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MP · #94
Hon Louise Upston
Taupō
· New Zealand National Party
New Zealand National Party
Taupō
Candidate 2026
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Candidate 2023
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Candidate 2020
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Pecuniary interests
5 items
Directorships
0 declared
Recent meetings
50 logged
Bg Background Methodology →
Louise Upston is a New Zealand National Party politician [35] and Member of Parliament for Taupō, a seat she has held since 2008 [18] . Upston studied at Waikato University [11] and, according to a secondary source, may hold an MBA [34]…
AI-assembled biography sourced from Wikipedia, Hansard, Beehive and the Parliament register. Every claim is footnoted to a verbatim quote in one of the cited sources and tagged confirmed, unverified or disputed.
01 Positions
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Cabinet Minister — Community and Voluntary Sector, Disability Issues, Social Development and Employment, Tourism and Hospitality, Child Poverty Reduction
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Leader of the House
03 Pecuniary interests (2025) Methodology →
as of 2026-05-27 02:26Gifts
Tickets (x2) to Luke Combs – Eden Park Trust
— Eden Park Trust
Tickets (x2) to Supercars – Supercars Australia
— Supercars Australia
Real property
Apartment (jointly owned) – Wellington
Family home (jointly owned) – Cambridge
Retirement schemes
Fisher Funds KiwiSaver Scheme
— Fisher Funds KiwiSaver Scheme
04 Directorships Methodology →
None recorded.
08 Recent meetings (as minister) Methodology →
as of 2026-05-27 02:37
2026-02-28
Sat
1 entry
ATTEND: 105th NZ Open
2026-02-27
Fri
2 entries
Guardians dinner
ATTEND: Guardians dinner
with: Invited Guests
Sir Graham Lowe
CALL: Sir Graham Lowe
2026-02-26
Thu
1 entry
Child Poverty Reduction Officials
MEET: Child Poverty Reduction Officials
with: MSD Officials
2026-02-24
Tue
3 entries
MEET
MEET
MEET
2026-02-23
Mon
6 entries
MEET
Tourism and Hospitality Officials
MEET: Tourism and Hospitality Officials
with: MBIE Officials
MBIE and MSD Officials
MEET: MBIE and MSD Officials
MSD Officials
MEET: MSD Officials
Cabinet Business Committee (CBC)
Cabinet Business Committee (CBC)
Cabinet
2026-02-21
Sat
1 entry
MEET
2026-02-20
Fri
1 entry
MEET
2026-02-19
Thu
5 entries
Indian Ambassador
CALL: Indian Ambassador
Minister Willis
MEET: Minister Willis
with: MBIE Officials
MEET
Minister Doocey
MEET: Minister Doocey
with: MSD Officials
MEET
2026-02-18
Wed
2 entries
T&H Officials
MEET: T&H Officials
with: MBIE Officials
Cabinet Economic Policy Committee (ECO)
Cabinet Economic Policy Committee (ECO)
2026-02-17
Tue
5 entries
MEET
Business Committee
Minister van Velden
MEET: Minister van Velden
with: Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) Officials
MEET
SPEECH: Wellington Chamber of Commerce
with: MDP Officials, MSD Officials
2026-02-16
Mon
3 entries
Willie Jackson
CALL: Willie Jackson
Cabinet
Major Events
ANNOUNCEMENT: Major Events
with: Prime Minister, MBIE Officials
2026-02-15
Sun
1 entry
MEET
2026-02-14
Sat
1 entry
MEET
2026-02-13
Fri
1 entry
Attend/Speak: ICCA workshop + Dinner
2026-02-12
Thu
7 entries
MEET
MEET
MEET: Disabled People's Organisations (DPO) Coalition
with: MDP Officials
MDP/Whaikaha Officials
MEET: MDP/Whaikaha Officials
with: MDP Officials
MEET
Disability Support Services (DSS) Officials
MEET: Disability Support Services (DSS) Officials
with: MSD Officials
Cabinet Legislation Committee (LEG)
Cabinet Legislation Committee (LEG)
2026-02-11
Wed
3 entries
ATTEND/SPEAK: Women's Amateur Asia Pacific Championship VIP Dinner
with: MBIE Officials
MEET
ATTEND: Ceremonial Opening of the International Convention Centre
with: Prime Minister, MBIE Officials
2026-02-10
Tue
5 entries
ATTEND: Business NZ Back to Business cocktail party
Prime Minister
MEET: Prime Minister
with: MBIE Officials
Business Committee
Appointment and Honours Cabinet (APH) Committee
Events Boost Fund
ANNOUNCEMENT: Events Boost Fund
with: Hon Willis, MBIE Officials
2026-02-09
Mon
2 entries
MEET
Child Poverty Reduction (CPR) Officials
MEET: Child Poverty Reduction (CPR) Officials
with: MSD Officials
09 Recent Hansard speeches
- 2026-05-28
- 2026-05-28
- 2026-05-28
- 2026-05-28
- 2026-05-26
- 2026-05-21
- 2026-05-21
- 2026-05-21
- 2026-05-21
- 2026-05-21
10 Recent press releases
From Beehive.govt.nz. Most recent 10.
