Maurice Williamson

Last updated

One of the messages that I had was that this bill was the cause of our drought. Well, in the Pakuranga electorate this morning, it was pouring with rain. We had the most enormous big gay rainbow across my electorate.

The speech was soon being referenced worldwide by news outlets and was chosen as 2013's quote of the year by Massey University. [19] [20] With Williamson's sarcastic and honest approach, the speech was viewed hundreds of thousands of times over the next few days, and featured on high-profile news sites like The Huffington Post and Gawker. Williamson said he had an offer to go on The Ellen DeGeneres Show , but had to turn it down due to rules around ministers accepting gifts. Williamson was later given approval by the prime minister to go on the show as long as he donated any money received to charity. [21] [22] Williamson's speech was praised by Opposition politicians and left-wing media commentators. [23]

Later career and return to politics

The Honourable Councillor
Maurice Williamson
Maurice Williamson at the NZ Open Source Awards, 2007.jpg
Maurice Williamson at the NZ Open Source Awards, 2007
Howick Ward councillor
Assumed office
28 October 2022
Servingwith Sharon Stewart
Auckland Council
YearsWardAffiliation
2022 –presentHowickIndependent

After he announced his intention to leave parliament at the 2017 election, Williamson was appointed the New Zealand consul-general in Los Angeles in 2016. He took up the post the following year. [24] [25]

Williamson returned to the New Zealand political scene in 2022 by running for Auckland Council as one of the two councillors for the Howick Ward, which encompasses all of Williamson's former Pakuranga parliamentary electorate. [26] Williamson ran on a ticket with sitting councillor Sharon Stewart, [27] and in October 2022 Williamson and Stewart were both elected, defeating sitting Howick councillor Paul Young. [28]

Auckland mayor Wayne Brown appointed Williamson to the chair of the expenditure control and procurement committee, charged with identifying cost savings. [29] As a councillor, Williamson attracted criticism for his comments characterising posters promoting the use of te reo Māori as "objectionable" and for making comments "of a sexual nature" in relation to Wellington mayor Tory Whanau. [30] [31]

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References

  1. ↑ "Ex-National MP Maurice Williamson seeks Auckland Council seat". RNZ. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  2. ↑ "National caucus suspends Williamson". New Zealand Herald. 22 July 2003. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  3. ↑ Audrey Young: Williamson's 'significant error of judgment', NZ Herald 1 May 2014
  4. ↑ Vance, Andrea (1 May 2014). "Maurice Williamson: A career of highs and lows". Stuff. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  5. ↑ VANCE, ANDREA (7 September 2010). "Minister made Muslim jokes before his racism remarks". Stuff. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  6. ↑ "Williamson turns to stand up comedy - about Muslims". NZ Herald. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  7. ↑ Watkins, Tracy (3 September 2015). "Maurice Williamson wasn't acting in his capacity as an MP? Pull the other one". Stuff. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  8. ↑ "No fat people in Nazi camps 'a blunder'". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 August 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  9. ↑ "Williamson's political career on the skids after snub". The New Zealand Herald . 17 November 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  10. ↑ Laxon, Andrew (27 February 2010). "Govt stumped as leaky home bill skyrockets". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 20 March 2010.
  11. ↑ "PM's Statement on Richard Worth's resignation | Scoop News". Scoop.co.nz. 3 June 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "Statement by Dr Richard Worth | Scoop News". Scoop.co.nz. 12 June 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  13. ↑ Savage, Jared (1 May 2014). "Maurice Williamson resigns as a minister". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  14. ↑ Jones, Nicholas (26 July 2016). "National and Pakuranga MP Maurice Williamson to leave Parliament". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  15. ↑ "Maurice Williamson: Ludicrous for rates to pay for roading". NZ Herald. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  16. ↑ "Brian Rudman: Should we believe Brash over eastern highway?". NZ Herald. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  17. ↑ "Nats in damage control over toll road comments". Stuff. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  18. ↑ HILL, BEN (9 September 2015). "East Auckland MPs lobby for state highways". Stuff. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  19. 1 2 "'Big gay rainbow' quote tops Kiwis' favourites". Otago Daily Times – odt.co.nz. 20 December 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  20. ↑ Zealand, Massey University, New. "'Gay rainbow' speech wins Quote of the Year - Massey University". www.massey.ac.nz. Retrieved 10 November 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ↑ "MP becomes unlikely gay icon". 3 News NZ. 19 April 2013. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  22. ↑ "Williamson allowed to appear on Ellen". 3 News NZ. 22 April 2013. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  23. ↑ "NZ Power scheme a 'masterstroke'". 3 News NZ. 22 April 2013. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  24. ↑ Trevett, Claire (31 August 2016). "National MP Maurice Williamson gets diplomatic posting to Los Angeles". The New Zealand Herald.
  25. ↑ Newshub staff (27 November 2017). "Maurice Williamson's 'gay rainbow' speech goes big in Japan". Newshub.
  26. ↑ Matthew Scott (4 October 2022). "Williamson Sparks up the East". Newsroom.
  27. ↑ Bernard Orsman (16 May 2022). "Political veterans Maurice Williamson, Mike Lee, George Wood eyeing seats on Auckland Council". NZ Herald.
  28. ↑ "Auckland Council's power shift". Newsroom. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  29. ↑ "Maurice Williamson lands key role on plugging Auckland Council's budget shortfall". RNZ. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  30. ↑ "Maurice Williamson complains Te Reo posters are 'objectionable'". Te Ao Māori News. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  31. ↑ Johnson, Erin (2 December 2023). "Auckland councillor criticised for 'vile' comment about Wellington mayor". Stuff. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Pakuranga
1987–2017		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Land Information
2009–2014		Succeeded by
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