Jack Elder (politician)

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I don't have to stay in politics ... things have changed dramatically since I was elected a Labour candidate in 1984 and from when Mike Moore was leader. Instead of staying close to the issues which affect families, we [Labour] are getting further and further away from that because the people who now have control of the party don't see that primarily as the party's role. They have another vision altogether. They believe in the patchwork quilt. They think they can get a majority by patching together feminists, gays and other minorities. [10]

Clark countered Elder's critiques saying Elder's list ranking reflected his lack of achievements as an MP. Elder bridled at Clark's comments, pointing to his 29 year membership and his time as Shadow Minister of Agriculture where he laboriously explained party policy to "incredulous farmers". He was clear that he didn't blame Clark and thought party processes and policies were responsible for his dissatisfaction. [11]

When suggestions arose that Moore would found a new party, Elder was considered likely to follow. [10] In the end, Moore remained with Labour, but Elder was still dissatisfied. On 3 April 1996, Elder left the Labour Party to join New Zealand First, a centrist conservative party led by Winston Peters. He became New Zealand First's spokesman for local government. [12]

Coalition and Minority Government

In the 1996 election, Elder was re-elected to Parliament as a list MP for New Zealand First, having unsuccessfully contested the Waipareira electorate. When New Zealand First formed a coalition with the governing National Party, Elder was appointed to Cabinet, becoming Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Police, [13] and Minister of Civil Defence. As Minister of Police, Elder officially opened the Queenstown Police Station on Friday 10 July 1998. When New Zealand First's coalition with National began to collapse, however, Elder joined the group of MPs who quit New Zealand First and continued to offer support to the National Party government, which became a minority government. He officially left New Zealand First on 18 August 1998. In exchange for his continued support for the government, Elder was allowed to remain Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister of Civil Defence, although he was no longer part of Cabinet. [14]

Later, Elder joined with four other former New Zealand First MPs to found the Mauri Pacific Party. Elder eventually chose not to seek re-election, and retired from politics at the 1999 election. [15]

Later life

Elder spent time off from working, before returning to teaching two years after leaving Parliament. [16]

Notes

  1. ↑ Profiling the events that shaped our community, 1967 Archived 7 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine (abstract), Western Leader, 11 February 2003, p. 5.
  2. 1 2 Who's Who 1996, p. 45.
  3. ↑ "Local Contractor Beats Big Names in Onehunga Selection". The New Zealand Herald . 18 August 1975. p. 3.
  4. ↑ "Party Hopefuls Queue for a Safe Seat". The New Zealand Herald . 14 April 1980. p. 2.
  5. ↑ "Labour Choice For Seat". The New Zealand Herald . 15 April 1980. p. 1.
  6. ↑ Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 133. ISBN   0-908578-34-2.
  7. ↑ "Labour line-up". The New Zealand Herald . 6 December 1991. p. 5.
  8. ↑ "Laidlaw fills posts of predecessor". The New Zealand Herald . 28 January 1993. p. 5.
  9. ↑ "The Labour Shadow Cabinet". The Dominion . 14 December 1993. p. 2.
  10. 1 2 3 Herbert, Patricia (30 October 1995). "Elder ponders forcing byelection". The New Zealand Herald . p. 5.
  11. ↑ Edwards, Brent (1 November 1995). "'I'm no star, but after 29 years I deserve better'". The Evening Post . p. 2.
  12. ↑ Edwards, Brent (3 April 1996). "Two more MPs cross the floor to NZ First". The Evening Post . p. 1.
  13. ↑ Chronology of Roles, Ministerial Inquiry into INCIS, Ministry of Justice, November 2000.,
  14. ↑ Spanhake, Craig (2006). Ministers and Members in the New Zealand Parliament: 1996–2005. Dunedin, New Zealand: Tarkwode Press. ISBN   9780959786828.
  15. ↑ Elder, Jack (7 October 1999). "House: Valedictory of Hon. Jack Elder". scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  16. ↑ Kerry Williamson (16 May 2009). "Registry idea shelved after pro-gun lobbying". Fairfax NZ News.

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References

The Honourable
Jack Elder
27th Minister of Internal Affairs
In office
16 December 1996 –10 December 1999
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Internal Affairs
1996–1999		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Police
1996–1998		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Local Government
1999		Succeeded by
New Zealand Parliament
New constituency Member of Parliament for West Auckland
1984–1993		Constituencies abolished
Vacant
Constituency recreated after abolition in 1975
Title last held by
Martyn Finlay 		Member of Parliament for Henderson
1993–1996
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