James Shaw: From an unsuccessful teenage politician to the Green bridge builder

Wednesday, 31 January 2024

James Shaw has been involved in politics ever since he knew what it was. Glenn McConnell looks back at the outgoing Green co-leader’s career in politics.

James Shaw has one foot out the door. The Green co-leader will resign his leadership in March, start packing his bags, and leave Parliament as soon as his bill about environmental rights is either passed or scrapped.

Shaw took over co-leadership of the Green Party mid-2015, just six months after he was elected as a list MP. It was a rapid rise up the ranks, and one those close to Shaw at the time say he wasn’t sure he was ready for. But he went on to hold the role for almost nine years, taking the party into a six-year governing coalition and out the other side with the largest caucus in its history.

“My time here and my work here is complete,” Shaw said on Tuesday morning.

The teenage politician

Shaw, a 50-year-old Wellingtonian, has pretty much always been interested in politics. Raised in the capital, where he studied at one of its more liberal colleges, Wellington High School, Shaw dived head first into politics.

It was the 1980s. The French had bombed Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior while it was moored in Auckland. Environmental science and the understanding of global warming was fast developing, as New Zealand faced risks of suburban sprawl destroying natural beauty and biodiversity.

In his last year of school, Shaw met Stephen Rainbow, the Green Party’s Wellington Central candidate, after a candidate’s debate for the 1990 election. The 17-year-old introduced himself, offering to volunteer on his campaign. It’s a moment Rainbow still remembers because, “there were very few supporters in those days”. The party had only just formed.

“My impression of James has never really changed, he's an engaging, delightful, gentle, kind person who - unlike many young people who get involved in politics, myself included - never appeared to me to be running away from any demons,” Rainbow told Stuff over the phone from Bangkok, in the hour after Shaw announced his resignation.

As soon as he was out of school, Shaw had his first punt at politics. He stood for a spot on Wellington City Council, representing the Western Ward. The 19-year-old candidate never stood a chance.

But Rainbow, who had been the first candidate to win on a Green ticket - being elected to the council representing Lambton Ward - said it was pretty clear Shaw could excel if he stayed with politics.

“I always thought he'd have a great political future, if he chose to pursue it,” Rainbow said.

But after his first electoral defeat, Shaw went into the commercial world. He worked as a consultant for firms such as PWC and at the global bank HSBC in London, UK. He travelled a lot.

He returned to New Zealand and was working at an sustainability-focused firm, Ākina Foundation, which is where former Green MP Gareth Hughes met him. His first impression? A “very strategic” man with a clear interest in politics.

The crisis manager

A few years later, Hughes was the Green Party “musterer” and strategist. Leading into the 2017 election, the Green Party was facing oblivion.

Shaw’s co-leader, Metiria Turei, had resigned shortly before the election amid scandal. She had faced questions over historic incidents of apparent welfare and voter fraud. The caucus was split over its handling of the situation, with Turei’s resignation following two other MPs, David Clendon and Kennedy Graham, quitting in protest.

The Greens were down to one leader and it looked like the party may not return after the election.

“This has always stuck in my mind. It was the final day of Parliament in 2017. It was the closure debate to wrap up the Parliament before the election campaign. The party has been through a very difficult time with Metiria Turei, and we’d just received a television poll saying we were polling at about 3%,” Hughes recalled.

(A result under 5% would have removed the party from Parliament.)

With party morale down and one co-leader gone, Hughes was sitting beside Shaw for the final debate. Shaw had a speech filled with optimism and a few jokes, to deliver just moments after the two had been looking at how to salvage their party from near ruin.

But Shaw was “unflappable”.

“He still managed to get up and give that speech. We've seen that many times. Where other politicians would have been flustered, would have shown their emotions, would have buckled under the pressure, he was able to continue on.”

Turei on Tuesday declined an opportunity to be interviewed about Shaw.

Her successor, Green co-leader Marama Davidson said Shaw had given a lot to be co-leader and climate minister for six years.

“He's given his life and he's given blood to this mahi and I am now happy that he gets to go to the beach,” she said.

Shaw said the recent issues with ex-MP Golriz Ghahraman had not influenced his decision to leave, saying his mind was already made up and there was always some sort of crisis in politics.

The climate minister

Shaw said his proudest achievement had been passing the Zero Carbon Act as climate minister.

It was a historic piece of legislation, setting national emissions targets and requiring governments to report on progress.

Regrets included not pushing harder for a capital gains tax and not finding a way to price agricultural emissions.

His work on the Zero Carbon Act earned plaudits from both Labour and National. Shaw spoke often about “consensus” in lawmaking, saying he didn’t want key policies unwound with changes in government.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he considered Shaw a friend.

“I think he leaves this place having left something that's pretty enduring, which is the net zero legislation. And I just have huge respect for James. I like the way that he talks to lots of politicians on all sides,” Luxon said.

And former finance minister Grant Robertson paid tribute to his former Wellington contender.

“He has been a staunch advocate for climate action and for social justice. His efforts to build consensus and make progress on climate action have been enormous. On top of being one of the smartest people I know,” Robertson said.

“Here's to the pragmatic idealists!”

Such pragmatism had often riled the Green’s own members, who at times attempted coups against the co-leader. He was criticised for not doing enough as climate minister, and asked many times if he would resign as a minister over perceived slow progress from Labour and NZ First on climate issues.

Shaw said he had been “typecast” as a token Right-winger in the Greens, when he said that wasn’t really him. Hughes said Shaw was not particularly right-wing in the Green caucus, but acted as an effective ambassador to the business community and other parties.

“James, while not waving placards or banners, still was able to build relationships, and change policies of businesses in New Zealand,” Hughes said.

While he was stepping down as leader, Shaw would stay until his Bill of Rights (Right to a Sustainable Environment) Amendment Bill was heard.

If it passes, his idea of recognising access to a sustainable environment as a legal human right would have lasting impact - which would only really be realised many years into the future.

But he said he hadn’t had time to gauge support, or do some “consensus building”, on this last bill.