GOVERNMENT NEWS ARCHIVE 2007

February

28 February
MAORI LANGUAGE COMMISSION APPOINTS WOMAN TO TOP JOB
Te Taura Whiri i te reo Maori – the Maori Language Commission today announced Huhana Rokx as it's first female chief executive.

"It was her strong management and administrative experience and background coupled with a certain x-factor required by leaders in this type of position that distinguished Huhana" from other applicants, said Toihau - Mäori Language Commissioner Erima Henare.

Huhana has an extensive background in education, including working over 10 years in senior education management in Government.  She is currently General Manager of the Mäori-medium publishing team at Te Pou Taki Körero Learning Media Limited and is set to join the Commission at the end of April.

26 February
MAORI LANGUAGE CHIEF STEPS DOWN
Chief Executive Haami Piripi has ended his seven-year term at the Mäori Language Commission.  His departure from the Commission ends a career of over 35 years in the public sector.

"While the board and staff are sad to see Haami go it is in the knowledge that he returns to lead his iwi of Te Rarawa in the far north. It is a role he has been trained and groomed for his whole life," said Maori Language Commissioner Erima Henare when announcing the retirement.

22 February
LABOUR CE RESIGNS
Dr James Buwalda has resigned as Chief Executive of the Department of Labour. The State Services Commissioner, Mark Prebble, said Dr Buwalda is a widely respected leader who has held Public Service chief executive roles for the past 11 years.

He has been Chief Executive of the Department of Labour since July 2003, following a seven year term as Chief Executive of the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology. Dr Buwalda will leave the Department of Labour on 21 May 2007.

21 February
ACTING GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN
The State Services Commissioner, Mark Prebble, today announced that Dallas Welch has been asked to act as Chief Executive and Government Statistician for Statistics New Zealand.
 
Mrs Welch is presently the Deputy Government Statistician, Industry and Labour Statistics, at the department. She has more than twenty years' experience with Statistics New Zealand including a range of senior management roles. The current Government Statistician, Brian Pink, will finish at the department on 2 March 2007 in order to take up his new role as the Australian Statistician. Mrs Welch will take up the acting position on his departure.

15 February
BEYER RETIRES FROM PARLIAMENT
Georgina Beyer has stood down from Parliament after seven years. She was MP for Wairarapa from 1999 until 2005 then continued as a list MP.

A former boy, prostitute, stripper, drag queen, actress and mayor, Beyer is the first transsexual in the world to be elected to a Parliament. During this time she supported prostitution reform and legislation enabling civil unions.

Beyer plans on taking up a role in Christchurch's Fortune Theatre. She will be replaced by Lesley Soper, a South Island union organizer.

14 February
EXPULSION OF FIELD FROM LABOUR CAUCUS
Labour MPs have agreed to expel Mangere MP Taito Phillip Field from the parliamentary wing of the party. Mr Field is now technically an independent MP.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has written to Parliament’s Speaker Margaret Wilson to inform her that Mr Field is no longer a member of the caucus. The process for removing him from the party will not be formalised until the party’s New Zealand council meeting later this month.

Labour is moving to expel Mr Field because of comments he made that he could stand against Labour in the next election in Mangere, if the party did not reselect him.

9 February
TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF HELEN DUNCAN
Prime Minister and Labour Party Leader Helen Clark today paid tribute to the memory of Helen Duncan, a Labour list MP from 1998 to 2005, who died on February 6 after a battle with cancer.

"Helen came into Parliament on the Labour list in 1998, replacing Jill White MP. In her maiden speech she spoke of her pride at growing up on the West Coast, and of the heritage, values and ideals she inherited from her childhood in Blackball, the cradle of the Labour movement," Helen Clark said.

"Once in Parliament, Helen honoured those ideals through her work on the Transport and Industrial Relations, Education and Science, and Social Services Select Committees."

7 February
BRASH LEAVES PARLIAMENT: KATRINA SHANKS NEW NATIONAL PARTY LIST MP
Former National Party leader Don Brash this week resigned from Parliament. 

He was replaced by Katrina Shanks on 7 February. Ms Shanks was the party’s Ohariu-Belmont candidate in the 2005 general election as well as being the highest unsuccessful candidate on the National Party list.  

