Quick Facts
Biography
Scott Matthew Willis is a New Zealand energy analyst and politician, representing the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand as a Member of Parliament since the 2023 New Zealand general election.
Early life
Willis was born in Dunedin and grew up on a farm in Otago. He attended the University of Otago from the age of 17 in 1987, and then worked on orchards and farms in the Cévennes region of France. Willis later interned at the European Parliament. He has worked as a consultant on energy resilience, and as an energy analyst. As general manager of Blueskin Energy Ltd, Willis was involved in attempts to get wind turbines in Blueskin Bay, and in the building of New Zealand's first climate-safe house in 2020. He has been involved with a trust working on peer-to-peer energy sharing, and insulating houses.
Political career
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–present | 54th | List | 12 | Green | |
Willis contested the Taieri electorate in the 2020 election, when he came third to Labour MP Ingrid Leary and National Party candidate Liam Kernaghan, with 2207 votes.
Willis stood again for Taieri in the 2023 election. He was twelfth on the national list. At the campaign launch in June, Willis said "We need a strong voice on the hospital build and our health services; for all whānau living in cold, damp mouldy homes; for our tertiary education – our University and Te Pukenga. We need a strong voice and forward thinking for South Dunedin and our rural and energy sectors, for decarbonising to deliver climate justice."
During the 2023 election, Willis received 3,898 votes in Taeiri, coming third to incumbent Ingrid Leary and National Party candidate Matthew French. Despite not winning Taieri, Willis entered Parliament on the Green Party list.
In late November, Willis assumed the Green Party's energy, regional development, rural communities and Dunedin Issues spokesperson portfolios.
Selected publications
- Willis, Scott (4 April 2022). "No time for diluted ambitions". Otago Daily Times.
- Willis, Scott (26 September 2022). "Taking the responsibility seriously". Otago Daily Times.
- Willis, Scott (20 February 2023). "Thinking local". Otago Daily Times.
- Willis, Scott (30 May 2022). "A common sense recipe". Otago Daily Times.
- Willis, Scott (26 July 2021). "Making our way to a regenerative future". Otago Daily Times.
- Willis, Scott (21 September 2023). "Why the Green Party wants passenger rail in the South". Otago Daily Times.
