Media are invited to the 391 Louisa Wall recruit wing graduation.
What: Graduation of the New Zealand Police 391 Recruit Wing.
Who: For families and friends to celebrate with the newly attested police officers.
Why: Completion and graduation from initial training course.
Where: Te Rauparaha Arena, 17 Parumoana Street, Porirua.
When: Thursday 18 December at 2pm - media will need to be in place by 1.45pm.
How: RSVP the Police Media Centre if you’re attending: media@police.govt.nz
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers will attend the ceremony along with the Hon Mark Mitchell - Minister of Police, members of the Police executive and Wing Patron, Louisa Wall.
The 391 Wing Patron:
Louisa Wall – Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Waikato, Ngāti Hineuru – is a former elite athlete and Member of Parliament who is a respected advocate for human rights, gender equality, and Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Her work spans over two decades across sport, politics, and diplomacy.
Louisa is a former Silver Fern and Black Fern, representing New Zealand in netball and rugby. She was part of the 1998 Rugby World Cup-winning Black Ferns team and brought elite sporting experience and leadership into her later public service career.
Elected to Parliament in 2008, Louisa served until 2022 as a Member of the New Zealand Labour Party. She was the driving force behind the Marriage Equality Act (2013) and led the passage of the Safe Areas Amendment Act (2022) to protect access to abortion services. She also advanced key amendments to the Harmful Digital Communications Act, ensuring stronger protections against image-based abuse. As Chair of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians and a leader within the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s global human rights efforts, Louisa consistently elevated Indigenous, women, and Takatāpui and LGBTQIA+ voices on the international stage.
In 2022, Louisa was appointed New Zealand’s inaugural Ambassador for Gender Equality (Pacific)/Tuia Tāngata, working with Pacific leaders, communities, and civil society to advance gender justice and inclusive development. She is currently the Women Deliver 2026 Mobilisation Advisor, supporting Pacific feminist engagement and spotlighting the links between gender, climate change, and Indigenous sovereignty.
A proud Tūwharetoa wahine, she chairs the Tūwharetoa Iwi Māori Partnership Board, leading work to embed hapū and iwi perspectives into health system design. Louisa also serves as Women’s Chair for ILGA Oceania and remains a trusted advisor, strategist, and mentor to emerging leaders across the region.
More details about statistics, prize winners and other recruits will be shared after graduation on Thursday and a follow up Ten One story will be published later this month.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
