# MP Profile: Hon Phil Twyford **Party:** New Zealand Labour Party **Electorate:** Te Atatū (2011–present) **Current Role (54th Parliament, Opposition):** Spokesperson for Immigration, Spokesperson for Disarmament and Arms Control, Associate Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs **Status:** `[x] DONE` — Profiled 9 June 2026 --- ## 1. Current Roles | Role | Body | Start Date | | --------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------- | ---------------- | | MP for Te Atatū | New Zealand Parliament (54th) | 5 December 2023 | | Member, Education and Workforce Committee | Select Committee | 6 December 2023 | | Spokesperson for Immigration | Labour Party (Shadow Cabinet) | 30 November 2023 | | Spokesperson for Disarmament and Arms Control | Labour Party (Shadow Cabinet) | 30 November 2023 | | Associate Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs | Labour Party (Shadow Cabinet) | 30 November 2023 | **Previous ministerial roles (Sixth Labour Government, 2017–2023):** Minister of Housing and Urban Development (Oct 2017–Jun 2019), Minister of Transport (Oct 2017–Nov 2020), Minister for Economic Development (Jun 2019–Nov 2020), Minister for Urban Development (Jun 2019–Nov 2020), Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control (Nov 2020–Feb 2023), Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth (Nov 2020–Feb 2023), Associate Minister of Immigration (Nov 2020–Feb 2023), Associate Minister for the Environment (Nov 2020–Feb 2023). **Sources:** - Parliament.nz member page (blocked by Radware; search result summary accessed 9 Jun 2026) — https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/twyford-phil/ - Labour Party profile — https://www.labour.org.nz/our-team/hon-phil-twyford/ (accessed 9 Jun 2026) - Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Twyford (accessed 9 Jun 2026) - Shadow Cabinet of Chris Hipkins — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Cabinet_of_Chris_Hipkins (accessed 9 Jun 2026) --- ## 2. Relevance Score: 🟡 MEDIUM **Explanation:** Phil Twyford does not currently hold a seniors, health, or social development portfolio. However, he has medium relevance because: 1. **Former Housing Minister (2017–2019)** — Oversaw the creation of Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities, KiwiBuild programme, and social housing expansion. Social housing and public housing directly affect older New Zealanders, including pensioner housing tenants and older people on the social housing register. In this role he spoke about giving older people "more and better choices of how you can live in your retirement" (Lifetime Retirement Income, 2017, Facebook). 2. **Current Immigration Spokesperson** — Immigration policy for older people (Parent Boost Visa, parent residency) falls directly within his portfolio. He has scrutinised the Government's Parent Boost Visa settings and raised concerns about equity/access (RNZ, Jun 2025). 3. **Education and Workforce Committee member** — This committee scrutinises employment, ACC, health and safety, and immigration matters — all relevant to older workers, older people, and their interests. 4. **Narrow margin electorate (131 votes)** — Te Atatū is a marginal seat where seniors' issues could be electorally significant. West Auckland has a significant population of older people in social housing and retirement villages. 5. **Advocacy on housing issues** — Signed open letter opposing proposed Auckland CBD homelessness ban (RNZ, Nov 2025). Supported boarding house regulation (Member's Bill, Jul 2025) which affects vulnerable older people in boarding accommodation. He is **not** a direct seniors portfolio holder (unlike Ingrid Leary, Labour's Seniors Spokesperson), and has no stated positions on aged care, NZ Super, dementia, or palliative care. Hence **MEDIUM** rather than HIGH. --- ## 3. Public Background | Detail | Information | | ----------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Full name** | Philip Stoner Twyford | | **Born** | 4 May 1963 (age 62), Auckland | | **Education** | Westlake Boys High School; BA, University of Auckland (1999) | | **Pre-politics career** | Founding Executive Director of Oxfam New Zealand; Global Advocacy Director of Oxfam International (Washington DC); journalist; trade union organiser | | **First elected** | 8 November 2008 (list MP for North Shore electorate) | | **Parliaments served** | 49th, 50th, 51st, 52nd, 53rd, 54th | | **Previous ministerial experience** | 8 portfolios in Sixth Labour Government (2017–2023) | | **Retained Te Atatū 2023** | Majority of 131 votes — narrowest margin in his parliamentary career | | **Political identity** | Self-described social democrat; supports a New Zealand republic | | **Reputation** | Known for ambitious housing reform agenda (KiwiBuild, Kāinga Ora) that fell well short of targets; telephone call controversy on aircraft (May 2018); described by The Spinoff (May 2019) as a minister whose career might not survive KiwiBuild shortfalls | **Sources:** - Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Twyford (accessed 9 Jun 2026) - Labour Party profile — https://www.labour.org.nz/our-team/hon-phil-twyford/ (accessed 9 Jun 2026) - The Spinoff, "The Bulletin: Will Phil Twyford's career survive Kiwibuild?" (10 May 2019) — https://thespinoff.co.nz/the-bulletin/10-05-2019/the-bulletin-will-phil-twyfords-career-survive-kiwibuild - ArchitectureNow, "The party of reform: Phil Twyford" — https://architecturenow.co.nz/articles/the-party-of-reform-phil-twyford/ (accessed 9 Jun 2026) - Elections NZ, 2023 Official Results — https://elections.nz/media-and-news/2023/official-results-for-the-2023-general-election (accessed 9 Jun 2026) --- ## 4. Public Positions Relevant to Older New Zealanders **General note:** Twyford has no recorded public statements specifically on aged care, NZ Superannuation, dementia, palliative care, retirement villages, disability support, or elder abuse. His relevance to older people is primarily through housing and immigration portfolios. | Issue | Position / Activity | Source | Date | | ------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------- | | **Parent Boost Visa** | Questioned Immigration Minister Erica Stanford in Education and Workforce Committee about the new 5-year parent visa. Raised concern that health insurance costs ($10k–$40k over 5 years) would make it accessible only to a "wealthy minority" of migrant families bringing older parents to NZ. | RNZ, "Immigration minister faces questions over deportations, parent visas, asylum and Gaza" — https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/564507/immigration-minister-faces-questions-over-deportations-parent-visas-asylum-and-gaza | Jun 2025 | | **Parent Resident Visa delays** | Questioned Immigration Minister Stanford on delay to Parent Resident Visa policy work, extracted confirmation that work would not start until 2025 — described as a "backslide" from National's pre-election promises. Directly relevant to older parents seeking residency in NZ. | Indian Newslink (article by Michael Wood) — https://indiannewslink.co.nz/national-government-backslides-on-parent-visa-commitment/ | 23 Jun 2024 | | **Boarding house regulation** | Supported Jenny Salesa's Member's Bill requiring a register of boarding houses and landlord criteria. Boarding houses house many vulnerable older New Zealanders; the bill was prompted by the Loafers Lodge fire (2023) which killed 5 people including older residents. | Labour Party news release — https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-member-s-bill-to-hold-boarding-house-landlords-accountable/ | 17 Jul 2025 | | **Auckland homelessness ban** | Co-signed open letter with 40+ opposition MPs and community organisations opposing Government proposal to give police move-on orders for rough sleepers in Auckland CBD. Affects older people experiencing homelessness. | RNZ — https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/579892/opposition-mps-community-groups-call-for-proposed-auckland-homelessness-ban-to-be-binned | Nov 2025 | | **Social housing expansion (as Minister)** | As Housing and Urban Development Minister, announced major social housing builds including Kāinga Ora developments. Public housing disproportionately serves older New Zealanders — approximately 40% of public housing tenants are over 65. | Beehive.govt.nz releases (multiple) — https://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/hon-phil-twyford-2017 (accessed 9 Jun 2026) | 2017–2019 | | **Kāinga Ora creation** | As Minister for Urban Development, steered the Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities Bill through Parliament, merging Housing NZ, HLC, and KiwiBuild into a single entity responsible for public housing and urban development. | Kāinga Ora news — https://kaingaora.govt.nz/news/kainga-ora-homes-and-communities-a-new-approach-to-meeting-key-government-priorities/ (accessed 9 Jun 2026) | 2019 | | **Cost of living** | In May 2026, posted video surveying West Auckland constituents about cost-of-living pressures, stating that older people and pensioners in his electorate were struggling. | Instagram (twyford.phil) — https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYL6FMSSsi5/ (referenced via search) | May 2026 | --- ## 5. Parliamentary Activity ### Current Select Committee | Committee | Role | Since | | ----------------------- | ------ | --------------- | | Education and Workforce | Member | 6 December 2023 | _Note: The Education and Workforce Committee covers employment relations, ACC, health and safety at work, immigration, and education — areas relevant to older workers, older people's safety, and immigration policy for older parents._ ### Recent Parliamentary Activity (54th Parliament) | Activity | Details | Source | | -------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Oral Question (30 Jan 2025)** | Asked Immigration Minister Erica Stanford: "Did she direct her officials to..." — specific topic not fully captured but relates to immigration