Camilla Belich: From Employment Law to New Zealand Parliament

Introduction

Camilla Belich built her career around employment law before moving into national politics. Her work has covered worker rights, employment disputes, student advocacy, union law, and law-making inside the New Zealand Parliament.

She is a Labour List MP based in Epsom. As of September 2026, she serves as Labour’s spokesperson for Justice and Public Services and sits on Parliament’s Justice Committee.

Her route into politics was not sudden. Actually, public advocacy had been part of her life since her school years.

Quick Facts About Camilla Belich

Fact	Detail
Full name	Camilla Vera Feslier Belich
Profession	Lawyer and politician
Political party	New Zealand Labour Party
Parliamentary position	Labour List MP
Area she is based in	Epsom
First elected	17 October 2020
Current Parliament	54th New Zealand Parliament
Current portfolios	Justice and Public Services spokesperson
Current select committee	Justice Committee
Education	Law and te reo Māori studies at Victoria University of Wellington
Legal field	Employment law
Husband	Andrew Kirton
Children	Three
Grandfather	Sir Jim Belich
Raised in	Wellington, New Zealand

Her full legal name, Camilla Vera Feslier Belich, also appears in official parliamentary and Electoral Commission records.

Early Life in Wellington

Camilla Belich was raised in Wellington.

Politics, organised labour, and public service were already familiar parts of her family environment. In her maiden speech to Parliament, Belich said both of her parents were trade unionists and had met while serving on a union executive.

That background mattered.

Her grandfather was Sir Jim Belich, a former advertising executive who became Wellington’s first Labour mayor in 1986. Belich discussed her grandfather and grandmother, Valerie Belich, at length during her first parliamentary speech.

She also spoke about her family’s Croatian and Dalmatian roots. Belich said she believed she was the fourth person of Croatian descent and the first Croatian woman to sit in the New Zealand Parliament.

So public life was close by.

But her own interests started early too.

School Years and Early Advocacy

Belich attended Wellington East Girls’ College.

While still young, she became involved with the Wellington City Youth Council. She was also chosen to take part in New Zealand’s Youth Parliament in 2000, representing then-Rongotai MP Annette King.

During her school years, she campaigned around access to youth health services in Wellington. Her Labour Party profile credits that work with helping the push for funding that led to Evolve, a youth health and social-support service.

It was early political experience.

She was still a teenager.

Learning Te Reo Māori

Te reo Māori has also been part of Belich’s education from a young age.

In her maiden speech, she explained that her father was learning te reo Māori while she was a child. She learned the language at home and continued through primary school, secondary school, and university.

Belich made another point clear. She did not present herself as an expert speaker. She said she was still learning.

That detail is useful because it comes directly from her own parliamentary statement rather than from a third-party profile.

University Education

Belich studied law and te reo Māori at Victoria University of Wellington.

University also pulled her further into organised student politics.

She became co-president of the New Zealand University Students’ Association, commonly known as NZUSA. Her fellow co-president was Andrew Kirton, who later became her husband.

During this period, student debt, tertiary fees, allowances, and the student-loan system were major areas of advocacy.

Her Labour profile says she worked on the campaign for changes to student loans during this period.

Law soon became her full-time career.

Camilla Belich’s Legal Career

Belich trained as a lawyer and built much of her professional career in employment law.

The field suited her earlier work.

Employees, unions, workplace rights, discrimination, and employment disputes became recurring parts of her professional record.

She was admitted as a lawyer in New Zealand and later worked overseas in Britain.

Her career there gave her experience with major employment cases.

Employment Law Work in London

Belich spent several years working as an employment lawyer in London.

One major part of that career was her work connected with trade unions. She worked for UNISON Legal Services, the legal arm of the UK trade union UNISON.

Her legal work eventually reached the European level.

Belich acted as an instructing solicitor in proceedings before the European Union Court of Justice involving holiday pay and commission.

The case concerned whether a worker whose regular earnings included commission should lose that part of normal earnings while taking annual leave.

That kind of work fits closely with the employment-law issues that later appeared in her political career.

