Meet Poto
Hon Poto Williams is the Labour Member of Parliament for Christchurch East, where she lives.
Poto became the MP for Christchurch East at a by-election in November 2013. Poto has previously been the Minister of Conservation and Minister for Disability Issues, as well as Associate Minister for Children. She has also held the ministerial portfolios for Police, Building and Construction, and been Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing).
After gaining an MBA and Graduate Certificate in Research Methods from Manukau Institute of Technology and Southern Cross University, Poto has worked in and managing community health and community mental health services, residential disability services, working with single parent families, youth services, family violence and refuge. Working in mental health provided the opportunity to engage in strengths based, recovery focussed and client centred work, which has guided her practice ever since.
Poto is the very proud mother of Terai, grandmother of Bodhi and a member of a very large extended family in New Zealand, Australia and the Cook Islands.