Angela Roberts (politician)

There was speculation Roberts would run as a Labour Party candidate in the 2017 election, a notion she did not rule out. However, at the last minute, she decided against running.^[4]

Roberts entered Parliament in the 2020 election. She ran for the electorate of Taranaki-King Country, coming second behind the incumbent National MP Barbara Kuriger by a margin of 3,134 votes.^[5] The Labour Party performed strongly and Roberts was elected to Parliament as a list MP, ranked 50th on the party list.^[6][7]

Roberts gave her maiden statement on 2 December 2020.^[8] She was a member of the education committee from 2 December 2020 until 8 September 2023, a member of the primary production committee from 4 May 2022 to 16 February 2023, and deputy chair of the primary production committee from 16 February to 8 September 2023.^[9]

On 29 September 2023, Roberts was physically assaulted at a surgery at the Rotary club in Inglewood, Taranaki, while canvassing for Taranaki-King Country. The man reportedly confronted Roberts before he “grabbed [her] shoulders" and shook her violently "in order to emphasise the point he was making" before slapping her across the face.^[10] Roberts later said to Radio New Zealand "It feels like, incrementally, there is a growing acceptance of aggression in politics and our democratic processes. This must change." She thanked National MP Barbara Kuriger for reaching out to her after the incident.^[11]

During the 2023 New Zealand general election held on 14 October, Roberts contested Taranaki-King Country a second time. She lost to incumbent Kuriger by a margin of 14,355 votes.^[12]