Return to New Zealand

Belich returned to New Zealand after her years in Britain.

In January 2017, she joined Bartlett Law, a Wellington employment-law firm, as a Senior Associate.

The New Zealand Law Society reported the appointment in March 2017. It said she had returned after several years working as an employment lawyer in London and noted her interest in trade-union and employment-discrimination cases.

She later worked in the union sector as well.

Before becoming an MP, her professional record included employment-law work connected with the Public Service Association.

Basically, the move from law to Parliament still kept her close to many of the same subjects.

Entry Into New Zealand Politics

Belich stood for Labour in the Epsom electorate at the 2020 general election.

She did not win the electorate seat. ACT leader David Seymour retained Epsom.

Belich did, however, enter Parliament through Labour’s party list.

Her official parliamentary record gives 17 October 2020 as the date she was first elected.

She joined the 53rd Parliament as a Labour List MP.

First Term in Parliament

Belich’s employment background soon connected with her parliamentary committee work.

During the 53rd Parliament, she served on the Education and Workforce Committee.

She first served as a member, then deputy chairperson, before becoming chairperson in February 2023.

She also became a junior Labour whip in January 2023.

Her first term ended with the 2023 general election.

What Happened in the 2023 Election?

Belich stood in Epsom again in 2023.

Official Electoral Commission figures show that she received 6,189 candidate votes.

David Seymour received 17,826 votes, while National candidate Paul Goldsmith received 9,684.

Belich did not immediately return to Parliament after that election.

That changed soon after.

When former Labour leader and MP Andrew Little left Parliament, a Labour list vacancy opened. Belich returned and made her affirmation of allegiance in Parliament on 7 December 2023.

She has served as a Labour List MP since then.

Current Parliamentary Roles

As of 30 September 2026, Parliament records Belich as:

• Labour spokesperson for Justice
• Labour spokesperson for Public Services
• Member of the Justice Committee
• Labour List MP

She became Public Services spokesperson in March 2025 and Justice spokesperson in March 2026. Her Justice Committee membership began on 25 March 2026.

She previously held Labour spokesperson responsibilities for ACC, Emergency Management, and Workplace Relations and Safety.

She has also served as a junior whip and chaired the Governance and Administration Committee.

Companies Directors’ Duties Law

One piece of legislation associated with Belich is the Companies (Directors’ Duties) Amendment Act 2023.

The law clarified that company directors considering the best interests of a company may consider matters beyond maximising profit, with environmental, social, and governance matters given as examples.

The Act received Royal Assent on 3 August 2023. Parliamentary legislation records identify Belich as the member responsible for the bill and related amendment work.

Crimes (Theft by Employer) Amendment Act

Worker pay became another focus.

Belich adopted the Crimes (Theft by Employer) Amendment Bill after it had originally been introduced by former Labour MP Ibrahim Omer.

The measure creates a specific theft offence where an employer intentionally fails, without reasonable excuse, to pay money legally owed to an employee.

The bill passed its third reading on 12 March 2025 and received Royal Assent on 13 March 2025. It came into force the next day.

Employee Pay Disclosure Law

Belich also sponsored legislation dealing with employees discussing their pay.

The Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Bill sought to protect workers from adverse employment action because they discussed or disclosed their remuneration.

Official legislation records identify it as a member’s bill in Belich’s name.

It became the Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Act 2025.

The Act is now in force.

That law connects closely with the employment-law work she did before entering Parliament.

Modern Slavery Bill

Another major part of Belich’s current parliamentary work is the Modern Slavery Bill.

This bill is jointly sponsored by Belich and National MP Greg Fleming. Official legislation records describe it as the first jointly sponsored bill introduced under Standing Order 288.

The proposal would create reporting rules for entities above a specified revenue threshold. Those organisations would have to publicly report how they identify and respond to modern slavery risks within their operations and supply chains.

The bill passed its first reading on 29 April 2026.

The Education and Workforce Committee reported it back on 30 August 2026 and recommended by majority that it pass, with proposed amendments agreed unanimously.

