Former Critic Editor Holly Walker may earn a list seat in Parliament this year after the Green Party’s strong showing in a recent Colmar Brunton poll.
Walker is twelfth on the party list, meaning she would squeak into Parliament if the Greens can replicate their poll showing of 10% at the November general election.
Walker studied for a BA(Hons) majoring in political science and English at the University of Otago, and was editor of Critic in 2005, before taking up a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University where she completed an MPhil in Development Studies. After returning to New Zealand, Walker went on to work for the Green Party as a Political and Media Advisor.
When asked about the experience of running for office, Walker told Critic that it had been “really fun, it’s a big challenge as it is my first time but I am really enjoying getting involved with and meeting so many new people.”
Despite her academic accomplishments and undoubted political credentials, Critic speculates that her rise to the cusp of a seat in Parliament is probably all due to her tenure as editor of Critic. We are modest like that.
Walker kindly confirmed our self-belief, stating that “as editor, I learned so many skills and management techniques that really help me today. Also, in 2005, when Critic got into a lot of trouble over the date rape article, I learned a lot about dealing with mainstream media and how to survive tough situations like that.”
Critic editor Julia Hollingsworth said it was “inspiring to see a former Critic editor making a splash in politics. Holly has always been a role model and I think she would make an excellent and committed MP should she make it in to Parliament this year.”
The Green Party’s impressive poll results come at the expense of Labour, who plummeted to 27% support among voters, their lowest level of support in 10 years. The poll was conducted before Labour unveiled their politically dicey capital gains tax policy, though it is unlikely that the poll would have been significantly affected by the announcement of the new policy, given that it has separately polled as a relatively neutral policy in terms of voter support.
This Paper Possibly Propels Politico to Parliament
