Hon Andrew Little

Hon Andrew Little has devoted his whole life to advocating for New Zealanders.

Growing up in New Plymouth, Andrew organised a cake-stall fundraiser for hungry and homeless African children. After university, where he studied law and philosophy, Andrew headed the Victoria University Students’ Association and New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations where he marched for better access to affordable education.

After graduation Andrew became a lawyer with the engineers’ union, ensuring employers lived up to their employment obligations to treat their staff with dignity and respect. In 2000, he was appointed EPMU national secretary and led New Zealand’s largest private sector union for a decade.

Andrew entered Parliament in 2011 with a mission to leave behind a better country – a New Zealand where everyone has the opportunities he and his wife, Leigh, wish for their teenage son, Cam.

As Leader of the Opposition (2014 – 2017) Andrew stood alongside unions and workers to successfully end zero-hours contracts. In Government, he has served as Minister of Health and for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Minister Responsible for the GCSB, NZSIS, and for Pike River Re-entry, and Lead Coordinating Minister for the Government's Response to the Royal Commission's Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques.

Andrew, Leigh and Cam live in Island Bay, Wellington, with Harry the dog.