Nicky Wagner - Politics

Politics

In 2005, Wagner endorsed the NZ Flag.com Trusts campaign for a referendum on New Zealand's flag, stating "Our flag should celebrate our nation's identity and our special foot-print on this earth. We will always respect and cherish our links with the past that are represented in our present flag but a young country needs to create a strong vision for its future."

In 2003 Wagner was elected to the Canterbury Regional Council, and was a councillor until 2007.

In the 2005 general elections, she stood as the National Party's candidate for the Christchurch Central electorate, and was 28th on National's list. This was the third highest placing for a newcomer, behind Tim Groser and Chris Finlayson.

In the 2008 general election she drastically cut Labour's majority in both the electorate and the party vote, reducing the candidate majority from 7,836 to 936. She remained in Parliament, having been re-elected through the National Party list.

In the 2011 general election, she won the seat off Labour with a 47 vote majority, after special votes broke an exact tie between her and incumbent MP Brendon Burns. This marked the first time National had ever held the Christchurch Central electorate since its creation in 1946.

Nicky is the Chair of the Local Government and Environment Select Committee and sits on the Maori Affairs Select Committee. She also chairs the BlueGreens Caucus Committee and the Arts, Culture and Heritage Caucus Committee.