Dana Kirkpatrick
MP
Kirkpatrick in 2023
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for East Coast
Assumed office
14 October 2023
Preceded byKiri Allan
Personal details
Political partyNational
Children2

Dana Margot Kirkpatrick[1] is a New Zealand politician, representing the New Zealand National Party as a Member of Parliament since the 2023 New Zealand general election.

Early life and career

Kirkpatrick was born and raised in Gisborne, and is from a farming background. Four generations of her family have lived in Tairāwhiti.[2] Before entering politics, she was a Gisborne-based executive and communications professional.[3][4] Kirkpatrick has also been a journalist, and worked for the Gisborne Herald.[5] She was a spokesperson for the Gisborne Eastwoodhill Arboretum in 2009 when they were seeking a large piece of oak tree for the Ellerslie Flower Show in Christchurch.[6]

Kirkpatrick served as General Manager, then CEO of Equestrian Sports New Zealand (ESNZ) from 2014 to 2021, making significant changes to the organisation's membership policies. Notably, she had to oversee the introduction of a substantial 70% increase in membership fees and other alterations to the membership structures. The membership structure received widespread support and was endorsed by the voting delegates. She also introduced a popular culture change project, drug and alcohol testing and financial reform to ensure the organisation's viability. During her tenure, she was part of the High Performance Sport Blueprint for Change steering group, on the Future of Sport panels and completed the Sport NZ leadership development programme.

Political career

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2023–present 54th East Coast 44 National

Kirkpatrick was selected by the National Party to contest the East Coast electorate at the 2023 election. She was 44th on the party list.[7] On election night, Kirkpatrick won by a margin of 3,199 votes, beating Labour's candidate and list MP Tāmati Coffey.[4][8] The incumbent, Kiri Allan, did not stand for re-election.[4]

During her campaign, Kirkpatrick identified her electorate's recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle as her first priority.[3] She also wants to reduce the regulatory burden on farmers and food producers.[7] In an interview on Radio New Zealand just after the 2023 election Kirkpatrick was asked how she would address people who had in the past voted for Labour's Kiri Allen who resigned in July 2023. Her response was to reassure people that she was prepared to advocate for people 'no matter where they fit in the community'.[9][10]

"We know that there are significant issues on the East Coast and it's an enormous electorate, 13,800 square kilometres covering from Maketū to Gisborne and everywhere in between. And there are lots of different issues across that region." (Dana Kirkpatrick 2023)[10]

Personal life

Kirkpatrick has two children.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Members Sworn". New Zealand Parliament. 5 December 2023.
  2. ↑ "Who are the new National and Labour MPs?". The Spinoff. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Dana Kirkpatrick". National Party.
  4. 1 2 3 Makiha, Kelly (18 October 2023). "Kirkpatrick says local roots crucial in win over Coffey". Rotorua Daily Post. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  5. 1 2 Wrigley, Wynsley (17 October 2023). "Riding a blue wave: Kirkpatrick's victory a 9500-vote turnaround from 2020 election". The Gisborne Herald. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  6. ↑ "Wanted: one used oak tree". The Press. 3 January 2009.
  7. 1 2 "Nats name Kirkpatrick as East Coast candidate". The Gisborne Herald. 3 April 2023.
  8. ↑ "East Coast - Official Result". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  9. ↑ "New Zealand justice minister Kiri Allan resigns over careless driving charge". The Guardian. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Cyclone affected communities ditch Labour for National". RNZ. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
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