New Zealanders, including leaders from across the political spectrum, have expressed shock and devastation at the sudden death of Green MP Efeso Collins, who collapsed after a charity run in Auckland on Wednesday.
“It is with profound shock and sadness that we can confirm that Green Party MP Efeso Collins has died,” said a statement from the Green party.
“We are absolutely devastated. A beautiful family has lost a dedicated father, husband, and community leader.”
Collins, who was 49, entered parliament as a Green MP in the October 2023 general election, after six years as a Labour-party affiliated councillor for Auckland’s Manukau ward. In 2022, he ran for mayor of Auckland, coming second to Wayne Brown.
Collins collapsed after taking part in the ChildFund Water Run – a fundraising event for the charity working to bring clean drinking water to children in the Pacific, and which was a cause close to his heart, the Greens said.