Shai Navot
Navot in 2020
3rd Leader of The Opportunities Party
In office
3 November 2020 – 27 January 2022
Preceded byGeoff Simmons
Succeeded byRaf Manji
3rd Co-Deputy Leader of The Opportunities Party
In office
3 March 2023 – 4 August 2023
LeaderRaf Manji
Succeeded byNatalia Albert
In office
30 April 2020 – 3 November 2020
LeaderGeoff Simmons
Preceded byTeresa Moore
Personal details
Born1985 or 1986 (age 37–38)[1]
Political partyThe Opportunities Party
Alma materUniversity of Auckland

Shai Navot is a New Zealand lawyer,[2][3] former crown prosecutor,[4] and leader of The Opportunities Party (TOP) between 2020 and 2022. She previously served as deputy leader of The Opportunities Party during the 2020 election.[5][6]

Political history

2020 election

In April 2020, The Opportunities Party announced Navot as their deputy leader.[7] Navot ran for The Opportunities Party (TOP) in North Shore.[8][9] This was the first time Navot had run for TOP.[10]

During the campaign, Navot called for tax reform to create more wealth and stop the 'poverty trap'.[11][12][13] Navot said TOP's plan for affordable dental care for low-income earners would also improve long-term health outcomes. She also called setting up fruit and veggie box schemes around the country a "no-brainer"[14][15] and said that community-based responses to food waste (food rescue, food banks, community gardens and compost) were successful models.[16] She supported legalisation of cannabis through the 2020 New Zealand cannabis referendum, saying the current system is not working with cannabis widely available and controlled by criminals, and asking, “Why would you continue with policy that is clearly not working?”.[17] Navot led a group of Opportunities Party candidates to gather at an open home to protest the lack of affordable housing.[18] Navot also spoke about possible solutions to child poverty.[19][20][21]

In August 2020, Navot criticised National's calls to push back the election date, following Auckland going into a level 3 lockdown. Navot said her party believed the election should proceed on 19 September as planned. Navot said, "They [the National Party] want to delay in the hope they can boost their performance or undermine the outcome, that’s the truth of the matter. It’s the same tactics Donald Trump is using and it’s dangerous, dirty and unwelcome."[22]

Navot did not win the North Shore electorate, coming fifth with 1,493 votes (4% of votes).[23] TOP won no electorates and received 1.5% of the party vote, meaning that neither Navot nor any other TOP candidates won seats in Parliament.[24]

Navot and TOP candidate Hayden Cargo protesting outside an open home, 15 October 2020[25]

After the 2020 election

In November 2020, at TOP's first AGM after the election, Geoff Simmons resigned as leader of The Opportunities Party and Navot became party leader.[26][27][28][29][30] TOP have announced that they intend to contest the 2023 New Zealand general election.[31]

In December 2020, Navot launched a petition with The Opportunities Party to declare a housing emergency, saying, "The Labour Party has just achieved its best-ever election result in 50 years, and they are the first party to govern alone since MMP was brought in. Despite this huge mandate they are showing political weakness over one of the most pressing issues of our time and one that affects all New Zealanders. It's not good enough."[32][33]

2023 election

During the 2023 New Zealand general election, Navot stood as The Opportunities Party's candidate in Upper Harbour. She ranked fifth on the party list.[34] Navot came sixth place, with 1,109 votes.[35] TOP received 2.22% of the party vote, below the five percent threshold needed to enter Parliament.[36]

Personal life

Navot attended Carmel College.[37][38] Navot began studying towards a Master of Public Policy at University of Auckland in 2017, and will continue this study in 2020.

Navot worked for seven years as a lawyer in both civil litigation and criminal prosecution. Navot initially specialised in pursuing weathertightness claims in the High Court on behalf of the Ministry of Education, and subsequently became a Crown prosecutor in June 2013, where she remained until September 2019. As part of the Crown Specialist team in Auckland, Navot advised on and conducted prosecutions on behalf of various government departments and acted as Crown counsel in criminal prosecutions, including conducting jury trials as lead counsel for the Crown.[39]

