Nicola Grigg
{{Short description|New Zealand politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| name = Nicola Grigg
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MP|size=100%}}
| image = GRIGG, Nicola - Selwyn (cropped).png
| caption = Grigg in 2023
| office2 = 17th Minister for Women
| primeminister2 = Christopher Luxon
| term_start2 = 27 November 2023
| term_end2 =
| predecessor2 = Jan Tinetti
| successor2 =
| office3 = Minister of State for Trade
| term_start3 = 27 November 2023
| term_end3 =
| primeminister3 = Christopher Luxon
| predecessor3 = Rino Tirikatene
| successor3 =
| constituency_MP4 = {{NZ electorate link|Selwyn}}
| term_start4 = 17 October 2020
| term_end4 =
| parliament4 = New Zealand
| predecessor4 = Amy Adams
| majority4 = 19,782
| successor4 =
| office4 =
| party = National
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|39|2019|November|10}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12283963 |title=National picks former press secretary Nicola Grigg for safest seat in the country |first=Audrey |last=Young |work=The New Zealand Herald|date=10 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317102342/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12283963|archive-date=17 March 2020}}
| birth_place = Mount Somers, New Zealand
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse =
| relations = Arthur Grigg (great-grandfather)
{{nowrap|Mary Grigg (great-grandmother){{cite news |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/12/24/959436/the-sure-things-nicola-grigg |title=The sure things: Nicola Grigg |first=Dileepa |last=Fonseka |work=Newsroom |date=24 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617171111/https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/12/24/959436/the-sure-things-nicola-grigg|archive-date=17 June 2020}}}}
John Cracroft Wilson (Third great-grandfather)
| children =
| residence = Prebbleton
| profession =
| alma_mater =
| religion =
| website = [https://nicolagrigg.national.org.nz/ Official website]
}}
Nicola Anna Grigg{{Cite web|url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/HansS_20201125_039660000/event|title = Speech – New Zealand Parliament}} {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MP}} is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives representing the Selwyn electorate since October 2020. Since 27 November 2023, she has served as the Minister of State for Trade, Minister for Women, and an Associate Minister of Agriculture in the Sixth National Government. She is a member of the National Party.
Early life
Grigg was born and raised in Mount Somers.{{cite web |url=https://nicolagrigg.national.org.nz/about_nicola |title=About Nicola|publisher=New Zealand National Party|access-date=2 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102074007/https://nicolagrigg.national.org.nz/about_nicola|archive-date=2 November 2020}} Two of her great-grandparents were Members of Parliament for Mid-Canterbury between 1938 and 1943: Arthur Grigg and Mary Grigg (who was the first woman MP for the National Party, completing Arthur's term after his death).{{Cite web|date=23 March 2021|title=Nicola Grigg uses maiden speech to pay tribute to her great-grandmother, National's first female MP|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/124635155/nicola-grigg-uses-maiden-speech-to-pay-tribute-to-her-greatgrandmother-nationals-first-female-mp|access-date=16 November 2021|website=Stuff |language=en}}{{Cite web|date=24 March 2021|title=Selwyn MP Nicola Grigg dedicates maiden speech to trailblazing great-grandmother|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-districts/star-selwyn/selwyn-mp-nicola-grigg-dedicates-maiden-speech-trailblazing|access-date=16 November 2021|website=Otago Daily Times |language=en}} Grigg is also a third-great-granddaughter (through Mary Grigg) of John Cracroft Wilson, a British-educated civil servant in India, farmer and politician in New Zealand and Sir John Hall, an English-born New Zealand politician who served as the 12th premier of New Zealand from 1879 to 1882.
Grigg worked as a journalist for both Newstalk ZB and Radio New Zealand before shifting her career to politics. She worked for Bill English both during his tenure as finance minister and prime minister. She later worked for leader of the opposition Simon Bridges. She then left working at parliament and took up a position at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.{{Cite news|last=Cooke|first=Henry|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/117306482/national-puts-former-journalist-nicola-grigg-forward-for-safest-seat-in-nz |title=National puts former journalist Nicola Grigg forward for safest seat in NZ |work=Stuff |date=10 November 2019 |access-date=19 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027050040/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/117306482/national-puts-former-journalist-nicola-grigg-forward-for-safest-seat-in-nz|archive-date=27 October 2020|url-status=live}}
Political career
{{NZ parlbox header|align=left}}
{{NZ parlbox
|term=53rd
|start={{NZ election link year|2020}}
|end=2023
|list=60
|party=New Zealand National Party
|electorate={{NZ electorate link|Selwyn}}
}}
{{NZ parlbox
|term=54th
|start={{NZ election link year|2023}}
|end=present
|electorate=Selwyn
|list=19
|party=New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ parlbox footer}}
=First (2020–2023)=
Grigg was selected as the National Party candidate for the Selwyn electorate in November 2019 on the first ballot, ahead of two other nominees: Simon Flood and Craig Watson.