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2026-06-04Budget 2026 will fund mandatory training for 20,000 core children’s workers and improve system capacity to protect children at risk of harm, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says.
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2026-06-03It’s been a bumper few months for events, with multiple world-class fixtures confirmed under the Government’s Events Attraction Package, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.
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2026-06-02Disabled people and their carers will see further improvements to disability support services with a new community consultation, and work about to get underway to provide better support for family carers.
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2026-06-01The Government is turbo-charging economic growth in the regions by backing five more trails to install 42 new e-bike charging stations, says Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston.
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2026-05-29The Government is making changes to improve and update the efficiency of the welfare system by modernising its processes, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says.
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2026-05-28The Government is improving tax rules for the charitable and not-for-profit sector to ensure fairness and resilience, Revenue Minister Simon Watts and Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston say.
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2026-05-21Programmes aimed at addressing access issues for disabled people in street navigation, reading, housing and sports education through technology will soon get a boost.
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2026-05-21The Government is launching a multi-year reform of New Zealand’s social housing system to make support fairer, better targeted, and more focused on encouraging independence.
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2026-05-14New data showing international visitor numbers continue to grow shows confidence is increasing in the sector, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.
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2026-05-14The Government is making changes to ensure the fiscal sustainability of the welfare system by better targeting financial assistance to those most in need.
11 Recent ministerial speeches
From Beehive.govt.nz — conference keynotes and ministerial addresses (distinct from Hansard floor debates).
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2026-03-26As a Government, we know the strength of our tourism industry is clear for all to see – and the sector is certainly a key part of National’s plan to fix the basics and build the future.
12 In the news Methodology →
50 articlesCoverage from RNZ, Stuff, NZ Herald, ODT, 1News, Newsroom and The Spinoff that mentions this person. Click any source to expand. Article body markdown is captured separately and used for AI summarisation downstream.
Otago Daily Times 13
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2026-06-05Dunedin Labour MP Rachel Brooking. PHOTO: ODT FILES Last weekend Parliament did what it always does on Budget week — sit until all hours of the day and night passing legislation under urgency.
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2026-06-03Smaller organisations were less likely to survive, and those closures would put pressure on the remaining organisations, the Salvation Army's Sonya Cameron says. Photo: RNZ Lauren Crimp of RNZ More food banks will "undoubtedly" close after…
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2026-06-03Smaller organisations were less likely to survive, and those closures would put pressure on the remaining organisations, the Salvation Army's Sonya Cameron says. Photo: RNZ Lauren Crimp of RNZ More food banks will "undoubtedly" close after…
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2026-06-02Cabinet Minister Louise Upston. Photo: RNZ RNZ Morning Report, Craig McCulloch of RNZ Senior Cabinet minister Louise Upston insists the disappearing document debacle in the Prime Minister's Office is an "isolated incident" and says it is…
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2026-06-02Louise Upston, abiding by the rules. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH If I were a more generous and high flying type, I might stage an intervention.
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2026-06-01Today's cartoon from Shaun Yeo
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2026-05-31Chris Ford (with the megaphone) leads the chanting at a protest on Saturday against the government’s plans to make major changes to disability law. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN Members of the disability community and their advocates held a small…
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2026-05-31Louise Upston, happy. Possibly. Harry Love ponders the quantum of happiness.
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2026-05-31A SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy launches from the Starbase site in Texas on May 22. PHOTO: SPACEX/TNS With a record of five failures and six partial successes in his Starship programme, the 12th launch on May 22 of Elon Musk’s BFR* (as…
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2026-05-29One has to watch one’s pennies on $320,600 a year. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH Monday
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2026-05-29National's Scott Simpson introduced the bill. Photo: RNZ By Lauren Crimp of RNZ
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2026-05-26Louise Upston and Christopher Luxon. Photo: NZ Herald By Craig McCulloch of RNZ
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2026-05-24An aerial view of Kaikoura. Photo: Getty Images One person is dead after a boat capsized in Kaikōura.
Stuff 13
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2026-06-04The Ministry for Social Development says it has never been restricted in its use of automated decision-making, after a bill providing a broad permission to use it passed through Parliament on Friday.
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2026-06-04Stuff’s political team is facing a possible suspension from Parliament over a dispute with the Speaker over a photo taken of Social Development Minister Louise Upston.
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2026-06-03The event will bring top winter sports athletes to New Zealand this September as part of a global league founded by three-time Olympic gold medallist Shaun White.
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2026-06-02Government ministers say they have no plans to means-test disability support after introducing a bill that expects disabled New Zealanders to use resources and support available from family members first.
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2026-06-02Parliament voted, among other things, to make it easier to host a boxing contest, amend the Patents Act, and keep track of sperm donors.
