Michael was first elected to Parliament at the 2016 Mt Roskill by-election. In opposition he was Labour’s spokesperson for Transport, Revenue, and Consumer Affairs, and after the election he had roles as Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Ethnic Communities and Chair of the Finance & Expenditure Select Committee, before coming into the Chief Labour Whip role in mid-2019.

Following the 2020 General Election, Michael became a sworn Member of the Executive and was appointed as the Minister of Transport and Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety. He was also given the role of Deputy Leader of the House. Michael has also taken up roles as the Minister of Immigration, Minister for Auckland, and Associate Minister of Finance. Michael is driven by the core belief that all people deserve the opportunity to flourish and reach their potential regardless of background.