Fletcher Tabuteau

Last updated

New Zealand Parliament
Fletcher Tabuteau
Fletcher Tabuteau crop.jpg
Tabuteau in 2015
Parliamentary Under-Secretary
for Foreign Affairs
In office
26 October 2017 –6 November 2020
YearsTermElectorateListParty
2014 –2017 51st List4 NZ First
2017 –2020 52nd List4 NZ First

Tabuteau is a long-standing member and supporter of New Zealand First. He joined the party as a teenager after his parents drove him from Rotorua to Auckland to attend the party's launch event in 1993. [5] [12] He has held various positions on the party's Rotorua branch committee including treasurer and chairman. [12]

He stood unsuccessfully for the party in the Rotorua electorate during the 2002, 2005 and 2011. [13] [14] [15] His party list rankings for those elections were 18, 17 and 11 respectively, and he failed to be elected as a list MP on any of those occasions.

Tabuteau was first elected into the New Zealand House of Representatives on the New Zealand First list during the 2014 general election. [16] Ranked 4 on the party list, this was the highest position given to any non-incumbent. He was re-elected on the New Zealand First list during the 2017 general election. [17]

First term, 2014–2017

In Tabuteau's first term, New Zealand First was part of the opposition. He was the party's spokesperson on commerce, energy, revenue, tourism and trade and was a member of the foreign affairs, defence and trade committee. [18] His member's bill, the Fighting Foreign Corporate Control Bill, was selected for first reading in March 2015. [19] The bill was designed to limit New Zealand's ability to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement but failed its first reading when it was not supported by government parties. [20] The main content of the bill became government policy after the change of government in 2017. [12]

Coalition Government, 2017–2020

Following the formation of a coalition government consisting of Labour, New Zealand First, and the Greens, Tabuteau was appointed as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and the Minister for Regional Economic Development Shane Jones. [21] He later gained further appointment as Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control when that ministerial position was re-created (and assigned to Peters) in May 2018. [22] As the coalition government had no associate ministers in the foreign affairs portfolio, Tabuteau's role included deputising for Peters as required. [5] [23] He also had delegated responsibility for the New Zealand Agency for International Development programme and supporting the delivery of regional economic action plans. [24]

In addition to his roles in the executive government, Tabuteau was additionally his party's spokesperson for commerce, energy, insurance, revenue, superannuation and tourism and associate spokesperson for finance; the deputy chair of parliament's finance and expenditure committee; and, during the initial COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, a member of the epidemic response committee. [18]

A second member's bill in Tabuteau's name, the KiwiFund Bill, was introduced in December 2017 and passed its first reading in February 2018. The Bill would have established an independent working group with the objective to set up a government-owned and operated KiwiSaver provider. However, it was withdrawn in August 2018 after the economic development, science and innovation committee recommended that the bill not be passed. [25]

He succeeded Ron Mark as deputy leader of New Zealand First on 27 February 2018. [26] He resigned that position in 2020 after the party's defeat in the 2020 New Zealand general election. [27] Tabuteau unsuccessfully contested the Rotorua electorate for the sixth time, coming in fourth place. [28] He and his fellow New Zealand First MPs lost their seats after the party's vote dropped to 2.6%, below the five percent threshold needed to enter Parliament. [29] [30]

Tabuteau has remained associated with New Zealand First, such as attending its 2022 party convention, co-emceeing the party's 30th birthday event in 2023, and training new NZ First MPs who will enter Parliament in 2023. [31]

Post-parliamentary career

In March 2021, Tabuteau began working for Rotorua District Council in a part-time economic development role. [27] In July 2021, Tabuteau announced that he would be a candidate for the Rotorua mayoralty at the 2022 local elections, following the incumbent Steve Chadwick's decision not to stand again. [32] He continued in his council role until January 2022. [27] At the October 2022 elections, he gained the second-highest number of votes after Tania Tapsell. [33]

In November 2023, Tabuteau joined lobbying company Capital. The 2023 election put New Zealand First into a position to become part of the government, and Tabuteau said that his history with New Zealand First was significant to his hiring. [31]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winston Peters</span> New Zealand politician (born 1945)

Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician who has been the leader of New Zealand First since it was founded in 1993. He was re-elected for a fifteenth time at the 2023 general election, having previously been a member of Parliament (MP) from 1979 to 1981, 1984 to 2008 and 2011 to 2020. Peters has served as the 13th deputy prime minister of New Zealand and 25th minister of foreign affairs since November 2023.

