Priyanca Radhakrishnan
Priyanca Radhakrishnan (born 1979) is a New Zealand politician who has been elected to the New Zealand parliament since the 2017 general election as a representative of the New Zealand Labour Party and is currently Minister for the Community ...
. He is a co-founder of the conservative think tank
Maxim Institute
The Maxim Institute is a research and public policy think tank based in Auckland, New Zealand. The Institute's work is oriented toward a conservative perspective on its issues of primary concern, which are now education policy, tax and welfare poli ...
and is involved in a number of Christian-based charities.
Early life and career
Fleming was born in
Masterton
Masterton ( mi, Whakaoriori), a large town in the Greater Wellington Region of New Zealand, operates as the seat of the Masterton District (a territorial authority or local-government district). It is the largest town in the Wairarapa, a r ...
Maxim Institute
The Maxim Institute is a research and public policy think tank based in Auckland, New Zealand. The Institute's work is oriented toward a conservative perspective on its issues of primary concern, which are now education policy, tax and welfare poli ...
alongside Bruce Logan in 2001 and served as CEO after Logan retired in 2005. During his time at the Maxim Institute he campaigned against the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 and the
Civil Union Act 2004
The Civil Union Act 2004 is an Act of Parliament in New Zealand. It was passed into law on Thursday 9 December 2004 by a final vote of 65–55 in the New Zealand Parliament.polygamy and incest; he clarified that his views have since changed.
Fleming was general manager of Parenting with Confidence before founding the Maxim Institute. The organisation's name changed to Parents Inc., and then The Parenting Place. Fleming became involved again and was chief executive of The Parenting Place family charity between 2015 and 2020.
Te Whakaora Tangata
He was the founding Chair and trustee of Te Whakaora Tangata, a Christian-based charity based in Manurewa aimed at addressing intergenerational poverty. They work with hundreds of people in poverty, rebuilding their lives through counselling and practical support.
Venn Foundation
Fleming is a co-founder of the Venn Foundation, a Christian educational institution.
Political career
Fleming was announced as National's electorate candidate for the 2023 general election on 26 March 2023. After his previous comments on civil unions resurfaced in April 2023, Fleming clarified that his position had changed since then. Fleming defeated incumbent MP
Priyanca Radhakrishnan
Priyanca Radhakrishnan (born 1979) is a New Zealand politician who has been elected to the New Zealand parliament since the 2017 general election as a representative of the New Zealand Labour Party and is currently Minister for the Community ...
by a margin of 4,617.
Ceasefire
In November 2023, shortly after his election to the Maungakiekie seat, Fleming responded to an email from a constituent about the situation in
Gaza
Gaza may refer to:
Places Palestine
* Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea
** Gaza City, a city in the Gaza Strip
** Gaza Governorate, a governorate in the Gaza Strip Lebanon
* Ghazzeh, a village in ...
by saying he shared their "horror and grief". "While it is an absolute privilege to serve the community of Maungakiekie one of the many things I'm fast learning is the limits of my authority due to being part of a big machine," he wrote in an email shared on Twitter. "Whilst I can't speak publicly on matters of foreign policy I can certainly advocate internally for causes. Hence you can be sure that I'm urging those who speak for our government to call for an immediate ceasefire."
Maiden Speech
Fleming gave his maiden speech in Parliament on Tuesday 19 December 2023. He spoke reflectively, using a mixture of English and Te Reo Māori.
A number of community organisations in his electorate were mentioned: "Mana motuhake—it's not a silver bullet. It has its own complexities and challenges, but it is, I believe, a measurably better approach than that of centralisation. It's why I asked Maungakiekie to send me to Parliament—to champion that sector, those platoons of civil society, those thousand points of light that bring life and hope to people's lives: organisations like Tō Wāhi and the Oranga Community Centre, like the Mount Wellington community network and Connect the Dots, like Elevate Disabilities Trust and the Hearing House in One Tree Hill, like the Ellerslie, Mount Wellington, and Onehunga community patrols, like the
Salvation Army
Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...
in Royal Oak, like the Onehunga and Ellerslie business associations, and like every school and club and family in Maungakiekie. It's why I've come to this place."