Hon Stuart Nash first entered politics in 2008 as a list MP, and was elected Labour MP for Napier in 2014.
In his maiden speech Minister Nash described himself as first and foremost a public servant, employed by the people of New Zealand; and as a social democrat committed to sustainable economic development and growth. In 2017, he was sworn in as Minister of Police, Revenue, Fisheries and for Small Business.
In the 2020 Labour Government, he was given a suite of portfolios focused on supporting economic activity in our regions, as Minister for Economic and Regional Development, Tourism Minister, Forestry Minister and Minister for Small Business.
Prior to entering politics Minister Nash worked in senior management in small and large organisations in both the private and public sectors.
Minister Nash completed a Bachelor of Arts (History) at Victoria University before moving to Canterbury University where he gained a Post Graduate Diploma in Forestry and a Masters in Forestry Science. He also holds a Post Graduate Diploma and Master’s Degree in Business Management and a Master of Law.
He is the great grandson of the third Labour Prime Minister Sir Walter Nash, and grew up in Napier where his father was a local lawyer and his mother was a school dental nurse.
He attended Napier Boys’ High School where he was a prefect and captain of the debating team and where his sporting interests included rugby, cricket and representative tennis. He is married to Sarah and has four children. He is currently a member of the Parliamentary cross-party rugby team, and enjoys all sports but these days more from an armchair than a court, pitch or field.