Catherine Wedd
Catherine Wedd | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Tukituki | |
| Assumed office 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Anna Lorck |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Catherine Jane Loft 1979 or 1980 (age 44–45) |
| Political party | National |
| Relations | Bill Tolhurst (grandfather) |
| Children | 4 |
Catherine Jane Wedd (née Loft; born 1979 or 1980)[1] is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the National Party. She was a BBC and TVNZ reporter before working as a marketer in the horticulture industry.
Early life
Wedd majored in English and political science at university, and then earned a postgraduate diploma in journalism. In 1997, Wedd represented ACT MP Patricia Schnauer in the New Zealand Youth Parliament.[1] She was a journalist at the BBC and TVNZ, and then worked as a marketing executive for the horticulture industry.[2]
Political career
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–present | 54th | Tukituki | 23 | National | |
On 21 January 2023, Wedd was announced as the National Party candidate for Tukituki in the 2023 New Zealand general election.[3] She defeated the incumbent Anna Lorck, with whom she used to work with at Attn Marketing PR, with an election-night margin of more than 9000 votes.[4][5] Lorck and Wedd used to be joint directors of that company.[6] During her campaign, Wedd was critical of the government's response to Cyclone Gabrielle, saying uncertainty about relief payments was causing extra stress for growers.[7] Wedd has said she will be a strong advocate for the horticulture industry, "getting rid of a lot of the red tape and regulation while supporting our Hawke's Bay food producers". She would also like to see a crackdown on gang membership in the Hawke's Bay region, and believes the education system has failed many children.[5][2]
Personal life
Wedd's grandfather was National Party MP Bill Tolhurst, who represented Whanganui from 1969 to 1972.[2] One of her grandmothers also stood for selection.[8] Wedd and her husband Henry have four children.[2]
References
- ^ a b Austin, Astrid (22 January 2023). "Catherine Wedd selected as National's candidate in Tukituki". Hawkes Bay App.
- ^ a b c d Hageman, Mitchell (17 October 2023). "Wedd's thoughts with late grandfather as she writes her own political chapter". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ "Catherine Wedd selected as National's candidate in Tukituki". The New Zealand Herald. 22 January 2023.
- ^ "Tukituki - Preliminary Count". Electoral Commission. 15 October 2023.
- ^ a b Bidwell, Hamish (22 January 2023). "National candidate Catherine Wedd focused on issues and not Tukituki incumbent Anna Lorck". The New Zealand Herald.
- ^ "Attention Communications Limited (1372925)". Companies Office. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ Du Plessis Allan, Heather (6 July 2023). "National's Catherine Wedd: Lack of cyclone relief clarity creates extra stress for growers". Newstalk ZB. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ Austin, Andrew (2 May 2023). "Video: Family's political history and desire to service community led Catherine Wedd to stand for election – Full Interview". Hawke's Bay App. Retrieved 17 October 2023.