Reuben Davidson

Reuben John Davidson is a New Zealand television producer and politician. He was on a Christchurch community board from 2019. In the 2023 general election, he was elected to represent the Christchurch East electorate in Parliament.

Early life and career Davidson was born in Christchurch. He got his first job aged just 14 at a café. Later he was a television producer working at Whitebait Media for over 15 years. For seven years he produced the children's show What Now and later created the show Fanimals.

Political career

Local government At the 2019 local body elections, he was elected to the Banks Peninsula Community Board. Re-elected in 2022, he became chairman of the community board and was also chairman of the Labour-aligned local political ticket The People's Choice. He then stood in the seat of and was 67th on Labour's 2020 party list. He finished second in Selwyn to National's Nicola Grigg. Despite losing, Davidson polled higher than normal, coming closest to winning the seat for Labour in 27 years.

First term, 2023–present After Labour's Poto Williams announced her retirement from the Christchurch East electorate in December 2022, Davidson was selected for the seat ahead of Dan Rosewarne, Colin Meurk , Melissa Lama, and Teresa Butler. After gaining selection he stated he would resign from the Banks Peninsula Community Board and donate his community board salary to the Mayoral Relief Fund. He was elected to the Christchurch East seat in October 2023 with a margin of over 2000 votes. Davidson was one of just two new MPs elected in Labour's defeat in 2023 along with Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. He stated "It's bittersweet because I'm really aware of the huge shoes I'm stepping into to represent the people of Christchurch East but I had hoped to be doing it as part of a Labour government".

In late November 2023, Davidson was appointed as spokesperson for statistics, digital economy and communications, and associate broadcasting and media in the Shadow Cabinet of Chris Hipkins.

Following a cabinet reshuffle in early March 2025, Davidson joined Hipkins' new economics team. He also dropped his previous portfolios and assumed the Science, Technology and Innovation portfolio and the Broadcasting, Media, and Creative Economy portfolio. By December 2025, Davidson had drafted a member's bill that proposed making social media providers responsible for restricting "harmful content" with a fine of NZ$50,000 for non-compliance.

In mid January 2026 Davidson, as Labour's broadcasting and media spokesperson, announced that a Labour government would propose a streaming levy on foreign streaming companies like Netflix in order to invest in the New Zealand film industry. This proposal was welcomed by Screen Production and Development Association president Irene Gardiner.

Following a cabinet reshuffle in March 2026, Davidson gained the economic development portfolio.