Meet Louisa
Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngati Hineuru, Waikato Iwi
Passionate about human rights and equality, Louisa is committed to developing initiatives that benefit our society and protect the rights of our most vulnerable so that all New Zealanders live with equal dignity and rights.
A strong advocate for women’s rights, Louisa has upheld these rights with initiatives such as a campaign with Countdown, partnering with Salvation Army, to supply menstrual products to women in need. As co-chair of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, Louisa has led work to address issues of sexism, harassment and bullying in the workplace. She wants to see an end to practices of child brides and FGM, and to promote pay equity and pay transparency.
Read moreLouisa is a passionate advocate for our rainbow community and brought about marriage equality in New Zealand with the Marriage Amendment Act in 2013. She works hard to ensure LGBTIQ rights are upheld in New Zealand and globally, where she advocates for homosexual law reform to realise the human rights of LGBTIQ people worldwide.
A former New Zealand netball and rugby representative, Louisa is committed to sport and is co-captain of the NZ Parliament Parly Ferns Netball Team. Louisa has worked with NZ Rugby on issues of sexism, racism and homophobia, and has successfully campaigned for women to be represented on the NZ Rugby Board. Louisa is a foundation board member of Women in Sport Aotearoa, which aims to provide advocacy, leadership and research to ensure women and girls are valued, visible and influential in sport.
Louisa is chair of the Health Select Committee, a member of the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee, a member of the Parliamentary Friends of West Papua and NZ Co-Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China.