By Anna Whyte and Irra Lee, and is republished with permission.
The outgoing Labour MP says the central party pushed her out of standing in the electorate. (Source: 1News)
Wall claimed she was “forced out” in 2020 by “unconstitutional actions of Labour Party President Claire Szabó and some members of council”.
“The President accepted a late nomination,” Wall said. She said she was devastated and that “voting rights were removed to ensure a central party vote would prevail”.
Szabó told 1News after the speech that the party’s processes followed Labour’s constitution.
“And in the end, Louisa did not stand for re-selection,” she said.
“However, today is for recognising the many accomplishments of Louisa as an MP. I wish her well in her future endeavours.”
MPs from across the House lined up to hug Wall after she delivered her valedictory speech, draped in a korowai, while family and supporters sang waiata and performed haka from the public gallery. She has spent 14 years as an MP.
“While there has been obstacles to face and overcome, I leave knowing that I did what I could within those constraints.
“I left it all on the field,” Wall said.
She also spoke of her regret of not getting the status of Māori as indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand across the line.
“Given the discussion surrounding my resignation from Parliament I thought carefully about what is left to say in my valedictory statement,” she began.
“I firmly believe that being a Member of this House offers the opportunity to find solutions… I’ve approached this role in the same way that I’ve faced all other challenges. I will look towards the try line or the goal and pursue the most direct path that will achieve the objective. To that end, I differ from some of my colleagues and those in leadership.
Of marriage equality she said – “It was during this journey that I experienced most acutely how personal politics can override kaupapa.”
She said for her, marriage equality was about “basic human rights principles”.
Wall said she had attempted to get the status of Māori as indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand, but it had not gotten through caucus.
“Māori are not another ethnic group. It is time we took the most basic of steps,” she told the House.
Wall said there was no appetite for her contribution in the party.
Earlier today, Wall said she would use her final speech in Parliament to “put some things on the record”, days after revealing she felt unwelcome in the Labour Party and was told she’d never be a minister.
She spoke about tensions around the candidate selection process in Manurewa for the 2020 election: “Obviously, I’m not going to take away from my disappointment in not continuing on and being the MP for Manurewa.”
Wall told Breakfast her valedictory speech on Thursday afternoon would be “one of clarity”.
“I will take the opportunity to put some things on record that I think need to be known.”
She also said she would be thanking people who worked alongside her as she shepherded a number of significant law changes through Parliament, including marriage equality and ‘safe zones’ around abortion clinics.
“The fact I had the privilege of being able to impact and drive through law reform with colleagues here in Parliament, I wouldn’t change anything for the world.”
