• Messages of support have poured in for Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson after she announced she has breast cancer.
• Davidson is set to undergo treatment, which is likely to take four months.
• Green’s co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and the Labour Party have expressed their support.

Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has called her co-leader’s strength “palpable” after Marama Davidson revealed her breast cancer diagnosis this afternoon.

“She carries the kind of power that never needs to announce itself as it cloaks you in warmth, generosity and understanding,” she wrote on Instagram.

Swarbrick said she would “hold space” in anticipation of her co-leader’s return following Davidson’s departure after Matariki to begin treatment.

“We’ve still got so much mahi to do - but it’s incumbent on all of us to remind ourselves that rest is, indeed, resistance,” Swabrick wrote.

“It is my honour to serve alongside her. Love you, boss.”

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson announces her cancer diagnosis today. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also shared his support for Davidson after the announcement.

“My thoughts are with Marama Davidson and her family at this time,” Luxon wrote on social media.

“I wish her all the very best for a speedy recovery and hope she can join us in Parliament again soon.”

The Labour Party said it was saddened to learn of Davidson’s breast cancer diagnosis and wished her well.

“Receiving health news like this is never easy, and the Labour Party is wishing Marama Davidson the best for her upcoming surgery and recovery,” leader Chris Hipkins said.

“We tautoko her message – don’t put off being checked. I am relieved for Marama, her family, friends and colleagues by her comment that this was picked up early.

“I am pleased to hear she will return to continue her work as a member of Parliament, and we look forward to seeing her back later this year.

“Politics can be robust, but we are all human. It’s moments like these that remind us of that.”

Green Party co-leaders, Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick attended a press conference today with Green MPs. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Green Party’s official social media site posted it was sending Marama “all their aroha” along with an excerpt of her speech.

Green MPs have begun reposting the image to show their support.

Māori Party co-leader Debbie Anne Ngarewa-Packer commented on the post, saying she hopes Davidson’s “healing goes well”.

“Here for you always,” she wrote.

Minister of Defence and former National Party leader Judith Collins said she was “very sorry to hear this devastating news”.

“Good to know that Marama’s cancer has been caught early,” she wrote on X.

Davidson said the cancer, which was picked up during a routine mammogram about a month ago, required her to undergo a partial mastectomy and would lead to her being off work for about four months.

She urged other wāhine to get checked themselves, acknowledging the level of breast cancer was disproportionately high for Māori women.

“I have held off telling people about my diagnosis while I continue to focus on parliamentary work,” she told journalists today.

She said fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick and the rest of the Green MPs would take on her responsibilities as co-leader, noting it was not the first time the party had functioned with only one of its two co-leaders for a period of time.

Davidson would be taking time off after Matariki at the end of the month and asked for privacy during this time.

She intended to stay on as co-leader of the party after treatment and she would return with “fierce” determination to fight for people and the planet.