Green MP Fa’anana Efeso Collins has died after collapsing while participating in a charity event in central Auckland.
Collins was taking part in ChildFund Water Run to raise funds to support local communities in the Pacific at 9am in Auckland’s Britomart when he collapsed.
Emergency services immediately responded with CPR and defibrillators to treat the MP and continued working on him for an hour.
An organiser for the event confirmed to the Herald he had died at the scene.
Collins, 49, is survived by his wife Fia and two daughters.
Political Editor Jason Walls told Simon and James that select committee meetings had to be postponed after the news broke, and the MPs leaving the meetings were visibly shaken.
Collins was a relatively new Green MP but had been a member of the Labour party for years prior, and many across the political spectrum have been in mourning this morning.
An emotional afternoon is expected, as Parliament has one last meeting before adjourning until next Tuesday.
Walls said that there will be speeches from the Prime Minister, the Green Party leaders, and various other party leaders.
He said it going to be extremely emotional, and the tributes are expected to be touching.
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