Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
She’s a rising star in the Labour caucus and in her first term as an MP Barbara Edmonds is a minister inside cabinet responsible for Internal Affairs and Pacific People.
She’s also an Associate Minister in health, housing, immigration and cyclone recovery.
Edmonds became an MP after winning the Mana electorate at the 2020 election. She earned her elevation to the caucus after the shock resignation of former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earlier this year, becoming a minister under new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.
A proud Samoan mum born to migrant parents, Edmonds says she brings to the role her ‘family and village’.
“Obviously as a Samoan woman you don’t get to these places without that village surrounding you,” she says.
“And I often reflect on the dream that my parents had when they came over in the 70s from Samoa. And that was a better life for their children.”
But Edmonds says it might not have turned out this way if it wasn’t for New Zealand’s welfare system.
“A lot of things happened in my parents’ life that were out of their control,” Edmonds says.
“My mother passed away when I was 4. So, for my father. dealing with her cancer diagnosis and then nursing a sick wife…. when Mum died he was aged 40 with 4 children under the ages of 11.
“That’s a huge family event to have happened. But then he was supported by a widower’s benefit and the unemployment benefit for 8-years until I got to college and then he went and furthered his education and became a social worker.”
Edmonds herself went on to gain a law degree and specialised in tax law. It’s this specialty which later saw her work under successive revenue ministers in a National and then Labour-led government before becoming the Labour candidate for Mana in 2020.
Now, as the Minister for Pacific peoples, she’s calling on her own people to put their hand up for leadership positions.
“Back yourself. Number one thing is, back yourself,” Edmonds says.
“As Pacific people we are very humble and we still keep that humility but sometimes, to represent and advocate for our people at a higher level, we need to find that inherent confidence that is given to us that is supported through our family and our villages and back yourself for those leadership positions.”
That’s certainly the way the new minister is operating in her short time in cabinet so far. After her initial elevation, Cyclone Gabrielle propelled her into a new role in cyclone recovery and she grabbed every opportunity with both hands.
“When I’m standing there giving a speech in front of a health audience, I’m not just giving the speech as the Associate Minister for Health,” she says.
“I’m giving it as a Samoan woman who is representing her family and the dreams and aspirations of my children and my children’s children.”