References

  1. ↑ "Compare the candidates for Ōhāriu —NZ Election 2020". Policy NZ. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  2. ↑ "The Power Lawyers Who Could Rule: The 42 Lawyers Seeking A Seat in Parliament for the 2020 Election". Lawfuel. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  3. ↑ "Election 2020: National MP Simon Watts replaces Maggie Barry in North Shore". Stuff.co.nz. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  4. ↑ Hurley, Sam (18 March 2020). "Kiwi paedophiles: Sex offender confesses to paying $80 to abuse boy in Manila hotel room". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  5. ↑ "VOTE 2020: The Opportunities Party". Gazette. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  6. ↑ Foneska, Dileepa (18 September 2020). "TOP looks to turn the worm". Newsroom. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  7. ↑ "TOP – The Opportunities Party on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  8. ↑ Bhatia, Ripu (30 September 2020). "Election 2020: North Shore candidates for local MP". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  9. ↑ "TOP Party Leader Geoff Simmons Will Stand For Rongotai In 2020 Election". Scoop. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  10. ↑ The Opportunities Party (28 August 2017). "TOP Announces Party List for 2017 General Election". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 24 March 2021. TOP had only contested one election before 2020, the 2017 general election, and Navot was not a candidate for TOP for that election.
  11. ↑ Conchie, Sandra (22 July 2020). "TOP's deputy leader talks tax reform, creating more wealth and stopping the 'poverty trap'". NZ Herald. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  12. ↑ "Foreign Affairs with The Opportunities Party Deputy Leader Shai Navot: 9th October 2020". 95bFM. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  13. ↑ "#21 Opportunity Knocks Twice: with Opportunities Party leader Shai Navot". The Podcastinators. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  14. ↑ Wade, Amelia (18 March 2020). "Election 2020: TOP wants a 20 per cent tax on junk food to pay for free dental care and $10 doctors' visits". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  15. ↑ "TOP will tax junk food to pay for cheaper doctors' visits and free dental care for our poorest adults". NZ Doctor. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  16. ↑ Darling, Hamish (18 March 2020). "Election 2020: Part 4: Waste of Thyme". Food Truths. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  17. ↑ "Candidates quizzed in Silverdale youth-focused event". LocalMatters. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  18. ↑ Sowman-Lund, Stewart (15 October 2020). "Election Live, October 15: Advance NZ Facebook page deleted; Labour steady in final TVNZ poll". The Spinoff. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  19. ↑ Hayden, Leonie (8 August 2020). "The rebel MP: Green co-leader Marama Davidson". The Spinoff. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  20. ↑ "The Pitch: Shai Navot". Newshub Nation. 12 September 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  21. ↑ "Newshub Nation: September 12, 2020". Newshub Nation. 12 September 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  22. ↑ "TOP slams National's 'Trumpian response' to Covid-19 outbreak, says election should remain in September". 1 News. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  23. ↑ "North Shore – Official Result". electionresults.govt.nz.
  24. ↑ "2020 General Election and Referendums – Official Result". electionresults.govt.nz.
  25. ↑ Sowman-Lund, Stewart (15 October 2020). "Election Live, October 15: Advance NZ Facebook page deleted; Labour steady in final TVNZ poll". The Spinoff. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  26. ↑ "The Opportunities Party leader Geoff Simmons resigns, interim leader named". Stuff.co.nz. 3 November 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  27. ↑ "The Opportunity Party's Geoff Simmons steps down as leader, citing family commitments". 1 News. 3 November 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  28. ↑ Braae, Alex (3 November 2020). "First post-election leadership casualty: TOP boss Geoff Simmons quits". The Spinoff. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  29. ↑ Braae, Alex (4 November 2020). "The Bulletin: Wellington's future being thrashed out". The Spinoff. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  30. ↑ "The Opportunities Party's departing leader says it's time for fresh blood". NZ City. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  31. ↑ Orsman, Bernard (18 October 2020). "The New Conservatives and TOP plan to keep going after failing to make it into Parliament". NZ Herald. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  32. ↑ Satherley, Dan (17 December 2020). "TOP calls for 'housing emergency' declaration as prices skyrocket further out of reach". Newshub. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  33. ↑ Wilkes, Mikaela (17 December 2020). "TOP to Government: Declare housing emergency now". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  34. ↑ "The Opportunities Party announces a fresh team to bring new ideas to Parliament at the 2023 General Election". The Opportunities Party. 4 August 2023. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  35. ↑ "Upper Harbour - Official Result". Electoral Commission. 11 December 2023. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  36. ↑ "2023 General Election - Official Result". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  37. ↑ "Candidates meeting: Likely next MP says Shore needs local focus". The Rangitoto Observer. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  38. ↑ "16 October 2020 Rangitoto Observer". Rangitoto Observer. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  39. ↑ "SHAI NAVOT LEADER NORTH SHORE". The Opportunities Party. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
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