As of 30 September 2026, Parliament’s official bill tracker still lists the second reading as the next parliamentary stage. It has not yet received Royal Assent.

Camilla Belich’s Husband

Camilla Belich is married to Andrew Kirton.

Their connection goes back to university student politics. They served together as NZUSA co-presidents before later marrying.

Kirton has also had a public political career of his own, including service as General Secretary of the New Zealand Labour Party.

Belich acknowledged him during her maiden speech and has spoken publicly about their family.

Camilla Belich’s Children

Belich and Kirton have three children.

Her two daughters were already part of the family when she entered Parliament. Their son, James, was born in 2021.

Because the children are not public officials, private details beyond information the family has publicly shared do not need to be part of a public profile.

Family Connection to Sir Jim Belich

The Belich name already had a place in New Zealand public life before Camilla entered Parliament.

Her grandfather, Sir Jim Belich, served as Mayor of Wellington.

During her maiden speech, Camilla recalled his political history, including his Labour links and his election as Wellington’s first Labour mayor in 1986.

Her family history also includes Croatian roots, something she has spoken about publicly in Parliament.

Camilla Belich’s Salary

Members of Parliament receive salaries according to New Zealand’s parliamentary remuneration rules rather than individually negotiated political salaries.

For the period beginning 1 July 2026 and running until polling day for the next general election, the stated annual salary for an ordinary MP is NZ$181,200.

The parliamentary determination also sets a NZ$19,300 annual basic expense allowance for other MPs during that period. That allowance is separate from salary and covers expenses connected with parliamentary duties.

Belich’s current Parliament profile lists her as a spokesperson and Justice Committee member rather than as a minister, whip, or select-committee chair.

What Makes Her Career Distinct?

Belich spent years working directly with employment disputes before becoming a lawmaker.

You can see the connection.

Pay disclosure, unpaid employee money, company-director duties, union issues, and workplace law have all appeared in her parliamentary record.

Her current responsibilities are broader. Justice and public services now sit at the centre of her opposition portfolios.

Current Status

Camilla Belich remains a New Zealand Labour List MP as of September 2026.

She is based in Epsom and serves as Labour’s Justice and Public Services spokesperson. She also sits on the Justice Committee.

Her current work includes justice policy alongside parliamentary legislation such as the jointly sponsored Modern Slavery Bill, which remains before Parliament.

Final Thought

Camilla Belich’s public career has a fairly clear thread.

She started with student and youth advocacy. Law came next. Years of employment work followed, first in New Zealand and then in Britain.

Parliament changed the job, but many familiar issues stayed.

Worker pay, employment rights, company law, public services, and justice have all appeared in her political work. Right now, she remains an active Labour List MP in New Zealand’s 54th Parliament.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Camilla Belich?

Camilla Belich is a New Zealand lawyer and Labour Party politician. She is currently a Labour List MP and serves as the party’s spokesperson for Justice and Public Services.

What is Camilla Belich’s full name?

Her full name is Camilla Vera Feslier Belich, as recorded in official parliamentary and election records.

What did Camilla Belich do before politics?

She worked as an employment lawyer, including legal work in New Zealand and London. She also worked on cases connected with trade unions and employment rights.

When did Camilla Belich enter Parliament?

She was first elected as a Labour List MP on 17 October 2020.

Is Camilla Belich an electorate MP?

No. She is a Labour List MP. She is based in Epsom but does not hold the Epsom electorate seat.

Who is Camilla Belich married to?

She is married to Andrew Kirton, who has held senior roles connected with the New Zealand Labour Party.

How many children does Camilla Belich have?

She and Andrew Kirton have three children.

What are Camilla Belich’s current political roles?

As of September 2026, she is Labour’s spokesperson for Justice and Public Services and a member of Parliament’s Justice Committee.

What is Camilla Belich’s salary?

The official remuneration schedule sets the annual salary for an ordinary New Zealand MP at NZ$181,200 from 1 July 2026 until polling day.

Has the Modern Slavery Bill become law?

No. As of 30 September 2026, Parliament’s official tracker shows that it has completed its first reading and select-committee stage, with the second reading still to come.

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