| Arena Williams | |
| Term Start2: | 17 October 2020 |
| Parliament2: | New Zealand |
| Predecessor2: | Louisa Wall |
| Party: | Labour |
| Relations: | Haare Williams (father) |
| Profession: | Lawyer |
| Alma Mater: | University of Auckland |
Arena Hinekura Sherburd Williams[1] (born 1990) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician. She has been a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Manurewa electorate since 2020.[2]
Williams is affiliated with Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāi Tūhoe and Ngāi Tahu.[3] Her parents are doctor Jacqueline Allan (Ngāi Tahu) and educator, broadcaster, and former Papakura city councillor Sir Haare Williams (Ngāi Tūhoe and Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki).[4] [5] She grew up in Papakura and spoke Māori as a child.
Williams studied law and commerce at the University of Auckland, and was active within the Princes Street Labour. In 2012 she was president of the Auckland University Students' Association.[6] In 2012 she and other university students staged a campus protest to highlight the issue of rising student debt. The under-dressed students begged people passing on the street for clothing, graphically depicting how students have to "borrow to live".[7] [8]
Williams began her career working as a probations officer in Panmure, encountering many people in the court system for relatively minor offences, prompting her advocacy for justice reform. She also worked for law firm Chapman Tripp.
Williams stood for the Hunua electorate in the New Zealand House of Representatives in for the Labour Party where she placed second, losing to Andrew Bayly by the large margin of 17,376 votes.[9] Aged 24 she was Labour's youngest candidate at that election.[6]
In November 2019 Williams was appointed as a member of the Waitematā District Health Board.[10]
Williams as well as Ian Dunwoodie both nominated to challenge Louisa Wall for the Labour Party selection for the seat of, one of the safest red seats in the country.[11] The selection was scheduled to be held on 21 March 2020, but was delayed due to a complaint about whether some new party electorate branch members lived in Manurewa and were eligible to vote in the selection process.[12] In May, Wall's partner and lawyer Prue Kapua contacted the national party council, claiming that Williams's application was late, and warned that legal action would be taken if it was not rejected.[13] The selection was rescheduled to 30 May, but Wall withdrew her application on 29 May, to instead run as a list-only candidate. Williams was selected as the Labour candidate.[14]
During the 2020 general election held on 17 October, she beat National candidate Nuwi Samarakone by a margin of 17,179 votes.[8] [15] [16] In her first term, Williams served as a member of the justice committee, Māori affairs committee (including as deputy chairperson and chairperson) and the Pae Ora legislation committee.[17]
She was re-elected in Manurewa at the 2023 general election, defeating National Party candidate Siva Kilari with an election night majority 7,113.[18]
In late November, Williams was appointed as Assistant Whip, and spokesperson for commerce and consumer affairs, building and construction, and state-owned enterprises in the Shadow Cabinet of Chris Hipkins.[19]
Williams is married to lawyer Max Hardy, with whom she shares two children.
In November 2021, the New Zealand social housing agency Kāinga Ora drew controversy after Newshub and Radio New Zealand reported that the agency had used Williams (a Labour Party candidate) in a taxpayer funded advertisement in 2020, compromising its political neutrality. Kāinga Ora drew criticism from Housing Minister Megan Woods and deputy Opposition Leader Nicola Willis on the grounds of professionalism and compromising its political neutrality.[20] [21] Woods subsequently reported the agency to the Public Service Commission.[22] The National Party called for an investigation into Kāinga Ora, alleging a cover up and "culture of deceit." Williams had informed Kāinga Ora of her political ambitions prior to the advertorial featuring her was paid for and published.[22]