1 February
ONE NEW NORTH ISLAND BUT NO NEW MĀORI SEATS IN NEXT ELECTION
There will be one new General electoral district in the North Island, but no change in the number of Māori electoral districts for the next election, according to Statistics New Zealand. Data from the 2006 Census and Māori Electoral Option were used to determine this result.

“It is now the role of the Representation Commission to determine the electoral district boundaries and the location and name of the new district,” Government Statistician Brian Pink said.

“The addition of the new General electoral district means there will be one fewer list seat in the 120-member Parliament (excluding any overhang seats), a reduction from 51 to 50,” Mr Pink said.
 
The Electoral Act 1993 specifies that census results are used to determine the number of electoral districts. The Representation Commission will meet to draw new electoral boundaries, which will be based on this data and on population projections.

8th March
ASIA NEW ZEALAND FOUNDATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO STEP DOWN
Asia:NZ chair Philip Burdon announced today that John Austin executive director of the Asia New Zealand Foundation will step down at the beginning of April for health reasons.

Philip Burdon thanked John Austin for the vital contribution he has made to the foundation in the year and a half he has been its executive director.

Asia:NZ’s deputy director Adele Mason will be acting executive director until a new director is appointed.

4th April
SPARC BOARD APPOINTMENTS
Sport and Recreation Minister Trevor Mallard has announced two new appointments and two reappointments to the board of Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC).

Chairman John Wells, has been reappointed for an additional 15-month period and board member Tina Karaitiana has also been reappointed.

New appointments are Alan Isaac and Donald Stewart. "Alan and Donald bring strong commercial, governance and management experience to the board,” said the Minister.

2 April
NEW CONSULATE
New Zealand is to open a Consulate General in Guangzhou, China, in April. It will be the first diplomatic office to open in China since the Shanghai Consulate General was opened in 1991.

TO PAGE TOP

31 May
NEW TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSIONER
Dr Ross Patterson has been appointed the Telecommunications Commissioner and a member of the Commerce Commission for a period of five years starting 12 July 2007, says Communications Minister David Cunliffe.

He will take over the role from the current commissioner Douglas Webb, who steps down on 11 July.

29 May
RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR REAPPOINTED
Dr Alan Bollard's term as Governor has been extended a further five years, expiring in September 2012.

FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY TO STAND ALONE
Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton and the Minister of State Services, Annette King, announced today that the New Zealand Food Safety Authority is to be separated from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF). NZFSA will continue to protect and promote public health and safety in relation to food and food-related products, and to develop economic opportunities by facilitating access to international markets for these products. The State Services Commissioner, Mark Prebble, will appoint an acting Chief Executive of NZFSA until a new CEO is appointed. The new department will be established on 1 July 2007. It will retain the name New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA).

25 May
NEW INLAND REVENUE COMMISSIONER
Robert (Bob) Russell this week took over as Chief Executive and Commissioner of Inland Revenue. He was previously the Deputy Commissioner, Service Delivery at Inland Revenue, a position he assumed in 2006.

21 May
CEO APPOINTED FOR STATISTICS NEW ZEALAND
Mark Prebble, State Services Commissioner today announced that Geoff Bascand has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive and Government Statistician for Statistics New Zealand. Mr Bascand is currently Deputy Government Statistician. He has held this position since 2004. His appointment will be effective from 22 May 2007.

16 May
UNITED FUTURE MP RESIGNS
United Future MP Gordon Copeland today announced his resignation from the party, but would be staying on in Parliament as an independent MP.

5 May
FISHERIES CEO RESIGNS
State Services Commissioner Mark Prebble announced the resignation of Chief Executive Officer Dr John Glaister.

Appointed as Chief Executive of the Ministry of Fisheries in December 2004, Dr Glaister had strong management experience in the Australian state government, research and academic environments.

Dr Glaister will leave the Ministry of Fisheries on 30 June 2007.

NEW CHAIR AT WHANGANUI DHB, NEW DEPUTY CHAIR AT CAPITAL & COAST DHB
Health Minister Pete Hodgson today announced the appointment of a new chair at Whanganui District Health Board (DHB) and a new deputy chair at Capital & Coast DHB.

Ken Douglas is to be chair of Whanganui DHB, and Kate Joblin deputy chair of Capital & Coast DHB. Both terms of office will commence on 3 May 2007.

