Jack McDonald of Te Whakatōhea and Taranaki iwi descent has leapfrogged several current sitting MP’s to jump to number nine on the Green Party list. On current polling, he looks a shoe-in to become a first time MP after the September election.
Just 23 years old McDonald first came onto the political scene as an 18-year-old candidate for the Greens in Te Tai Hauāuru where he impressed as a young up and comer in the Native Affairs debates that year (2011). He now often speaks on Marae as a spokesperson for the Green Party. McDonald jumped 11 spots on the party’s list from 20 to 9 from last year's list to this year.
Jack said “If I get in, in my first term I want to focus on representing Māori youth because at the momnet Māori youth don’t have a voice in parliament.”
Marama Davidson also made a huge jump to number 4 on the party list. Davidson who hasn’t even been in parliament for a full term, didn’t initially make it onto parliament after the 2014 election but came in on the list to replace Russell Norman who resigned mid term. She also jumped 11 spots from number 15, likely due to her impressive showing in her short time as an MP.
They join Meteria Turei (1) in the top 10 making it the first time the Green Party have ever had three Māori in the top 10 on their list. Te Kāea, 5:00pm.