Grant Robertson
Grant Murray Robertson (born 30 October 1971) is a retired New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party who served as the Minister of Finance from 2017 to 2023, as Minister of Foreign Affairs in November 2023, and as the 19th Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2020 to 2023. He was the member of Parliament (MP) for Wellington Central from 2008 to 2023.
Grant Robertson
Office abolished
Chris Hipkins
Chris Hipkins
Jacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
Jacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
Jacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
Jacinda Ardern
Winston Peters
Jacinda Ardern
Robertson maintained and competed for several leadership positions during the party's stint in opposition following the end of the Fifth Labour Government. He was elected Labour's deputy leader in 2011 under leader David Shearer, and contested the leadership of the party in both 2013[1][2] and 2014. Subsequently, Robertson was named the party's finance spokesperson and was ranked third on Labour's party list. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appointed him to the finance portfolio in the Sixth Labour Government. As finance minister, Robertson has been prominent in the government's economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand.
Following the 2020 general election he was appointed the 19th Deputy Prime Minister by Prime Minister Ardern. Robertson assumed the role on 6 November, becoming the first openly gay deputy prime minister.[3] Following the 2023 general election, Robertson resigned on 22 March 2024 to assume the position of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Otago.[4]
Early life[edit]
Robertson was born in Palmerston North, the youngest of three boys. His Presbyterian family lived in Hastings before settling in South Dunedin. His mother, Yvonne Wilkie, initially stayed at home before later becoming a teacher. His father, Douglas Robertson, was an accountant and Presbyterian lay-preacher, who was imprisoned in 1991 for stealing around $120,000 from the law firm he worked for.[5] His grandfather Bob Wilkie ran unsuccessfully for Labour in the Wairarapa electorate in 1954 and 1957.[5] Robertson had a paper round as a boy and at 16 he got his first job at a New World supermarket in Dunedin in the fruit and vegetable department preparing fruit and vegetables for display and sale.[6]
Robertson attended King's High School in Dunedin, where he was head boy.[5] He then studied political studies at the University of Otago, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts with honours in 1995.[7] His honours dissertation studied the restructuring of the New Zealand University Students' Association in the 1980s.[8] Robertson served as President of the Otago University Students' Association in 1993 and as co-president of the New Zealand University Students' Association in 1996.[5][9]
Robertson was interested in politics from a young age. In 2021, North & South described him, at age 10, as having "memorised every major candidate and their electorate in the 1981 general election."[10] Robertson viewed former prime minister David Lange—"an overweight guy with glasses"—as an early political inspiration.[11]
Professional life[edit]
Robertson joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) in 1997 after leaving university. His overseas postings included the United Nations in New York. Robertson also managed the NZ Overseas Aid Programme to Samoa – a $7.7 million fund with projects in diverse areas such as basic education, healthcare, public sector capacity building, small business development and the empowerment of women. He left MFAT in 2001.[5]
Robertson returned to New Zealand during the first term of the Fifth Labour Government to work as a ministerial advisor to minister for the environment Marian Hobbs and, later, prime minister Helen Clark. His role in Clark`s office included liaising with the smaller parties supporting the government.[10] He also had a role in designing Labour's interest-free student loans policy, which was credited with winning the election for Labour.[10][12] Robertson's influence reportedly resulted in him having the nickname "H3", with "H1" and "H2" being Clark and her chief of staff Heather Simpson respectively.[13]
After the 2005 election, Robertson left the Prime Minister's office to work as a senior research marketing manager for the University of Otago based at the Wellington School of Medicine.[14]