4 May
ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR
Mark Prebble, The State Services Commissioner announced today that Graham Fortune will be acting Chief Executive and Secretary of Labour. Graham Fortune was previously the Secretary of Defence, a position from which he retired in December 2006.The acting position will be effective from 22 May 2007, and Graham Fortune will remain in the role until a permanent chief executive is appointed.

26 June
NEW APPOINTMENTS TO CREATIVE NEW ZEALAND ARTS BOARD
Hon Judith Tizard, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage today announced the appointments of a new Chair and two new members to the Arts Board of Creative New Zealand. Alan Sorrell the new Chair is an Auckland barrister specialising in media and entertainment, intellectual property and copyright. He was previously a member and Chair of the New Zealand Film Commission.

New member Penelope (Penny) Eames of Waikanae is owner/manager of an international arts consultancy and has extensive experience in developing arts policy and management, business processes and governance.

Sid Ashton is currently Chair of the Christchurch Arts Festival and the Charities Commission. His former position was as CEO of Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu.All three appointments to the Board are for three-year terms effective from 1 July to 30 June 2010.

6 June
TEC CHAIR RESIGNS
Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) chair Russell Marshall will stand down on 30 June.  Announcing the decision, Tertiary Education Minister, Dr Michael Cullen said Mr Marshall had made an outstanding contribution to education in New Zealand over more than 30 years.

Russell Marshall, 71, was a member of parliament for 18 years, serving two terms as a Cabinet Minister, including a term as Minister of Education. He chaired the Tertiary Education Advisory Commission, whose work resulted in the formation of the TEC. He also chaired the National Commission for UNESCO, Education New Zealand, and the international education consultancy PINZ, and was Chancellor of Victoria University. He served as New Zealand's Permanent Representative to UNESCO and was High Commissioner to the United Kingdom immediately prior to taking up the chair of the TEC in 2005.

TO PAGE TOP

July

27 July
DAVID BENSON-POPE RESIGNS
The Prime Minister, Helen Clark, today accepted the resignation of Environment Minister David Benson-Pope after he admitted to a larger role in the departure of his Ministry's communications manager."The way in which certain issues have been handled this week has led to a loss of credibility and on that basis I have accepted Mr Benson-Pope's offer to stand aside," Helen Clark said."I regret that this has happened, because Mr Benson-Pope has been a capable and hard working minister.

Issues this week, however, leave no alternative," Helen Clark said.The former communications manager, Madeleine Setchell, is the partner of National Party press secretary Kevin Taylor, her sudden departure only days after starting the job led to allegations of political interference in the public service.

11 July
NEW ACC BOARD CHAIR
Unionist Ross Wilson has been appointed as the new chair of the Accident Compensation Corporation Board.

Ross Wilson was elected president of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions in 1999 after 20 years as a union official in rail and port unions. He is also currently a member of the Prime Minister's Growth and Innovation Advisory Board, the tripartite Workplace Productivity Reference Group, the Forest Industry Development Agenda, the Hui Taumata Task Force, and the Trans Tasman Leadership Forum.

2 July
INTERIM CHAIR FOR TEC
Tertiary Education Commissioner Jim Donovan will fill the role of interim chair of the TEC until a permanent replacement is found. He fills the vacancy created by Russell Marshall, who retired at the end of June.

TO PAGE TOP

September

25 September
NEW ELECTORATE CONFIRMED
The addition of a new electorate in Auckland named Botany means there will be 70 electorates at the next two general elections – 63 general seats and seven Maori seats.  As a result, the number of list seats reduces by one to 50. The Electoral Commission made public its final decision on electorate numbers and boundaries today, following its publication of proposed electorate changes announced in May.

Commission chairman Judge Bernard Kendall said there had been 331 objections and 114 counter objections to the draft boundaries. "This feedback and submissions made at hearings in seven centres around the country have helped shape the final boundaries to be used in the general elections scheduled for 2008 and 2011." The biggest difference between the draft and final boundaries was for the new electorate in South Auckland, which was originally called Howick. The new Botany name reflected the fact it centred on Botany Community Board's area. The electorate takes in the new town centre of Flat Bush and replaces parts of the former Clevedon and Manukau East and Pakuranga electorates. Nine electorates have also been renamed following significant boundary changes:

• Papakura; replacing parts of the Clevedon, Port Waikato and Manurewa electorates.

