours and awards

In January 2021, Radhakrishnan was conferred a Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award for public service, by the Indian president in a virtual ceremony.[20]

References
  1. "Roll of members of the New Zealand House of Representatives, 1854 onwards" (PDF). New Zealand Parliament. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  2. "POLITICS RUNS IN MY BLOOD: PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN". Indianweekender NZ. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  3. "Kerala native Priyanca Radhakrishnan becomes minister in New Zealand cabinet". The New Indian Express.
  4. Sowman-Lund, Stewart (14 March 2023). "What jobs did our MPs do before they were in parliament?". Stuff. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  5. "Indians add colour to political canvas". Indian Newslink. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  6. Radhakrishnan, Priyanca (2012). Unholy Matrimony: Forced Marriage in New Zealand (Masters thesis). Open Access Repository Victoria University of Wellington, Victoria University of Wellington. doi:10.26686/wgtn.17003176.
  7. "Priyanka Radhakrishnan will be the most possible Labour candidate for Maungakiekie Electorate". India NZ Herald. 23 October 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  8. Parker, Elliot (25 June 2014). "Priyanca jumps up Labour list". Wairarapa Times-Age. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  9. "Priyanca Radhakrishnan". New Zealand Labour Party. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  10. "Revised Labour Party List for the 2017 Election". Scoop.co.nz. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  11. "Successful Candidates". Electoral Commission. 23 September 2017. Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  12. Christian, Harrison (11 November 2017). "Labour MP Priyanca Radhakrishnan mugged in broad daylight in Auckland". Stuff. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  13. "Winners and losers – PM reveals first substantive Cabinet reshuffle". Radio New Zealand. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  14. "Maungakiekie – Preliminary Count". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  15. "Maungakiekie – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  16. Cheng, Derek (6 November 2020). "Election 2020: National loses two seats, Labour and Māori Party gain one". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  17. "Ministerial List for Announcement on Monday" (PDF). Beehive.govt.nz. New Zealand Government. 2 November 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 November 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  18. Sudeep, Theres (21 November 2020). "Indian-origin politicians around the world". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  19. Manch, Thomas (13 June 2022). "Labour's new Cabinet – who's in, who's out, as Trevor Mallard and Kris Faafoi resign". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  20. "Suriname President, Curacao PM, NZ minister among 30 Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awardees". The Hindu. 9 January 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
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