Jenny Salesa


Jennifer Teresia Salesa is a New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party has served as Member of Parliament for Manukau East since 2014. She has served as Cabinet Minister for the Sixth Labour Government as Minister for Building and Construction, Minister of Customs and Minister for Ethnic Communities since 2017.

Biography

Early life and career

She is of Tongan heritage and is married to university academic Damon Salesa. Prior to entering Parliament Salesa had worked in the public sector, and overseas in the United States.

Political career

Salesa replaced long serving MP Ross Robertson in the Manukau East seat when he retired at the election. She was successful in gaining the Labour party nomination for the seat, ahead of Auckland Councillor Efeso Collins. Salesa won the seat with 68.0% of the vote and a large majority amounting to 50.9%.
In mid-October 2017, Salesa was elected as a Cabinet Minister by the Labour Party caucus following Labour's formation of a government with New Zealand First and the Greens. She was appointed Minister for Building and Construction and Minister of Ethnic Communities, and Associate Minister of Education, Health, and Housing and Urban Development.
In late June 2019, Salesa was made Minister of Customs following a cabinet reshuffle, replacing Kris Faafoi who assumed the portfolio of Associate Minister for public housing.