• Hunua; replacing parts of the Clevedon and Port Waikato electorates.

• Waikato; replacing parts of the Piako, Coromandel, Hamilton West and Taranaki-King Country electorates. Piako disappears.

• Ohariu; replacing Ohariu-Belmont with the Belmont area shifted in the Rimutaka electorate.

• Selwyn; replacing parts of the Waimakariri, Banks Peninsular and Rakaia electorates.

• Port Hills; the new name for the revised Banks Peninsula electorate with most of the peninsular area itself transferred to Selwyn.

• Rangitata; replacing parts of the Aoraki and Rakaia electorates. It includes Timaru City, Temuka, Orari and Ashburton up to the Rakaia River. The Rakaia electorate disappears.

• Waitaki; replacing parts of the Otago and Aoraki electorates. It takes in the Waitaki area, Central Otago and Mackenzie districts as well as the northern part of Queenstown Lakes District and part of Timaru District. The Aoraki and Otago electorates disappear.

• Hauraki-Waikato; replacing the Tainui electorate and including population from the Tamaki Makaurau electorate from the southern part of Manurewa. The people from Ngati Maniapoto (formerly in the Tainui electorate) will be in the Te Tai Hauauru electorate with the people of Ngati Raukawa.

The electorates of Clevedon, Port Waikato, Piako, Ohariu-Belmont, Banks Pennisula, Rakaia, Aoraki, Otago and Tainui used in the 2005 election disappear as a result.Only seven remain completely unchanged: Whangarei, North Shore, Northcote, Tauranga, Kaikoura, Te Tai Tokerau and Waiariki.  

STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND APPOINTS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Standards New Zealand today announced the appointment of Debbie Chin as their new Chief Executive.  She was previously Deputy Director General Corporate and Information at the Ministry of Health, and a partner with KPMG Wellington. During her time at KPMG she was seconded as an Advisor to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Ms Chin's appointment will be effective from 15 October 2007.

4 September
APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF DEPT OF LABOUR
State Services Commissioner, Mark Prebble today announced the appointment of Mr Christopher Blake as Chief Executive and Secretary of Labour.

Mr Blake is currently chief executive of the Department of Internal Affairs, he has held this position for five and a half years. He was previously the chief executive and National Librarian, National Library of New Zealand from 1997-2002; acting chief executive at the Ministry of Housing; and was the first chief executive at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, from 1991-1997.

Christopher Blake will take up the position of chief executive on 23 October 2007. He replaces Mr Graham Fortune who has been the acting chief executive since Dr James Buwalda resigned in May 2007.

TO PAGE TOP

October

31 October
THREE NEW CABINET MINISTERS IN RESHUFFLE Prime Minister Helen Clark today announced a major Cabinet reshuffle which sees a number of major portfolios change hands and three new Cabinet Ministers.Backbench MPs Steve Chadwick, Shane Jones and Maryan Street have been elected to Cabinet.  The main losers are Justice Minister Mark Burton, who leaves Cabinet, and Trevor Mallard, who drops off the front bench following an incident last week where he and National MP Tau Henare came to blows.Ms Chadwick becomes Minister of Conservation and Minister of Women's, Ms Street becomes Minister for ACC and Housing and Mr Jones becomes Minister for Building and Construction. Junior whip Darren Hughes becomes a Minister outside Cabinet, with responsibility for statistics. He is also Associate Minister of Social Development and Deputy Leader of the House.Helen Clark said that the three vacancies arose from the impending retirement Steve Maharey, the decision by Mark Burton to return to the backbench, and the place vacated by David Benson-Pope in July.

