Reuben Davidson

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix =

|name = Reuben Davidson

|honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MP|size=100%}}

|image = Reuben Davidson.jpg

|caption = Davidson in 2020

|constituency_MP1 = Christchurch East

|parliament1 = New Zealand

|term_start1 = 14 October 2023

|term_end1 =

|predecessor1 = Poto Williams

|successor1 =

|party = Labour

|otherparty =

|birth_name = Reuben John Davidson{{cite web |title=Selwyn – Electorate Profile |url= https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/electorate-profiles/selwyn-electorate-profile/ |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |access-date=16 October 2023 |date=27 April 2021}}

|birth_date =

|birth_place =

|death_date =

|death_place =

|spouse =

|relations =

|children =

|residence =

|profession = Television producer

|alma_mater =

|religion =

|website =

}}

Reuben John Davidson is a New Zealand television producer and politician. He was on a Christchurch community board from 2019. In the 2023 general election, he was elected to represent the Christchurch East electorate in Parliament.

Early life and career

Davidson was born in Christchurch.{{cite web |title=Reuben Davidson |url= https://www.labour.org.nz/reubendavidson2023 |publisher=New Zealand Labour Party |access-date=16 October 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231016080142/https://www.labour.org.nz/reubendavidson2023 |archive-date=16 October 2023}} He got his first job aged just 14 at a café.{{Cite news |url= https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-districts/star-selwyn/lyttelton-resident-vying-selwyn-seat-september-election |title=Lyttelton resident vying for Selwyn seat in September election |last=Bolger |first=Devon |date=29 July 2020 |work=The Star |via=Otago Daily Times |access-date=12 March 2023 }} Later he was a television producer working at Whitebait Media for over 15 years.{{Cite news |url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/131473072/labour-stalwart-wins-selection-to-contest-christchurch-east |title=Labour stalwart wins selection to contest Christchurch East |last=Law |first=Tina |date=12 March 2023 |work=Stuff |access-date=12 March 2023 }} For seven years he produced the children's show What Now and later created the show Fanimals. He lives in North New Brighton. Davidson has a degree from the New Zealand Broadcasting School.{{Cite web |date=22 September 2020 |title=Election 2020: Selwyn candidates for local MP |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300101265/election-2020-selwyn-candidates-for-local-mp |access-date=23 November 2023 |website=Stuff |language=en}}

Political career

{{NZ parlbox

|term=54th

|start={{NZ election link year|2023}}

|end=present

|list=57

|party=New Zealand Labour Party

|electorate=Christchurch East

}}

=Local government=

At the 2019 local body elections, he was elected to the Banks Peninsula Community Board. Re-elected in 2022, he became chairman of the community board and was also chairman of the Labour-aligned local political ticket The People's Choice.

=2020 general election=

He put himself forward for the Labour nomination in the seat of {{NZ electorate link|Port Hills}} for the {{NZ election link|2020}} to replace the retiring Ruth Dyson. He missed out with Labour's vice-president Tracey McLellan winning the selection.{{Cite news |url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/117666081/labour-selects-tracey-mclellan-as-2020-port-hills-candidate |title=Labour selects Tracey McLellan as 2020 Port Hills candidate |last=Law |first=Tina |date=24 November 2019 |work=Stuff |access-date=26 November 2019}} He then stood in the seat of {{NZ electorate link|Selwyn}} and was 67th on Labour's 2020 party list. He finished second in Selwyn to National's Nicola Grigg.{{cite web |title=Selwyn – Official Result |url= https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2020/electorate-details-45.html |publisher=New Zealand Electoral Commission |access-date=5 December 2021}} Despite losing, Davidson polled higher than normal, coming closest to winning the seat for Labour in 27 years.{{cite news |url= https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/national-wins-selwyn-labour-comes-closest-in-nearly-three-decades/3EC2BF4QKMPXOOK5SRKBXJH554/ |first=Devon |last=Bolger |title=National wins Selwyn; Labour comes closest in nearly three decades |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=18 October 2020 |access-date=25 September 2023 }}

=First term, 2023–present=

After Labour's Poto Williams announced her retirement from the Christchurch East electorate in December 2022,{{cite news |last1=Manch |first1=Thomas |last2=Whyte |first2=Anna |title=Cabinet minister Poto Williams, David Clark and Aupito William Sio retiring from Parliament at 2023 election |url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/130743697/cabinet-minister-poto-williams-david-clark-and-aupito-william-sio-retiring-from-parliament-at-2023-election |access-date=16 October 2023 |work=Stuff |date=13 December 2022}} Davidson was selected for the seat ahead of Dan Rosewarne, Colin Meurk, Melissa Lama, and Teresa Butler. After gaining selection he stated he would resign from the Banks Peninsula Community Board and donate his community board salary to the Mayoral Relief Fund. He was 57th on Labour's 2023 party list.{{cite news |url= https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/494829/labour-releases-party-list-for-2023-election |title=Labour releases party list for 2023 election |date=31 July 2023 |work=RNZ |access-date=16 October 2023}} He was elected to the Christchurch East seat in October 2023 with a margin of over 2000 votes.{{cite news |last1=Morton |first1=Nathan |title=Election 2023 results: The South Island's new elected leaders following blue tidal wave |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/election-2023-results-the-south-islands-new-elected-leaders-following-blue-tidal-wave/4EBLM3TLXBDPBLZDG2MBNMAJEA/ |access-date=16 October 2023 |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=16 October 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Electoral Commission |date=3 November 2023 |title=Christchurch East – Official Result |url=https://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/electorate-details-06.html |publisher=Electoral Commission |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231123104119/https://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/electorate-details-06.html|archive-date=23 November 2023|url-status=live}} Davidson was one of just two new MPs elected in Labour's defeat in 2023 along with Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. He stated "It's bittersweet because I'm really aware of the huge shoes I'm stepping into to represent the people of Christchurch East but I had hoped to be doing it as part of a Labour government".{{cite news |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/500285/devastated-labour-mps-prepare-for-spell-in-political-wilderness |last=Scotcher |first=Katie |title=Devastated Labour MPs prepare for spell in political wilderness |website=Radio New Zealand |access-date=17 October 2023 |date=16 October 2023}}

In late November 2023, Davidson was appointed as spokesperson for statistics, digital economy and communications, and associate broadcasting and media in the Shadow Cabinet of Chris Hipkins.{{cite news |title=Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins reveals new shadow Cabinet |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/503581/labour-party-leader-chris-hipkins-reveals-new-shadow-cabinet |access-date=11 December 2023 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=30 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204120147/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/503581/labour-party-leader-chris-hipkins-reveals-new-shadow-cabinet |archive-date=4 December 2023}}

Following a cabinet reshuffle in early March 2025, Davidson joined Hipkins' new economics team. He also dropped his previous portfolios and assumed the "science, technology and innovation," broadcasting, "media and creative economy" portfolios.{{cite news |last1=Palmer |first1=Russell |title=Chris Hipkins announces new Labour 'economic team', Tangi Utikere promoted |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/544048/chris-hipkins-announces-new-labour-economic-team-tangi-utikere-promoted |access-date=8 March 2025 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=7 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250307011659/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/544048/chris-hipkins-announces-new-labour-economic-team-tangi-utikere-promoted |archive-date=7 March 2025}}