New Zealand First, commonly abbreviated to NZ First or NZF, is a political party in New Zealand, led by and identified with veteran politician Winston Peters, who has served three times as deputy prime minister. The party has formed coalition governments with both major political parties in New Zealand: with the New Zealand National Party from 1996 to 1998 and 2023 to present, and with the New Zealand Labour Party from 2005 to 2008 and 2017 to 2020. New Zealand First currently serves in a coalition government with both National and ACT as part of the Sixth National government, having won 6.08% of the total party vote in the 2023 New Zealand general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Carter (politician)</span> New Zealand politician

Sir David Cunningham Carter is a New Zealand National Party politician who served as the 29th Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2013 to 2017 and as a Cabinet Minister in the Fourth and Fifth National Governments. He represented the Selwyn electorate in the 44th Parliament and the Banks Peninsula electorate in the 45th Parliament. He served as a list MP from 1999 until he retired at the 2020 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Mark</span> New Zealand politician

Ron Stanley Mark is a New Zealand politician of the New Zealand First party, and former soldier, who served as Minister of Defence between October 2017 and November 2020. He served as mayor of Carterton from 2010 to 2014, and again from 2022 defeating incumbent Greg Lang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Bradford</span> New Zealand politician

Maxwell Robert Bradford is a former New Zealand politician and cabinet minister. He was an MP for the National Party from 1990 to 2002. He is best known for introducing the "Bright Future" economic initiative in 1999, and for changes to the retail sector of the electricity industry in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Jones</span> New Zealand politician

Shane Geoffrey Jones is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the New Zealand First party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Bennett (New Zealand politician)</span> New Zealand politician

David Allister Bennett is a New Zealand former National Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Hamilton East from 2005 to 2020 and a list MP from 2020 to 2023. He was Minister for Food Safety and Minister of Veterans' Affairs in the final year of the Fifth National Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todd McClay</span> New Zealand politician (born 1968)

Todd Michael McClay is a New Zealand politician and former ambassador. He is the Member of Parliament for Rotorua. He was previously an ambassador for the Cook Islands and Niue to the European Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 New Zealand general election</span> General election in New Zealand

The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand Parliament. The liberal-conservative National Party, headed by its parliamentary leader John Key, won the largest share of votes and seats, ending nine years of government by the social-democratic Labour Party, led by Helen Clark. Key announced a week later that he would lead a National minority government with confidence-and-supply support from the ACT, United Future and Māori parties. The Governor-General swore Key in as New Zealand's 38th Prime Minister on 19 November 2008. This marked the beginning of the Fifth National Government which governed for the next nine years, until the 2017 general election, when a government was formed between the Labour and New Zealand First parties, with support on confidence and supply by the Green Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tāmati Coffey</span> New Zealand politician

Tāmati Gerald Coffey is a New Zealand broadcaster, politician, and former Member of Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfred Ngaro</span> New Zealand politician

Alfred Ngaro is a New Zealand politician, serving as leader of NewZeal since 2023. He was a list member of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2011 to 2020, representing the National Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Goldsmith (politician)</span> New Zealand politician

Paul Jonathan Goldsmith is a New Zealand historian and politician. The biographer of several leading right-wing political and business figures, he was first elected a list member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the National Party at the 2011 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Simpson (politician)</span> New Zealand politician

Scott Anthony Simpson is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. He is a member of the National Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracey Martin</span> New Zealand politician

Tracey Anne Martin is a New Zealand former politician. She was a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives between 2011 and 2020, representing the New Zealand First Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 New Zealand general election</span>

The 2017 New Zealand general election took place on Saturday 23 September 2017 to determine the membership of the 52nd New Zealand Parliament. The previous parliament was elected on 20 September 2014 and was officially dissolved on 22 August 2017. Voters elected 120 members to the House of Representatives under New Zealand's mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting system, a proportional representation system in which 71 members were elected from single-member electorates and 49 members were elected from closed party lists. Around 3.57 million people were registered to vote in the election, with 2.63 million (79.8%) turning out. Advance voting proved popular, with 1.24 million votes cast before election day, more than the previous two elections combined.

