Nicky Wagner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Nicky Wagner
Wagner in 2012
Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives
In office 23 September 2017 – 17 October 2020
Constituency	National Party List
In office 26 November 2011 – 23 September 2017
Preceded by	Brendon Burns
Succeeded by	Duncan Webb
Constituency	Christchurch Central
In office 17 September 2005 – 26 November 2011
Constituency	National Party List
Minister supporting Greater Christchurch Regeneration
In office 2 May 2017 – 26 October 2017
Prime Minister	Bill English
Preceded by	Gerry Brownlee
Succeeded by	Megan Woods
Personal details
Born	(1953-07-23) 23 July 1953 (age 71) Christchurch, New Zealand
Political party	National
Spouse	David
Children	Two sons
Occupation	Business
Profession	Teacher
Website	Nicky Wagner

Nicola Joanne Wagner (born 23 July 1953) is a former New Zealand politician. She worked as a teacher and in business before becoming a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. She was part of the National Party from 2005 until she retired in 2020.

Wagner represented the Christchurch Central area in Parliament from 2011 to 2017. During her time as a minister, from 2014 to 2017, she held important roles. These included being the Minister of Customs, the Minister for Disability Issues, and a Minister helping with the recovery of Greater Christchurch.

Early Life and Career Journey

Nicky Wagner was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. She studied to become a teacher at Christchurch College of Education. Later, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Canterbury. She also completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Massey University.

After teaching for a while, Wagner moved into the business world. She successfully started a fashion marketing company. Later, she created an internet marketing business. She was one of the first people to create websites for specific industries in New Zealand. These included FashioNZ for the fashion industry and GardenNZ for gardening.

Starting a Political Career

First Steps in Politics

Wagner first ran for Parliament in the 2002 New Zealand general election. She was chosen as the National Party candidate for the Christchurch Central area. She was also placed 37th on her party's list of candidates. Even though she didn't win the local seat, her party's overall results meant she wasn't elected as a list MP that time. A list MP is someone who gets into Parliament based on their party's total votes, not by winning a specific local area.

Serving Local Government

In 2003, Wagner was elected to the Environment Canterbury (ECan) council. This council helps manage the environment in the Canterbury region. She won a special election to fill two empty spots on the council.

When she was chosen high on the National Party's list for the 2005 New Zealand general election, people wondered if she could do both jobs. She was elected to Parliament in 2005. She then stepped down from her role at ECan in 2007.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

In the 2005 New Zealand general election, Wagner was again a candidate for National in Christchurch Central. She was placed 28th on the party list, which was a good position. When the National Party received enough votes, Wagner was elected as a list MP.

Before she became an MP, Wagner supported a campaign to change New Zealand's flag. She believed the flag should show the country's unique identity and future vision. In her first speech in Parliament, she spoke about building a strong country for future generations.

During her first term in Parliament (2005-2008), Wagner worked on committees. These included the Justice and Electoral committee and the Local Government and Environment committee. In the 2008 New Zealand general election, she lost the Christchurch Central seat. However, she was still elected for a second term as a list MP. She continued to work on committees, including health and environment issues.

In the 2011 New Zealand general election, the race in Christchurch Central was very close. After all votes were counted, Wagner won by a small number of votes. This was a historic win for the National Party in that area. In her third term, she led the Local Government and Environment committee. She also worked with the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery, Gerry Brownlee.

In May 2014, Wagner became a Minister outside the main Cabinet. She took on roles like Minister of Customs and Minister for Disability Issues. She also helped with the Canterbury earthquake recovery efforts.

The boundaries of the Christchurch Central area changed for the 2014 New Zealand general election. Wagner thought the new boundaries would make it harder to win. However, she ran again and won with a larger majority. After this election, she continued her roles as Minister of Customs and Minister for Disability Issues. In 2017, she became the Minister supporting Greater Christchurch Regeneration. This role focused on helping Christchurch rebuild after the earthquakes.

In June 2017, Wagner made a comment on social media about attending disability meetings. This comment caused some discussion online.

After the 2017 New Zealand general election, Wagner lost her local seat. However, she remained a list MP. She decided not to run again in the 2020 New Zealand general election. She continued to serve as a spokesperson for disability issues, and for arts, culture, and heritage.

In 2024, Wagner was appointed to the Nelson Marlborough conservation board. This board helps protect nature in that region.