Ultra-marginal battleground

Mt Albert

General electorate

—

days to election day

What it takes to flip this seat

Helen White won by 18 votes in 2023. Just 9 voters switching to a challenger would have flipped Mt Albert.

In the news

Coverage naming Mt Albert or Helen, from our tracked feeds.

The roster

The defender's record, and who's confirmed to challenge them in 2026.

Won Mt Albert by a majority of 18 in 2023, making it an ultra-marginal seat.

Helen Ione White is a New Zealand politician. In 2020 she became a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Labour Party. In 2023, she was chosen by Labour to contest the Mount Albert electorate, previously held by former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. White won the seat, holding it for Labour, but by a significantly reduced margin of 18 votes.

Full MP profile

What Helen has prioritised this term

Official roles, sourced from parliament.nz.

Spokesperson roles

Community and Voluntary Sector

Select committees

Social Services and Community

Legislative activity this term

From Parliament's official bills record, as at 16 September 2026.

No government bill in charge, members' bill passed, or members' bill currently in the ballot for Helen this term. We checked that against the official record, so it isn't a gap in our data.

Written questions to Ministers this term

What is this, and why does it matter to you?

Any MP can put a written question to a Minister, demanding information on the record. The Minister must reply, usually within days. It costs nothing and needs no debate, which makes it the main day-to-day tool MPs use to hold the government to account between bills. It matters most for opposition MPs, who can't pass laws but can still force information into the open. Which Ministers an MP questions most, below, is a numbers-based picture of what they watch on your behalf, and it's worth comparing against what they say they prioritise.

804written questions asked since the 2023 election

Where it's gone, by Minister

Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector

365

Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing

235

Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence

Battlegrounds map 2026 election

2023 result and margin: Electoral Commission. 2026 candidates are added only once officially confirmed — never assumed.

Read 5 recent questions & replies, in Helen’s and the Minister’s own words

To the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector · 2026-09-07

"What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 31 August 2026, by title and date?"

Reply not yet due or not yet published.

To the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence · 2026-09-07

"What aides-mémoire, briefings, memos, notes, reports, or any other advice, if any, has the Minister or their Office received during the week beginning 31 August 2026, listed by agency, title and date received?"

Reply not yet due or not yet published.

To the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence · 2026-09-07

"What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 31 August 2026, by title and date?"

Reply not yet due or not yet published.

To the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector · 2026-08-31

"What aides-mémoire, briefings, memos, notes, reports, or any other advice, if any, has the Minister or their Office received during the week beginning 24 August 2026, listed by agency, title and date received?"

Reply: In my capacity as Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, I regularly request and receive advice on a range of topics. In the interest of transparency, a list of reports received by my office have been, or will be, proactively released on the Department’s website at: www.dia.govt.nz/Proactive-Releases#briefing-titles.

To the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector · 2026-08-31

"What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 24 August 2026, by title and date?"

Reply: With the exception of Cabinet Appointments and Honours (APH) papers and minutes, all Cabinet and Cabinet committee papers and minutes must be proactively released and published online within 30 business days of final decisions being taken by Cabinet, unless there is good reason not to publish all or part of the material, or to delay the release beyond 30 business days. It is my view that the application of additional resources to answer this and similar questions now is not a good use of taxpaye…