Darroch Leicester Ball is a New Zealand politician of the New Zealand First party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Penk</span> New Zealand politician (born 1980)

Christopher Aidan Penk is a New Zealand politician who has been a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the National Party since 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">52nd New Zealand Parliament</span> Meeting of the New Zealand Parliament

The 52nd New Zealand Parliament was a meeting of the legislature in New Zealand, which opened on 7 November 2017 following the 2017 general election and dissolved on 6 September 2020. The New Zealand Parliament comprises the Sovereign and the House of Representatives, which consists of 120 members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Patterson (New Zealand politician)</span> New Zealand politician

Mark William James Patterson is a right-wing New Zealand farmer, lobbyist and politician. He is a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the New Zealand First party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenny Marcroft</span> New Zealand politician (born 1963)

Jennifer Lyn Marcroft is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the New Zealand First party.

References

  1. 1 2 Cheng, Derek (22 September 2014). "Election 2014: Peters a political hero, NZ First MP". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  2. ↑ Husband, Dale (4 October 2020). "Fletcher Tabuteau: On 'doing your part'". e-tangata.co.nz. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  3. ↑ "David Tabuteau Obituary (2011) - The New Zealand Herald". Legacy.com. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  4. 1 2 Martin, Matthew (17 September 2014). "Election profile: Fletcher Tabuteau". Rotorua Daily Post. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Husband, Dale (3 October 2020). "Fletcher Tabuteau: On 'doing your part'". E-Tangata. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Tabuteau, Fletcher: Address in Reply - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  7. ↑ Tebbutt, Leah. "New Zealand First loses Tauranga stalwart Tommy Gear". NZ Herald. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  8. ↑ Savage, Jared. "Revealed: NZ First MP's family ties with Wally Haumaha". NZ Herald. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  9. ↑ Harman, Richard (23 April 2019). "Peters right hand man dies | Politik" . Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  10. ↑ "New deputy leader for New Zealand First". NZ Herald. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  11. ↑ "Newcomers jump up NZ First list". Otago Daily Times . 27 August 2014. Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 "Life after Winston: Is this the man to save NZ First?". NZ Herald. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  13. ↑ "Official Count Results – Rotorua". Electoral Commission. 10 August 2020. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  14. ↑ "Official Count Results – Rotorua". Electoral Commission. 1 October 2005. Archived from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  15. ↑ "Official Count Results – Rotorua". Electoral Commission. 10 December 2011. Archived from the original on 19 January 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  16. ↑ "Official Count Results – Successful Candidates". Electoral Commission. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  17. ↑ "2017 General Election – Official Result Successful Candidates". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  18. 1 2 "Tabuteau, Fletcher - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  19. ↑ "MP Tabuteau's bill pulled from ballot". NZ Herald. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  20. ↑ "Fighting Foreign Corporate Control Bill - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  21. ↑ "Ministerial List". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet . Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  22. ↑ "Ministerial portfolio changes". The Beehive. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  23. ↑ Harman, Richard (22 February 2018). "Is Peters behind move to roll Ron Mark? | Politik" . Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  24. ↑ "Schedule of Responsibilities Delegated to Associate Ministers and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 12 August 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  25. ↑ "KiwiFund Bill - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  26. ↑ Moir, Jo (27 February 2018). "NZ First appoints Fletcher Tabuteau as its new deputy leader – rolling Ron Mark". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  27. 1 2 3 Desmarais, Felix (21 January 2022). "Rotorua mayoral hopeful Fletcher Tabuteau to step down from part time council job before election". Rotorua Daily Post. New Zealand Herald.
  28. ↑ "Rotorua – Official Result". Electoral Commission . Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  29. ↑ "2020 General Election and Referendums – Official Result". Electoral Commission . Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  30. ↑ Van Veen, Josh (18 October 2020). "Where to now for Winston Peters and New Zealand First?". The Spinoff . Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  31. 1 2 Pearse, Adam (9 November 2023). "Ex-NZ First MP joins lobbying firm ahead of new government forming". NZ Herald. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  32. ↑ Desmarais, Felix (27 July 2021). "Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick to stand down after next election". RNZ. Local Democracy Reporting. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  33. ↑ "2022 Triennial Elections. Declaration of Results" (PDF). electionz.com. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
Political offices
New office Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
2017–2020		Office abolished
Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Regional Economic Development
2017–2020
Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control
2018–2020
Party political offices
Preceded by Deputy leader of New Zealand First
2018–2020		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.