portfolio oversight | YouTube, NZ Parliament sitting — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0EvSnEAmlY | | **Select Committee scrutiny (Jun 2024)** | Questioned Immigration Minister on Parent Boost Visa, children born to overstayers, Gaza visas, and investor visa settings during Budget scrutiny week | RNZ — https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/564507/immigration-minister-faces-questions-over-deportations-parent-visas-asylum-and-gaza | | **Serious Fraud Office Amendment Bill (Apr 2026)** | Spoke on the Serious Fraud Office Amendment Bill at first reading | Instagram (parliamentary video clips) — https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYaz2tADh6Q/ | | **Education and Workforce Committee inquiry** | Participated in inquiry into harm young New Zealanders encounter online; served as Labour lead on the committee's inquiry | Facebook post — https://www.facebook.com/phil.twyford.mp/posts/it-is-time-we-reined-in-the-power-of-the-social-media-companies-and-online-platf/1364883838797742/ | | **Member's bills supported** | Helped progress Jenny Salesa's boarding house regulation bill (see section 4) | Labour Party — as above | **Sources:** Parliament.nz search results, RNZ, YouTube parliamentary channel (all accessed 9 Jun 2026). --- ## 6. Declared Interests (Register of Pecuniary Interests) **As at 30 January 2025** (latest available annual return): | Category | Details | | ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Trusts** | Twyford and Easingwood Family Trust (trustee and beneficiary) | | **Real property** | Family home on Te Atatū Peninsula (owned by family trust) | | **Retirement schemes** | Fisher Funds TWO KiwiSaver | | **Overseas travel** | Germany — Conference of social democratic parties (travel/accommodation: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung) | | | Türkiye — Parliamentarians' conference on Palestine (travel/accommodation: The League of Parliamentarians for al-Quds) | | | Malaysia — Political workshop (travel/accommodation: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung) | **No declared interests** in health services, aged care, retirement villages, housing development companies, disability services, legal sector, or pharmaceutical/medical companies. **Political donations noted in media:** - Received a $4,400 donation (2023) from entities linked to fast-track resource consent applications (RNZ investigation, 2025). This was the only Labour donation identified in the RNZ analysis of $1M+ in fast-track-linked donations — the overwhelming majority went to National and NZ First parties. **Sources:** - WhereTheyStand.nz (data from Parliamentary Register) — https://wheretheystand.nz/people/philip-twyford/interests (accessed 9 Jun 2026) - RNZ, "$1m in political donations from entities linked to fast track applications revealed" — https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/corrections/596301/1m-in-political-donations-from-entities-linked-to-fast-track-applications-revealed (accessed 9 Jun 2026) --- ## 7. Business/Decision-Making Implications | Factor | Implication | | ------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Immigration Spokesperson** | Key influencer on Parent Boost Visa, Parent Resident Visa, and immigration settings affecting older migrants and their NZ-resident families. Business operators reliant on migrant workers or caring for older parents should monitor his statements on visa policy. | | **Former Housing Minister** | Deep knowledge of Kāinga Ora, public housing, and urban development. While not current spokesperson on housing, his experience means he can credibly critique government housing policy affecting older people (social housing, pensioner housing, retirement village regulation). | | **Narrow margin (131 votes)** | As one of Labour's most marginal seats, Twyford will be highly responsive to local constituency concerns. Te Atatū has significant public housing stock and retirement villages — providers should engage with his office. | | **Education and Workforce Committee** | Scrutinises ACC, employment law, and health & safety — relevant to older workers, retirement policy, and elder abuse in workplace/ACC settings. | | **Political donations** | $4,400 donation linked to fast-track applicant — negligible compared to National/NZ First donations, but note that his party received some fast-track-linked money. | | **No seniors-specific portfolio** | Not a direct decision-maker on aged care regulation, NZ Super settings, or dementia policy. Unlikely to be a primary target for seniors-sector engagement, but his immigration and housing roles intersect with older people's interests. | --- ## 8. Campaign Relevance | Factor | Assessment | | ------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **2026 election marginality** | **High.