In the 2020 general election, she was elected to the Selwyn seat with a final majority of 4,968 votes.{{cite web |title=Selwyn – Official Resultt |url=https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2020/electorate-details-45.html |publisher=Electoral Commission |access-date=12 November 2020 }} Following the election, Grigg served as National's spokesperson for women and, from August 2021, trade and export growth.{{cite news |last1=Small |first1=Zane |title=How MPs voted on law change that would allow safe zones around abortion clinics |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/03/how-mps-voted-on-law-change-that-would-allow-safe-zones-around-abortion-clinics.html |access-date=30 March 2021 |work=Newshub |date=12 March 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210316122718/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/03/how-mps-voted-on-law-change-that-would-allow-safe-zones-around-abortion-clinics.html|archive-date=16 March 2021}}{{Cite web|date=28 August 2021|title=New National Portfolio Allocations Confirmed|url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2108/S00235/new-national-portfolio-allocations-confirmed.htm|access-date=29 August 2021|website=Scoop}}
On 19 January 2023, Grigg was also given the responsibility for Spokesperson for Rural Communities, Animal Welfare, Biosecurity, Food Safety and Associate Spokesperson for Agriculture. However, she lost the trade and expert growth portfolio.{{Cite web |date=19 January 2023 |first3=10:12 am Press Release: New |title=Luxon Sets Out Team To Contest The 2023 Election |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2301/S00035/luxon-sets-out-team-to-contest-the-2023-election.htm |access-date=20 January 2023 |website=www.scoop.co.nz}}
=Second term (2023–present)=
At the 2023 New Zealand general election, Grigg retained the Selwyn electorate, beating Labour's Luke Jones by a margin of 19,782{{cite web |title=Selwyn - Official Result |url=https://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/electorate-details-45.html |publisher=Electoral Commission |access-date=15 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231123104123/https://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/electorate-details-45.html |archive-date=23 November 2023 |date=3 November 2023 |url-status=live}}
On 27 November 2023, she was appointed by the Governor-General, Dame Cindy Kiro at Government House to be the Associate Minister of Agriculture, Minister of State for Trade, and Minister for Women in the National-led coalition government.{{cite news |title=Cabinet lineup for new government unveiled - who gets what? |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/503156/cabinet-lineup-for-new-government-unveiled-who-gets-what |access-date=15 December 2023 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=24 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204122806/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/503156/cabinet-lineup-for-new-government-unveiled-who-gets-what |archive-date=4 December 2023|url-status=live}}
In late February 2025 Grigg, in her capacity as Minister of State for Trade and Investment, accompanied Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and a business delegation to Vietnam to promote bilateral economic and educational relations.{{cite news |last1=Dexter |first1=Giles |title=Christopher Luxon to travel to Vietnam for trip focused on economic growth |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/542508/christopher-luxon-to-travel-to-vietnam-for-trip-focused-on-economic-growth |access-date=28 February 2025 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=20 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250221055945/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/542508/christopher-luxon-to-travel-to-vietnam-for-trip-focused-on-economic-growth |archive-date=21 February 2025}}
Personal life
Grigg previously dated former All Black captain Richie McCaw.
In October 2023, Grigg revealed at a National Party press conference in Rolleston that she was six-and-a-half months’ pregnant.{{cite news |title=Selwyn MP Nicola Grigg having a baby |url=https://www.thepress.co.nz/a/politics/350084316/selwyn-mp-nicola-grigg-having-baby |access-date=16 March 2025 |work=The Press |date=3 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231127001401/https://www.thepress.co.nz/a/politics/350084316/selwyn-mp-nicola-grigg-having-baby |archive-date=27 November 2023}} She and her partner Phil have a son. Grigg resides in Prebbleton in the Selwyn District.{{cite news |last1=Alvey |first1=Daniel |title=Politics, parenthood and the pressures of life in Government |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-districts/star-selwyn/politics-parenthood-and-pressures-life-government |access-date=16 March 2025 |work=The Star |date=10 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119001017/https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-districts/star-selwyn/politics-parenthood-and-pressures-life-government |archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}
Views and position
Grigg has supported the establishment of safe zones around abortion providers and hospitals. While voting for the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion (Safe Areas) Amendment Act 2022 during its first reading in Parliament, Grigg argued that establishing abortion safe zones would reduce "harassment, hate speech, and intimidation" by anti-abortion protesters against vulnerable women.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{subject bar|auto=y|d=y|Politics|New Zealand}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|nz}}
{{bef|before=Amy Adams}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for Selwyn|years=2020–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{end}}
{{NZ National Party}}
{{Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives}}
{{Sixth National Government of New Zealand}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grigg, Nicola}}
Category:New Zealand National Party MPs
Category:New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates
Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives
Category:21st-century New Zealand women politicians
Category:Women members of the New Zealand House of Representatives
Category:Candidates in the 2020 New Zealand general election
Category:Candidates in the 2023 New Zealand general election
Category:People from Mid Canterbury