Stuart Smith

Stuart has been a Member of Parliament for the Kaikōura electorate since 2014. As New Zealand’s fourth largest electorate geographically, and with two electorate offices in Amberley and Blenheim, Stuart regularly travels across the electorate to meet with people.

Advocating on behalf of people takes many forms and is something Stuart does very well, regularly escalating issues to Ministers, and championing electorate issues such as improved access to healthcare, improved regional connectivity, and better roading. Stuart is a strong advocate for rural sector issues as well, never missing an A & P Show if he can help it, advocating for increased funding for wilding pines and supporting irrigation projects that can transform rural economies and improve resilience.

In 2016 & 2017, Stuart oversaw the electorate’s recovery from the 7.8 Kaikōura earthquake, one of the most complex ever to be studied globally, involving a series of ruptures, that resulted in the loss of the coastal State Highway 1 route for more than a year.

In opposition, Stuart has served as National’s Spokesperson for Civil Defence, Climate Change, Earthquake Commission, Energy & Resources, Immigration, and Viticulture.

In the past 12 years, Stuart has served on 11 different Select Committees with roles as Deputy Chair of Primary Production, Deputy Chair of Social Services and in the current 54th Parliament, Chair of the Finance & Expenditure Select Committee. In the later, he oversaw the Climate Adaptation Inquiry and majority of the Banking Inquiry before being unanimously selected by his colleagues for the role of Chief Government Whip at the start of 2025 – a role he still holds today.

Stuart is also the New Zealand Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and regularly presents at the International Assembly, which has 183 member nations.

Stuart has successfully had two Member’s Bills passed into law. The Friendly Societies and Credit Unions (Regulatory Improvements) Amendment Bill removes unnecessary operating and compliance costs for credit unions and promotes greater innovation and accountability. The Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Winery Cellar Door Tasting) Amendment Bill paved the way for the growth of wine tourism, adding value to New Zealand’s sixth biggest exporter and largest employer in Marlborough where one in five jobs are in viticulture.

Stuart’s current Member’s Bill - the Local Government (Management of Local Authorities) Amendment Bill, proposes to provide elected mayors and councillors with the mandate to more effectively govern and control the activities of their local authority - and increase transparency and accountability by being more in alignment with the governance function of corporate and not-for-profit sectors.

Originally from a Canterbury family that were fifth generation sheep & deer farmers, Stuart is married to Julie and father to three adult age children.

Stuart and Julie moved to Marlborough in 1994 and began growing grapes. In 1996 they established their own wine label and Stuart became interested in the wider Viticulture industry. He had an early involvement with the Marlborough Grape Growers Association.

Since then, Stuart has held several local and national roles including being President of the New Zealand Grape Growers Council and Chair of New Zealand Winegrowers. He was subsequently inducted as a Fellow of the New Zealand Winegrowers Board for services to the industry.

He is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

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