Significant reallocations of portfolios are:

• Michael Cullen takes on the Treaty Negotiations portfolio in addition to finance

• Phil Goff adds the Corrections portfolio to his responsibilities

• Annette King takes on the Justice portfolio, and retains Transport and Police

• Pete Hodgson becomes Minister for Economic Development, Tertiary Education, and Research Science and Technology

• Chris Carter becomes Minister of Education and retains Ethnic Affairs

• David Cunliffe becomes Minister of Health, and continues his responsibilities in Communications and Information Technology

• Trevor Mallard becomes Minister of Broadcasting, the Environment, and Labour, and retains SOEs and Associate Finance

• Ruth Dyson becomes Minister of Social Development and Employment, Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector and retains Senior Citizens and Disability Issues responsibilities

• Lianne Dalziel takes on Food Safety and Associate Justice in addition to Commerce

• David Parker adds States Services to his responsibilities

• Nanaia Mahuta takes on the full Local Government portfolio and Associate Tourism in addition to her other responsibilities

• Clayton Cosgrove takes on the full Immigration portfolio, Sport and Recreation, Small Business, and responsibility for the Rugby World Cup. He retains Associate Justice and Finance responsibilities.
  

29 October
JILL PETTIS WILL RETIRE FROM POLITICS.

Ms Pettis, today said she will stand down at the next election as it was time to focus on other things. "I want to plan the next phase of my life with my husband," she said.As MP for Whanganui before being rejected at the last election List MP Jill Pettis was the latest to join the ranks of retirees this week, following Dianne Yates, Ann Hartley, Dover Samuels, Marian Hobbs and Paul Swain.

Senior Cabinet minister Steve Maharey has also announced he will retire next year.

List MPs Jim Sutton and Georgina Beyer have already retired.

There is speculation list MP and Speaker Margaret Wilson might also announce her retirement ahead of the election.

19 October
STEVE MAHAREY TO STEP DOWNSenior Cabinet Minister and MP for Palmerston North, Steve Maharey today announced that he would not stand at the 2008 election.His decision also means that he will likely leave Cabinet when Prime Minister Helen Clark announces the new Cabinet line-up shortly. Maharey is currently ranked at number 4 in Cabinet and is Minister of Education, Minister of Broadcasting, Minister of Research, Science and Technology, Minister for Crown Research Institutes and Minister responsible for the Education Review Office. He is also currently acting Minister of Social Development and Employment following the resignation of David Benson-Pope. 16 October
TWO LABOUR MPS TO STEP DOWN Media reports say Labour list MPs Anne Hartley and Dianne Yates are both planning to leave Parliament early next year. They are likely to be replaced the next two people on the Labour list: former Silver Fern’s netballer Louisa Wall and Manukau City Councillor Su’a William Sio. Ms Hartley will not be leaving politics though – she was elected to the North Shore City Council in last week’s local body elections.10 October
NATIONAL MP BRIAN CONNELL TO RESIGN

National MP for the Rakaia electorate Brian Connell today announced that he will quit Parliament at the end of the current term.Connell was suspended from National's caucus after he raised questions about the private life of former leader Don Brash.8 October
CLERK OF HOUSE TO BE THIRD OMBUDSMANThe Clerk of the House of Representatives, David McGee CNZM, QC, is to be appointed as the third Ombudsman.The Speaker, Hon Margaret Wilson, said Mr McGee had given tremendous and outstanding service to Parliament for nearly 34 years and he would be greatly missed. Mr McGee joined the Office of the Clerk in 1974 and was appointed Clerk of the House of Representatives in 1985.Ms Wilson said Mr McGee would make a major contribution to the Office of the Ombudsman. His appointment was for a five-year term, effective from 19 November 2007.The State Services Commission has been asked to begin the process to recruit the new Clerk of the House.

TO PAGE TOP

November

29 November
NEW NAME AND NEW POWERS FOR PCA

The Police Complaints Authority has been renamed the Independent Police Conduct Authority and given new powers. The main changes are:

• it can investigate historic complaints dating back to before its establishment in 1989 (a recommendation of the Commission of Inquiry

• police are required to notify the Authority no later than five working days after a complaint is received (current law says `as soon as practicable')

• the Authority can refer minor matters back to the police for investigation where appropriate, so it can focus on serious matters

• the Authority has to inform the Minister of Police and the Attorney-General if the police response to an Authority recommendation is unsatisfactory

• the Authority can have up to five members (at present it can have only one, assisted by a deputy).

24 November
MP PHILIP TAITO FIELD TO FACE 40 CRIMINAL CHARGES

Police have laid 15 counts of bribery and 25 counts of attempting to pervert justice against former Labour and now independent MP for Manukau Taito Philip Field Field is alleged to have offered immigration assistance to people who did tens of thousands of dollars of work on properties he owns in Auckland, Wellington, Tonga, and Samoa.