** Te Atatū is a critical Labour-held marginal seat (131 majority). National will target it heavily. Labour will invest significant resources to defend it. | | **Seniors as swing voters** | Te Atatū has substantial public housing, retirement village residents, and older migrants. Seniors' issues (cost of living, housing, parent visas) could influence the result. | | **Immigration messaging** | Parent visa settings are a live issue for ethnic communities in West Auckland (Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Pacific) who want their older parents to join them in NZ. Twyford is well-positioned to leverage this in the campaign. | | **Attack lines from National** | His KiwiBuild shortfalls, the 2018 phone-on-plane controversy, and his 131-vote margin will feature in National's campaign against him. | | **Labour messaging** | Labour will campaign heavily on housing, cost of living, and immigration fairness — all Twyford's territory. | --- ## 9. Monitoring Terms Track the following search terms for ongoing coverage: | Term | Why | | -------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | `"Phil Twyford" immigration` | All immigration policy statements | | `"Phil Twyford" parent visa` | Parent Boost Visa / Parent Resident Visa — directly relevant to older migrants | | `"Phil Twyford" housing` | Housing policy commentary (social housing, Kāinga Ora) | | `"Phil Twyford" boarding house` | Boarding house regulation — affects vulnerable older people | | `"Te Atatū" electorate` | Constituency developments and election campaign | | `"Phil Twyford" "Education and Workforce"` | Committee work on ACC, employment, health & safety | | `"Phil Twyford" retirement OR "aged care" OR "NZ Super"` | Any seniors-specific statements (currently absent; monitor for emergence) | --- ## 10. Source List | # | Source | URL | Date Accessed | | --- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------- | | 1 | Parliament.nz (search result summary) | https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/twyford-phil/ | 9 Jun 2026 | | 2 | Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Twyford | 9 Jun 2026 | | 3 | Labour Party profile | https://www.labour.org.nz/our-team/hon-phil-twyford/ | 9 Jun 2026 | | 4 | Shadow Cabinet of Chris Hipkins (Wikipedia) | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Cabinet_of_Chris_Hipkins | 9 Jun 2026 | | 5 | WhereTheyStand (Pecuniary Interests) | https://wheretheystand.nz/people/philip-twyford/interests | 9 Jun 2026 | | 6 | Elections NZ, 2023 Official Results | https://elections.nz/media-and-news/2023/official-results-for-the-2023-general-election | 9 Jun 2026 | | 7 | RNZ, "Immigration minister faces questions over deportations, parent visas..." | https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/564507/immigration-minister-faces-questions-over-deportations-parent-visas-asylum-and-gaza | 9 Jun 2026 | | 8 | Indian Newslink, "National government backslides on Parent Visa commitment" | https://indiannewslink.co.nz/national-government-backslides-on-parent-visa-commitment/ | 9 Jun 2026 | | 9 | Labour Party news release, "Member's Bill to hold boarding house landlords accountable" | https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-member-s-bill-to-hold-boarding-house-landlords-accountable/ | 9 Jun 2026 | | 10 | RNZ, "Opposition MPs, community groups call for proposed Auckland homelessness ban to be binned" | https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/579892/opposition-mps-community-groups-call-for-proposed-auckland-homelessness-ban-to-be-binned | 9 Jun 2026 | | 11 | Beehive.govt.nz — Hon Phil Twyford (former ministerial page) | https://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/hon-phil-twyford-2017 | 9 Jun 2026 | | 12 | Kāinga Ora news | https://kaingaora.govt.nz/news/kainga-ora-homes-and-communities-a-new-approach-to-meeting-key-government-priorities/ | 9 Jun 2026 | | 13 | RNZ, "$1m in political donations from entities linked to fast track applications revealed" | https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/corrections/596301/1m-in-political-donations-from-entities-linked-to-fast-track-applications-revealed | 9 Jun 2026 | | 14 | The Spinoff, "The Bulletin: Will Phil Twyford's career survive Kiwibuild?" | https://thespinoff.co.nz/the-bulletin/10-05-2019/the-bulletin-will-phil-twyfords-career-survive-kiwibuild | 9 Jun 2026 | | 15 | ArchitectureNow, "The party of reform: Phil Twyford" | https://architecturenow.co.nz/articles/the-party-of-reform-phil-twyford/ | 9 Jun 2026 | | 16 | Parliament.nz — Education and Workforce Committee membership | https://www3.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/scl/education-and-workforce/tab/mp | 9 Jun 2026 | | 17 | Parliament Pulse (profile) | https://parliamentpulse.co.nz/mpprofile?id=68dfcbe37b685fe37c5bfe2e | 9 Jun 2026 | | 18 | Facebook, "New Minister for Housing & Transport, Phil Twyford wants to give you more and better choices of how you can live in your retirement" — Lifetime Retirement Income | https://www.facebook.com/lifetimeretirementincome/posts/new-minister-for-housing-transport-phil-twyford-wants-to-give-you-more-and-bette/847088888798825/ | 9 Jun 2026 |