Kieran McAnulty has come a long way since his self-confessed “pretty disappointing” Wairarapa result at the 2014 election. Political editor Jo Moir looks at the Labour MP’s road from TAB bookie to Cabinet minister
Analysis: Where Nanaia Mahuta couldn’t find the right words to explain Three Waters, many say Kieran McAnulty has.
A week ago, the MP for Wairarapa stood in his electorate, specifically the Greytown swimming pool carpark, alongside Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and delivered an alternative to the controversial reforms.
In the days since, McAnulty has done interviews on why the 50/50 representation split between local council and mana whenua has remained and why he’s settled for ratepayers saving some money on water infrastructure, but not as much as they could have.
He has been praised on social media for “cutting to the chase” and explaining in simple terms that the reforms are first and foremost about cost savings.
READ MORE: * 'A price worth paying': Counting the cost of wider local voice * Ratepayers pay more for water so councillors can sit at the table
But his explanations around Māori representation on the regional boards have stirred up the Opposition with claims the Government is trying to change the definition of democracy by moving away from one person one vote.
Those who support mana whenua representation say that McAnulty has successfully explained how the Treaty and promises made to Māori are reflected in water rights, which have been tested in the courts, and that it is no different to representation on councils, district health boards, or any other number of groups.
That’s something Mahuta and Jacinda Ardern have been criticised for not doing, instead leaving a vacuum for the Opposition to redefine co-governance in New Zealand.
McAnulty’s name and face recognition has skyrocketed in just one week.
And it comes on the back of his work as Minister for Emergency Management during the Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle when he put the country into a national state of emergency for only the third time in history.
His calm handling of those disasters, his communication style and empathy, have been held up as exemplary by not only those on the left, but also MPs on the other side of the House.
The Eketāhuna-raised politician had long been tipped as a rising star after coming into Parliament on the list in 2017.
But when he was overlooked as a minister by former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern after the 2020 election, it raised questions as to what was holding him back.
Known for his straight-shooting and potty mouth, some commentators mulled whether he was seen as a liability by Ardern and needed more time before being thrown into such a public role as a minister.
In June last year he was appointed Minister for Racing and Emergency Management – both roles outside of Cabinet. He also picked up associate transport and local government.
He used the latter role to go on a tour of the country to visit all 55 councils – for many mayors it was the first time they’d had a Minister visit, and it was the beginning of his transition to take over the Three Waters reform.
That was confirmed in February when Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced his reshuffle, promoting McAnulty into Cabinet and tasking him with Minister for Local Government, Emergency Management, Rural Communities, Racing, and deputy leader of the House.
Before entering Parliament, McAnulty was a TAB bookie and economic development adviser for the Masterton District Council.
He was heavily involved in the community as a volunteer firefighter and a board member for highly successful local events, Wings over Wairarapa and the Golden Shears.
Some Wairarapa farmers spoken to by Newsroom said his favour has dropped away and the reception he’d get at rural meetings wouldn’t be as warm as it once was.
Though he first became an MP on the Labour list after losing to National’s Alastair Scott in 2017, he won the Wairarapa seat during the red tidal wave of 2020 by more than 6000 votes.
McAnulty always cited his responsibilities to his electorate as his top priority when asked about his ambitions within the party.
He has long said it was a seat he worked hard to win and holding onto it was his passion for staying in politics.
Now with a couple of meaty portfolios on his hands, some in the electorate have voiced concerns about his commitment to the region.
His advocacy on local issues has been replaced with toeing the party line as other Parliament responsibilities have taken over, according to some in the electorate.
It’s not uncommon for ministers to have less focus on their electorate following promotions, and McAnulty would certainly not be the first to be accused of it.
But he is one of few MPs in the Labour caucus with rural connections and is seen as a rare direct line to farming communities.
Some Wairarapa farmers spoken to by Newsroom said his favour had dropped away and the reception he’d get at rural meetings wouldn’t be as warm as it once was.
His increased political profile has also resulted in him having to stop advertising mobile offices in his electorate after a series of death threats.
It’s a form of communication with his constituents that McAnulty has used a lot because of the size of the electorate and an inability to reach everyone via physical town offices.
But in January McAnulty confirmed Parliamentary Security advised him he couldn’t continue to operate his mobile office the way he had been to protect his safety and his staff.
That meant putting a stop to advertising where he would be, which in turn meant fewer people knew about it in advance and so numbers attending have reduced.
It’s rare for ministers or MPs to say they’re not interested in a portfolio when the Prime Minister is undergoing a reshuffle, but McAnulty felt confident enough despite his short experience in Cabinet to say he didn’t want Nash’s old job.
One of the bigger challenges McAnulty’s faced in his time in Parliament is the accusations levelled against him last year by his former colleague Gaurav Sharma.
The MP who went rogue with allegations of gaslighting in the party - as high up as the Prime Minister’s office - accused McAnulty of bullying while he was chief whip of the party.
McAnulty denied the whole thing and was supported by his caucus colleagues who voted to suspend and then expel Sharma.
Sharma exited Parliament after losing the Hamilton West by-election, which he contested as an independent.
McAnulty survived that momentary blip in his political career and is so highly regarded he was tipped to be given the police portfolio after Stuart Nash was sacked as a minister.
It’s rare for ministers or MPs to say they’re not interested in a portfolio when the Prime Minister is undergoing a reshuffle, but McAnulty felt confident enough despite his short experience in Cabinet to say he didn’t want Nash’s old job.
Probably not that surprising for McAnulty, who isn’t backwards about coming forwards – he’s a straight shooter who enjoys a beer and a bet and is well liked by his colleagues across the political spectrum.
And he’s the minister who starts a press conference about significant water reform with, “G'day everyone, here’s the guts of it”.