10 November
NEW CHAIR OF THE FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BOARD

Pete Hodgson, Minister for Research, Science and Technology today announced Bryan Gould as the new Chair of the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology Board.

Mr Gould has significant governance experience, with strong and relevant connections to the research sector and an excellent understanding of government processes.

Mr Gould was Vice Chancellor of Waikato University for 10 years until his retirement in 2004. Prior to this he served as member of the UK parliament for 14 years before his return to New Zealand.

His appointment is for a three year term, and will succeed Dame Margaret Bazley in May 2008. This will complete six years of service on the Board for Dame Bazley. Terms for the other three board members will also end on 30 April 2008.

TO PAGE TOP

December

December 20
MINISTRY FOR ENVIRONMENT CE RESIGNS

Ministry for the Environment Chief Executive Hugh Logan has announced that he will resign with effective from 1 February 2008. Mr Logan had been under fire for a series of mistakes involving employment issues and advice to ministers.

Mr Logan said that recent events had created a situation where the Ministry needed a fresh start, for it to focus effectively on the critical changes needed in environmental management in New Zealand.

“New Zealanders really need their Ministry for the Environment to be totally committed to this work. My intention is that my resignation will bring these issues to a close and clear the way for the Ministry to get on with the tasks required. There is a lot of critical work to be done. I wish my colleagues all the best in those endeavours.”

13 December
CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APPOINTED

Mary Harris, former Deputy Clerk of the House of Representatives, has been appointed Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Ms Harris has been Acting Clerk since the resignation of former Clerk David McGee CNZM, QC, in November. Her new appointment takes effect immediately and is for seven years.

The Speaker, Hon Margaret Wilson, said Ms Harris began her parliamentary career in 1987 and since then has led all the Office of the Clerk’s major operational divisions. She was appointed Clerk-Assistant (Select Committees) in 1990 and she has been a member of the senior management team since that time. As Deputy Clerk of the House, she was responsible for the provision of secretariat services for the sittings of the House, parliamentary education and inter-parliamentary relations.

11 December
CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR INTERNAL AFFAIRS ANNOUNCED

The State Services Commissioner, Mark Prebble, announced today the appointment of Brendan Boyle to the position of Chief Executive and Secretary for Internal Affairs, Department of Internal Affairs.

Mr Boyle is currently the Chief Executive for Land Information New Zealand, a position he has held since August 2003.

"Mr Boyle has proven experience as a Public Service chief executive. He has a range of skills and experiences that are relevant to the role of chief executive of the Department of Internal Affairs, including the ability to maintain positive working relationships with Ministers, other government departments and stakeholders.

"The Department of Internal Affairs is a complex organization that provides a range of services supporting government, communities and citizenship. It is responsible for providing information and services on matters relating to local government, identity services, citizenship, community development, gaming, racing, censorship, emergency management and State visits and ceremonies.

"As the incoming chief executive, Brendan Boyle will be required to gain and maintain the confidence of six Ministers, lead approximately 1300 staff in 17 locations in New Zealand and in two offshore locations, and provide visible leadership in areas of the department's expertise and it's contribution to the Development Goals for the State Services," Mark Prebble said.

Mr Boyle takes up his appointment on 4 February 2008.

December 11
FAMILY PARTY APPLIES FOR REGISTRATION

The Family Party has applied for registration under the Electoral Act 1993. Under the Act a party must be registered in order to contest the party vote in a general election.

The Party has similar leadership to Destiny New Zealand which deregistered in October 2007 with the view of forming a new Christian party with former United Future and now independent MP Gordon Copeland. Disagreements over leadership of the proposed party and the timing of announcements led to Mr Copeland withdrawing his support.

4 December
CHIEF OMBUDSMAN DIES

The Chief Ombudsman, John Belgrave, has died after a battle with cancer.

Mr Belgrave had been Chief Ombudsman for four years and was previously chairman of the Commerce Commission after a public service career spanning 40 years.

Ten days ago his colleague Beverley Wakem was appointed Acting Chief Ombudsman because of Mr Belgrave’s extended illness, and he died overnight, aged 67.

He was appointed chief ombudsman in July 2003.