Raf Manji

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Raf Manji
Raf Manji in 2016
4th Leader of The Opportunities Party
In office
27 January 2022 – 3 December 2023
DeputyNatalia Albert
Preceded byShai Navot
Christchurch City Councillor for the Waimairi Ward
Fendalton-Waimairi (2013–2016)
In office
24 October 2013 – 12 October 2019
Preceded bySally Buck
Succeeded bySam MacDonald
Personal details
Born1966
London, United Kingdom
Political partyTOP

Raf Alfred Manji[1] (born 1966)[2] is a former New Zealand politician, with a background in governance, finance[3] and social enterprise.[4] He was the leader of The Opportunities Party (TOP) from 27 January 2022 to 3 December 2023.

Early life

Manji was born in London to an Indian Muslim father who worked as a banker[5] and an Irish Catholic mother.[6] He was educated at the University of Manchester, graduating with a degree in economics and social studies.[5] He went travelling in Asia and met a New Zealand woman, whom he later married.[2] He worked as an investment banker, before migrating to New Zealand with his family in 2002.[5] He earned a Graduate Diploma in Politics and a Masters in International Law and Politics from the University of Canterbury.[5] He worked for non-profits and volunteering before becoming involved in the Volunteer Army Foundation.[7]

Political career

Manji was elected to the Christchurch City Council for the Fendalton-Waimairi ward in 2013[8] after being encouraged to run by mayor Lianne Dalziel.[7] He quickly became Dalziel's right-hand man on finance issues with the support of Deputy Mayor Andrew Turner, serving as deputy chair on financial committees and helping to manage the post-earthquake rebuild.[9] He was re-elected in the Waimairi Ward in 2016.

Manji contested the electorate of Ilam, which had been a safe seat for the National Party, as an independent at the 2017 New Zealand general election. He campaigned on a platform of being a voice for Christchurch during its recovery from the 2011 Christchurch earthquake,[5][7][10] including promoting the idea of an investment fund for local housing, and Christchurch bidding to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.[11][12][13] Manji polled well, coming second behind incumbent National Party MP Gerry Brownlee, and ahead of the Labour Party candidate.[14]

He retired from the Christchurch City Council at the 2019 New Zealand local elections.[15][16]

Following the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings Manji suggested that inequality resulting from financial deregulation had helped radicalise alt-right terrorism.[17] He was subsequently appointed to chair an advisory group to decide how to use money raised to support the victims.[18][19] Following the approach used after the Grenfell Tower fire he established a "listening project" and spent months meeting with victims and hearing their stories.[20][21] In November 2020 he advocated for a $34.8 million government compensation package to victims and their families.[22]

On 27 January 2022 he was announced as the new leader of The Opportunities Party.[6][23] He contested the Ilam seat at the 2023 New Zealand general election.[24] Manji came second place behind National Party candidate Hamish Campbell in the Ilam electorate, winning 10,863 votes.[25] TOP only received 2.22% of the party vote, which was below the five percent threshold needed to enter Parliament.[26]

On 3 December 2023, he announced that he was stepping down from his role as leader of The Opportunities Party following the party's failure to be elected to parliament in the 2023 New Zealand general election.[27]

References

  1. ^ "Return of Electoral Donations and Expenses" (PDF). Christchurch City Council. 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Meet Raf". Collett's Corner. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  3. ^ Anderson, Vicki (7 May 2015). "Raf Manji: Christchurch's money man". Stuff. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  4. ^ "NZ acts feature at concert for Christchurch volunteers". RNZ. 3 November 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e Matthews, Philip (8 April 2017). "Raf Manji: the gambler turned politician". Stuff. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Raf Manji, former Christchurch city councillor named as TOP's new leader". Stuff. 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Sachdeva, Sam (13 September 2017). "Raf Manji's Ilam gamble". NewsRoom. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Many new faces at council table". Stuff. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  9. ^ Vicki Anderson (8 May 2015). "Raf Manji: Christchurch's money man". Stuff. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  10. ^ "By-election may cost $65,000". The Star. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2022 – via Issu.
  11. ^ Pattrick Smellie (28 July 2017). "Brownlee's challenger, Raf Manji, pitches Christchurch for 2026 Commonwealth Games". National Business Review. Retrieved 27 January 2022.[dead link]
  12. ^ "Parliament hopeful proposes Christchurch bid for 2026 Commonwealth Games". Inside the games. 28 July 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Should Christchurch make a bid for the 2026 Comm Games?". Magic Talk. 28 July 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  14. ^ Wright, Tony (23 September 2017). "Gerry Brownlee storms home for big win in Ilam". NewsHub. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Three Christchurch City Councillors bow out". Christchurch City Council. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  16. ^ Tina Law (29 September 2019). "Councils will face unprecedented levels of change, retiring councillor warns". Stuff. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  17. ^ Luke Malpass (19 March 2019). "Easy money era fuelled global terror says Christchurch politician". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  18. ^ "Advisory group to make recommendations on Our People, Our City fund". Christchurch City Council. 28 June 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  19. ^ "Details revealed for $12 million fund for Christchurch terror attack victims". Stuff. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  20. ^ Elle Marsh (7–13 March 2020). "Life after the Christchurch shootings". The Saturday Paper. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  21. ^ Jody O'Callaghan (4 July 2020). "Raf Manji: From money man to voluntary 'fullback' for March 15 victims". Stuff. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  22. ^ Jody O'Callaghan (28 November 2020). "Payout to March 15 terror attack victims the 'right thing to do'". Stuff. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Raf Manji takes over The Opportunities Party". New Zealand Herald. 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  24. ^ Gill, Sinead (15 February 2023). "TOP party leader pledges to take Christchurch to Wellington". Stuff. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  25. ^ "Ilam – Official Result". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  26. ^ "2023 General Election – Official Result". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  27. ^ "Opportunities Party leader Raf Manji resigns". RNZ. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
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