# MP Profile: Brooke van Velden (ACT) **Party:** ACT New Zealand **Electorate:** List MP **Parliament URL:** https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/vanvelden-brooke/ _(Radware-blocked — inaccessible via automated scraping)_ **Current Roles:** - Minister of Internal Affairs - Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety - Deputy Leader of ACT New Zealand **Relevance to Seniors:** 🟡 **MEDIUM-HIGH** — _Workplace Relations portfolio covers aged care workforce regulation, care and support worker pay equity, and employment standards for aged care staff. Internal Affairs portfolio oversees charities (age charities, seniors advocacy groups), gambling regulation (affecting older people), and service delivery._ --- ## Public Background Brooke van Velden was elected as an ACT list MP in 2020 and is the Deputy Leader of ACT New Zealand. Before entering Parliament, she worked as a policy analyst, political advisor, and in the private sector. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and law. She has been ACT's spokesperson on workplace relations, internal affairs, and various social portfolios. As Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety, she oversees employment law, health and safety at work, and minimum employment standards — directly affecting aged care workers, home support workers, and the broader care workforce that serves older New Zealanders. Her Internal Affairs portfolio covers the regulation of charities (including Age Concern, Grey Power, and other seniors organisations), gambling regulation (pokie machines and casinos — a significant source of harm for some older people), and the Department of Internal Affairs' community services. She is considered a rising star in ACT and a future leadership contender. --- ## Public Positions Relevant to Older New Zealanders | Policy Area | Stated Position / Activity | | ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Aged Care Workforce Pay** | Workplace Relations portfolio — pay equity for aged care workers, minimum wage for care and support workers, and employment conditions in aged care. | | **Care Workforce Immigration** | Portfolio influence over immigration settings for aged care workers — visa pathways for overseas care workers. | | **Health & Safety in Aged Care** | WorkSafe oversight of health and safety in aged residential care facilities and home support services. | | **Charity Regulation** | Internal Affairs — regulation of charitable trusts and societies affecting Age Concern, Grey Power, seniors advocacy groups, and community aged care providers. | | **Gambling Harm & Older People** | Gambling regulation — older people can be vulnerable to harmful gambling (pokie machines, casinos). Portfolio oversight of Class 4 gambling, problem gambling services. | | **Community Services for Seniors** | DIA-administered community services that support older people — funding for seniors community groups, social connection programmes. | | **Employment of Older Workers** | Workplace Relations — age discrimination in employment, older worker protections, flexible work arrangements for older staff. | | **Retirement Village Employment** | Employment regulation for retirement village staff — fair pay agreements, minimum wage, leave entitlements. | | **Domestic Violence Leave** | Portfolio oversight of domestic violence leave — relevant for older people experiencing family violence. | --- ## Voting & Bill Relevance - **Employment Relations Amendment Bills:** Employment law affecting aged care workers, home support workers, and older employees. - **Minimum Wage Amendment Bills:** Minimum wage settings directly affect aged care and home support workers. - **Health and Safety at Work Amendment Bills:** WorkSafe powers and aged care workplace safety. - **Gambling (Class 4) Amendment Bills:** Pokie machine regulation, harm minimisation for older gamblers. - **Charities Act Amendment Bills:** Regulatory framework for seniors charities and community groups. - **Care and Support Worker (Pay Equity) Bills:** Pay equity legislation for the care workforce. --- ## Business Implications - **Aged Care Providers:** Employment costs — minimum wage, pay equity settlements, and workforce compliance. - **Home Support Providers:** Employment regulation of home support workers — pay, conditions, supervision. - **Retirement Village Operators:** Employment law compliance for village staff; health and safety obligations. - **Charitable Aged Care Providers:** Regulatory compliance under Charities Act. - **Gambling Venue Operators:** Class 4 gambling regulation — community grants from pokie trusts often fund seniors' programmes. - **Employment Services:** Older worker employment programmes, age discrimination compliance. --- ## Campaign Relevance - **List MP (ACT):** Van Velden's re-election depends on ACT reaching the party vote threshold. She is ACT's Deputy Leader and a key campaign figure. - **ACT's Worker Focus:** ACT positions itself as the party of employment freedom and flexibility — van Velden balances worker protection with business flexibility. - **Aged Care Workforce Crisis:** Staff shortages in aged care are a major issue — van Velden can position ACT as having solutions. - **Younger MP on Seniors Issues:** Van Velden (born 1991) represents a younger generation addressing seniors workforce issues. - **2026 Election:** Workplace relations, aged care workforce, and charity regulation will feature in ACT's campaign. --- ## Source List - Beehive.govt.nz — Internal Affairs announcements, Workplace Relations - Parliament.nz — MP profile _(Radware-blocked)_ - Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) — Employment regulation, health and safety, immigration settings - Department of Internal Affairs — Charities register, gambling regulation - WorkSafe NZ — Aged care workplace safety - ACT New Zealand — Workplace relations and internal affairs policy - Official Hansard — Workplace Relations estimates, Internal Affairs estimates - NZ Herald, RNZ — Employment and workplace relation coverage --- _Profile last updated: June 2026_