Marama Davidson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Marama Davidson MP
Davidson in 2023
1st Minister for the Prevention of Family and ... Violence
In office 6 November 2020 – 27 November 2023
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern Chris Hipkins
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Karen Chhour
3rd Female co-leader of the Green Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 8 April 2018 Co-leader with James Shaw
Preceded by	Metiria Turei
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Green party list
Incumbent
Assumed office 4 November 2015
Preceded by	Russel Norman
Personal details
Born	Marama Mere-Ana Paratene (1973-12-29) 29 December 1973 (age 50) Auckland, New Zealand
Political party	Green
Relations	Rawiri Paratene (father)
Children	Six
Website	Green Party profile

Marama Mere-Ana Davidson (née Paratene; born 29 December 1973) is a New Zealand politician who entered the New Zealand Parliament in 2015 as a list-member representing the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, of which she became the female co-leader in 2018.

In October 2020, the Green Party signed a cooperation agreement to support a Labour-led government. Davidson became the Minister outside Cabinet for the Prevention of Family and ... Violence, as well as holding the Associate Housing portfolio.

Early life and education

Davidson was born in Auckland and is of Ngāti Porou, Te Rarawa, and Ngāpuhi descent. Her father is the actor Rawiri Paratene. Both her parents were Māori language campaigners in the 1970s. During her youth, the family moved a lot; Davidson started school in Wellington, but subsequently lived in Dunedin and Christchurch. At age nine, her family moved to Whirinaki in the Hokianga, where she spent the rest of her childhood. She started her degree in Hamilton and finished it in Auckland, from where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. She also holds a Graduate Diploma in International Diplomacy for Indigenous Studies through Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.

Professional career and community engagement

Davidson worked for the Human Rights Commission from 2003 to 2012. She has worked part-time for Breastfeeding New Zealand. She was a 'Think Tank Member' for the Owen Glenn Inquiry on Child Abuse and Domestic Violence. She is a founding member of Te Wharepora Hou Māori Women's Collective.

Political career

Fifth National Government, 2013–2017

Davidson is an environmentalist and human rights advocate. In June 2013 she stood for the Greens in the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by-election, where she came fourth with 11.15% of the vote.

At the 2014 election she stood in the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate. She was ranked 15th on the Greens party list and entered parliament in 2015 with the resignation of Russel Norman.

During the 2017 general election, Davidson was ranked second in the Green Party's final candidate list in April 2017. Following the release of the full election results on 7 October, Davidson was reinstated as a list Member of Parliament. The Green Party won 6.3 percent of the votes and eight seats.

Sixth Labour Government, 2017–2023

Davidson at her marae, Matai Ara Nui Marae in Whirinaki, following her election as co-leader in 2018

Following the resignation of Metiria Turei as co-leader of the Green Party in 2017, Davidson was poised as a possible contender for the co-leadership. On 4 February 2018, Davidson officially announced her candidacy for co-leader, and on 8 April won the female co-leadership election, defeating fellow MP Julie Anne Genter who also contested the position. After summing the co-leadership of the Greens, Marama stated that the Greens' responsibility was to push the Labour-led coalition government in a progressive direction including the abolition of letting fees on rental homes.

In 25 March 2020, Davidson became a member of the Epidemic Response Committee, a select committee that considered the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the 2020 general election on 17 October, Davidson was re-elected to Parliament on the party list. Davidson also contested Tāmaki Makaurau, coming third place behind Labour incumbent Peeni Henare and the Māori Party's candidate John Tamihere. The Greens captured 7.9% of the popular vote (226,754).

Following prolonged negotiations between the Greens and Labour which concluded in a "cooperation" agreement on 31 October 2020, Davidson was designated as the Minister for the Prevention of Family and ... Violence and also became Associate Minister of Housing with responsibility for homelessness.

Davidson was challenged in May 2021 by the National and Act parties for attending and speaking at a Mongrel Mob gathering at the Waikato Chapters headquarters in Hamilton. Davidson attended the gathering with fellow Green MP Elizabeth Kerekere and the Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt. The gathering discussed human rights, justice and racism and Davidson defended attending and speaking at the gathering saying in a tweet that it was a "fabulous community event for justice". Davidson also defended attending the gathering saying that it is vital that a range of communities are engaged with and tweeting that gangs were part of the "diverse communities, who have been subject to enduring and systemic racism".

On 20 June, Davidson was ejected from House proceedings after claiming that ACT MPs were promoting racism through their line of questioning during a debate about national health service Te Whatu Ora's new "Equity Adjustor Score." Several ACT MPs including Karen Chhour and James McDowall claimed that the Equity Adjustor Score favoured Māori and Pasifika patients over other ethnic groups. In response, Davidson stated that "the nature of these questions are absolutely intended to raise racist opinions amongst the New Zealand public." Speaker Adrian Rurawhe rebuked Davidson for making accusations of racism and ordered her to apologise. Dissatisfied with her apology, Rurawhe ordered Davidson to leave the House. Te Pāti Māori co-leader Ngarewa-Packer defended Davidson, claiming that the opposition parties were engaged in race-baiting against Māori.

Sixth National Government, 2023–present

The Greens increased their Members of Parliament from nine after the 2020 election to fifteen after the 2023 New Zealand general election, including Davidson. This was the party's best election result ever. However, the election generally favoured right-wing parties. It is expected that, once negotiations are concluded, Davidson's Green Party will not be part of the government. After official results were released, Davidson said the party would "lead the ongoing fight to eliminate poverty, honour Te Tiriti, protect nature, and build a climate-resilient future for our mokopuna".

On 5 December 2023, Davidson was granted retention of the title The Honourable, in recognition of her term as a member of the Executive Council.

Personal life and family

Marama Davidson is married to Paul Davidson, with whom she has six children; their last child was born in 2008. Davidson is a qualified aerobics instructor and used to teach part-time classes at Les Mills International in order to support her children and university studies.

Political views and positions

Donald Trump

On 5 June 2020, Davidson and fellow Greens Co-Leader James Shaw described United States President Donald Trump as a racist in response to a question fielded by press gallery journalists following the protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd in late May.

Israel-Palestine

In October 2016, Davidson took part in the Women's Boat to Gaza, which intended to highlight the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. Other passengers aboard included the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Maguire and retired US Army colonel Ann Wright. On 5 October, the Women's Peace Flotilla's ship Zaytouna Oliva was intercepted by the Israeli Navy. In response to the boarding of the Women's Peace Flotilla, Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei called on the Israeli authorities to release Davidson and other activists, and to end the blockade of Gaza.

On 11 May 2021, she and 16 other New Zealand Members of Parliament donned keffiyeh to mark World Keffiyeh Day.