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2026-06-01Air New Zealand has quietly axed its "Regional Gotta Go" discount scheme on domestic flights, marking yet another cost-cutting measure for the national carrier.
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2026-06-01Social development minister Louise Upston has defended claiming $52,000 a year for an apartment she owns in Wellington, but won’t explain what costs it is covering.
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2026-05-31Residents and businesses are "really excited" about a long-awaited $1.773 billion extension of the Waikato Expressway, ministers say.
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2026-05-29The Government is paving the way for automated decision-making within the social security system.
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2026-05-27The Beehive is going bananas with Budget Day bodements. Here are some wild predictions from Stuff.
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2026-05-26The New Zealand Bar Association has warned the Government that their law-making actions pose a growing risk to the rule of law.
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2026-05-26Social development minister Louise Upston has defended claiming $52,000 a year for an apartment she owns in Wellington, but won’t explain what costs it is covering.
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2026-05-25Coalition ministers have talked up the frightful fiscal forecasts facing the nation, but there is still some money left in the Budget.
RNZ 12
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2026-06-04He is considering a temporary ban of Stuff Digital from Parliament after raising concerns about some of its reporting last month.
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2026-06-03The Independent Remuneration Authority says it only sets the maximum amount allowed for minister's accommodation supplements but not how it's administered.
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2026-06-03The Salvation Army warns that food banks are likely to close when government funding expires next year.
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2026-06-02But minister Louise Upston insists the debacle in the PM's office is an "isolated incident" and says it is "disingenuous" to say otherwise.
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2026-06-01The government says adding charging stations will make trails more accessible for tourists and locals.
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2026-05-29The Social Security (Modernisation) Amendment Bill was rushed through Parliament on Friday under urgency.
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2026-05-29Coalition parties say the proposed law would make welfare system administration more efficient.
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2026-05-28Budget 2026 is "an ivory tower budget" which ignores the young people and whānau struggling through the cost-of-living crisis, one advocate says.
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2026-05-28The Salvation Army says many families are already finding it very difficult to afford the basics, and says "things are probably going to get worse" for some.
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2026-05-27Louise Upston 'comfortable' with rules allowing her to collect $1000 a week to live in own apartmentUpston is the minister responsible for lifting the eligibility threshold for homeowners claiming an accommodation supplement.
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2026-05-27The staffer received a document from Fonterra and Z Energy that made suggestions for a potential law change.
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2026-05-26Meanwhile, Chris Hipkins says some perks are "very hard to justify" after reports minister Louise Upston gets a $1000 a week to live in her own apartment.
1News 6
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2026-06-04Brownlee is set to make a ruling on Stuff Digital's access to the Parliamentary precinct after raising concerns about some of its reporting last month.
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2026-05-29The Social Security (Modernisation) Amendment Bill passed its third reading in Parliament on Friday, rushed through the house under urgency.
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2026-05-29The Social Security (Modernisation) Amendment Bill passed its third reading in Parliament on Friday, rushed through the house under urgency.
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2026-05-27Social Development Minister says she "followed the rules" that allow her to collect $52,000 a year to live in her Wellington apartment.
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2026-05-26Finance Minister Nicola Willis has used the past fortnight to preview a string of spending commitments and also cuts.
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2026-05-26Finance Minister Nicola Willis has used the past fortnight to preview a string of spending commitments and also cuts.
The Spinoff 3
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2026-06-05MPs can receive up to $36,240 every year in superannuation contributions, and use the money to buy property. Then they can claim another $36,400 per year to stay in it. National MP Melissa Lee and Labour MP Jenny Salesa bought homes…
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2026-05-26The former Wellington mayor says he claims the accommodation subsidy because ‘the cost of owning a home in Wellington is not cheap’. Andy Foster is a proud Wellington man. Before entering parliament on the NZ First party list in 2023, he…
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2026-05-25David Seymour and Winston Peters are all for fiscal discipline and hard choices, just not when it comes to their own ministries. David Seymour was fizzing as the government announced 8,700 public sector job cuts earlier this month. “Fewer…
Newsroom 2
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2026-05-29Social development minister Louise Upston is 'comfortable' with claiming a weekly accommodation allowance of $1000 on top of her $326,000 salary The post The secret diary of … Louise Upston appeared first on Newsroom .
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2026-05-26Opinion: Some MPs make it difficult not to conclude they come to Parliament not to serve the people but to squeeze them for as much as they can The post Something is rotten in the House of Representatives appeared first on Newsroom .
NZ Herald 1
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2026-05-30The Government passed a law allowing AI to assist in benefit decisions, aiming to modernise welfare. Photo / Michael Craig
13 Commentary topics Methodology →
Topics where op-eds, blogs and press releases mentioned this MP — preview of the top 2 over the last 12 weeks. Each row deep-links to the discourse lens.
14 Press topics Methodology →
Topics where major news outlets reported on this MP — preview of the top 2. Each row deep-links to the press lens; compare with commentary to spot convergence vs. divergence.
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