First term,2020–2023
In May 2020, Edmonds was selected as Labour's candidate in Mana, replacing incumbent Kris Faafoi. [16] In August 2020, Edmonds was ranked 49th on the Labour Party's list for the 2020 general election. [17]
During the 2020 election, she won Mana by a large margin of 16,244, defeating National candidate Jo Hayes. [18] Following the election, she was appointed as Labour's associate whip on 2 November. [19] She was deputy chair of the Finance and Expenditure Committee from 3 December 2020 to 22 June 2022, when she became chair. [20] [21] As a first-term member of Parliament, Edmonds attracted praise from National Party leader Christopher Luxon, who complimented her select committee work and described her as "very, very smart [and] very, very considered." [22] In late 2022, New Zealand Herald journalist Audrey Young ranked her second highest of the 42 new MPs who entered Parliament in 2020. [23]
In a cabinet reshuffle by new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on 31 January 2023 Edmonds was promoted into Cabinet and appointed as Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister for Pacific Peoples, as well as Associate Minister of Health (Pacific Peoples) and Associate Minister of Housing. [24] She additionally became Associate Minister for Cyclone Recovery on 24 February 2023, Minister for Economic Development on 12 April 2023 after the dismissal of Stuart Nash, Minister of Revenue on 24 July 2023 after the resignation of David Parker, and Associate Minister of Finance after the resignation of Kiri Allan. [25] [26] [27] [28]
In the internal affairs portfolio, Edmonds oversaw the completion of upgrades at 26 fire stations. [29] As economic development minister, Edmonds led the first all-female trade delegation to Australia in Australia 2023, featuring 26 female business leaders. [30] Also in August 2023, as associate housing minister, she launched consultation on retirement village policies. [31] With finance minister Grant Robertson, Edmonds announced a new tax on multinational companies that provide digital services in New Zealand. [32]
Second term, 2023–present
After being re-selected as Labour's Mana candidate for the 2023 general election, [33] she won an election night majority of 7,324 votes over the National Party candidate Frances Hughes. [34]
On 30 November, she became spokesperson for economic development, infrastructure and associate finance in the Shadow Cabinet of Chris Hipkins. [35] On 5 December 2023, Edmonds was granted retention of the title The Honourable , in recognition of her term as a member of the Executive Council. [36]
Following the resignation of Grant Robertson in mid February 2024, Edmonds assumed the finance portfolio during a shadow cabinet reshuffle. [37] [38]
Following a cabinet reshuffle in early March 2025, Edmonds became part of a new leadership team focusing on the economy. She retain the finance and economy portfolio and gained the savings and investment portfolio but lost the infrastructure portfolio. [39]
