Hon. Willow-Jean Prime

Willow-Jean (Te Kapotai) is Labour’s spokesperson for education and children. She believes that people and community must be at the centre of everything we do, and nowhere more so than when it comes to education and our children. Willow-Jean brings a law, advocacy and Māori and community development background to her work as a member of parliament based in Te Tai Tokerau.

Willow-Jean grew-up in Te Tai Tokerau, and continues to live there today with her husband Dion, and daughters, Hihana and Heeni. Her local community work saw her elected into leadership roles, first as the youngest Far North District Councillor in 2013, elected again in 2016. She then became a Labour list member of parliament in 2017, followed by winning the Northland seat in the 2020 election. In 2023, as a Minister, Willow-Jean championed conservation, youth, women’s health, Māori data sovereignty, and arts, culture and heritage. She re-entered parliament in 2023 as a Labour list MP, on the Front Bench and Co-Chair of the Labour Party’s Māori Caucus.