33 Facts About Louise Upston

Louise Claire Upston is a New Zealand politician.

Louise Upston was elected as a Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for Taupo, representing the National Party, in the 2008 general election.

Louise Upston was Minister for Women and Minister of Corrections in the Fifth National Government.

Louise Upston currently serves as the Minister for Social Development and Employment.

Louise Upston attended Rangitoto College, from which she graduated in 1988, and where she was friends with Amy Adams.

Louise Upston then studied at the Waikato Management School and graduated with a Master of Business Administration.

Louise Upston was selected as the party's Taupo electorate candidate in 2008 where she unseated Mark Burton, a Labour cabinet minister who had represented the area for 15 years.

Louise Upston entered parliament at the beginning of the Fifth National Government.

Louise Upston was a member of the Maori affairs committee and the local government and environment committee.

Louise Upston was promoted into the executive after the 2014 election, as minister outside of Cabinet.

Louise Upston was Minister for Land Information, Minister for Women, Associate Minister for Local Government, and Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment from October 2014 until December 2016.

Louise Upston used the speech to set out her goals in the portfolio, including supporting women in the workplace and preventing violence against women.

Louise Upston attracted further scrutiny in the portfolio for rejecting calls to remove GST on menstrual products and for refusing to comment on an incident involving the mistreatment of a stripper by Chiefs ruby players.

Louise Upston introduced replacement legislation for the Land Transfer Act 1952.

Louise Upston was involved in governance reviews and the appointment of commissioners at Kaipara District Council and Canterbury Regional Council.

Louise Upston was promoted into Cabinet by new prime minister Bill English in December 2016.

Louise Upston became Minister of Corrections and an associate minister for primary industries, education, and tertiary education, skills and employment.

Louise Upston held these positions until the government changed in October 2017.

Louise Upston became a senior member in the successive National shadow cabinets, serving as social development spokesperson under each of Bill English, Simon Bridges, Todd Muller, Judith Collins, and Christopher Luxon, and sitting on the social services and community committee.

Louise Upston was spokesperson for land information, social investment and whanau ora, employment, regional economic development, child poverty reduction, and family violence prevention.

Louise Upston began working on the bill in 2010 after being contacted by a constituent whose brother was murdered and whose killer was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Louise Upston claimed that the 2019 report of the Labour Government's Welfare Expert Advisory Group provided evidence that supported sanctions as being "effective in encouraging movement from benefits to work;" this was rejected by WEAG.

In late November 2023, Louise Upston was appointed as Minister of Social Development and Employment, Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, and Minister for Child Poverty Reduction.

In early April 2024, Louise Upston confirmed that the Government and the University of Auckland were exploring options to continue funding the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study.

In mid-September 2024, Louise Upston confirmed that the Government would be investing NZ$16.8 million into the longitudinal study over the next four years.

On 12 August 2024, Louise Upston confirmed the introduction of a traffic light system for the Jobseeker Support benefit, effective immediately, with legislation to expand the system to be introduced in November and expected to come into force in early 2025.

Louise Upston promised that the rule of preventing sanctions from cutting benefit pay by more than 50 per cent of job seekers who had children would remain in place.

On 29 August, Louise Upston announced that the Government would raise fines for people illegally parking in disabled car parks from NZ$150 to NZ$750 effective 1 October 2024.

Louise Upston voted against the Marriage Amendment Bill in 2013.

Louise Upston voted against the Abortion Legislation Bill in 2019 and 2020.

Louise Upston voted against the End of Life Choice Bill in 2017 and 2019, including voting against a proposal to hold a referendum on the issue.

Louise Upston was one of only seven MPs to vote against the second reading of the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act 2022, but voting in favour of it at its third and final reading.

In November 2014, Louise Upston stated she is not a feminist when she sang praises of beauty pageants.