Jump to content

Richard Northey: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
top: pn size in infobox
 
(24 intermediate revisions by 14 users not shown)
Line 2: Line 2:
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
[[File:Auckland pride parade 2016 51.jpg|thumb|Richard Northey on Auckland Pride Parade 2016 holding a sign reading 'I voted for [[Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986|Homosexual Law Reform in 1986]]']]
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Richard Northey
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|size=100%}}
| image = Richard Northey (crop).jpg
| caption = Northey in 1999
| constituency_MP3 = [[Onehunga (New Zealand electorate)|Onehunga]]
| parliament3 = New Zealand
| term_start3 = 6 November 1993
| term_end3 = 12 October 1996
| predecessor3 = [[Grahame Thorne]]
| successor3 = Constituency abolished
| constituency_MP4 = [[Eden (New Zealand electorate)|Eden]]
| parliament4 = New Zealand
| term_start4 = 14 July 1984
| term_end4 = 27 October 1990
| predecessor4 = [[Aussie Malcolm]]
| successor4 = [[Christine Fletcher]]
| birth_date = 28 April 1945
| birth_place = [[Hamilton, New Zealand|Hamilton]], New Zealand
| death_date =
| spouse =
| children =
| profession = Lecturer
| party = [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour]]
|}}

'''Richard John Northey''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|size=85%}} (born 28 April 1945) is a New Zealand politician. He was an [[Member of parliament|MP]] from 1984 to 1990, and again from 1993 to 1996. He served on the [[Auckland Council]] between 2010 and 2013, and is a member of the [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]].
'''Richard John Northey''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|size=85%}} (born 28 April 1945) is a New Zealand politician. He was an [[Member of parliament|MP]] from 1984 to 1990, and again from 1993 to 1996. He served on the [[Auckland Council]] between 2010 and 2013, and is a member of the [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]].


==Biography==
==Political career==
===Early life and career===
Northey was born in [[Hamilton, New Zealand|Hamilton]] in 1945 and was educated at [[Auckland Grammar School]]. He then attended the [[University of Auckland]] where he obtained a [[Bachelor of Science]] in chemistry and physics and a first class [[Master of Arts]] in political science.{{sfn|Who's Who|1993|p=61}}

He then found employment as a youth and recreation officer, arts advisor and employment officer. He became president of the New Zealand Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and served on the committee of the New Zealand Consultative Committee on Disarmament. He was also an executive member of the Auckland District Council of Social Service and Citizens' Advocacy and the president of the [[CARE (New Zealand)|Citizens Association for Racial Equality]] (CARE).{{sfn|Who's Who|1993|p=61-62}}

He joined the [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]] and became chairman of [[Princes Street Labour]] as well as the Eden Central and Orakei branches. Later he was chair of the [[Tāmaki (New Zealand electorate)|Tamaki]] and [[Eden (New Zealand electorate)|Eden]] electorate committees. Northey also was the vice-president, and later president, of the Auckland Labour Regional Council and was a member of Labour's national executive as a youth representative.{{sfn|Who's Who|1993|p=62}}

===Local body politics===
===Local body politics===
Northey first stood as a [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]] candidate for the [[Auckland City Council]] at the [[1968 Auckland City mayoral election|1968 local elections]]. He stood for the council unsuccessfully four times before finally winning a seat at a [[List of by-elections to the Auckland City Council#1979 by-election|by-election]] in February 1979.<ref>{{cite news |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |page=17 |title=Declaration of Result of Election |date=12 February 1979 }}</ref> He lost his seat at the next election in 1980. After exiting the council Northey stood unsuccessfully for Parliament against the then [[Prime Minister of New Zealand|Prime Minister]], [[Robert Muldoon]], in the [[Tāmaki (New Zealand electorate)|Tamaki]] electorate in the [[1981 New Zealand general election|1981 election]]. In the [[1983 Auckland City mayoral election|1983 local elections]] Northey regained a seat on the city council before deciding not to stand for re-election in 1986.{{sfn|Bush|1991|p=434}}
Northey first stood as a [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]] candidate for the [[Auckland City Council]] at the [[1968 Auckland City mayoral election|1968 local elections]]. He stood for the council unsuccessfully four times before finally winning a seat at a [[List of by-elections to the Auckland City Council#1979 by-election|by-election]] in February 1979.<ref>{{cite news |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |page=17 |title=Declaration of Result of Election |date=12 February 1979 }}</ref> He lost his seat at the next election in 1980. After exiting the council Northey stood unsuccessfully for Parliament against the then [[Prime Minister of New Zealand|Prime Minister]], [[Robert Muldoon]], in the [[Tāmaki (New Zealand electorate)|Tamaki]] electorate in the [[1981 New Zealand general election|1981 election]]. In the [[1983 Auckland City mayoral election|1983 local elections]] Northey regained a seat on the city council before deciding not to stand for re-election in 1986.{{sfn|Bush|1991|p=434}}


===Member of Parliament===
===Member of Parliament===
{{NZ parlbox header}}
{{NZ parlbox header |nolist=false|align=left}}
{{NZ parlbox|term=41st|start=[[1984 New Zealand general election|1984]]|end=1987|party=New Zealand Labour Party|electorate=[[Eden (New Zealand electorate)|Eden]]}}
{{NZ parlbox|term=41st|start=[[1984 New Zealand general election|1984]]|end=1987|party=New Zealand Labour Party|electorate=[[Eden (New Zealand electorate)|Eden]]}}
{{NZ parlbox|term=42nd|start=[[1987 New Zealand general election|1987]]|end=1990|party=New Zealand Labour Party|electorate=Eden}}
{{NZ parlbox|term=42nd|start=[[1987 New Zealand general election|1987]]|end=1990|party=New Zealand Labour Party|electorate=Eden}}
Line 16: Line 49:
{{NZ parlbox|term=44th|start=[[1993 New Zealand general election|1993]]|end=1996|party=New Zealand Labour Party|electorate=[[Onehunga (New Zealand electorate)|Onehunga]]}}
{{NZ parlbox|term=44th|start=[[1993 New Zealand general election|1993]]|end=1996|party=New Zealand Labour Party|electorate=[[Onehunga (New Zealand electorate)|Onehunga]]}}
{{NZ parlbox footer}}
{{NZ parlbox footer}}
He was first elected to [[New Zealand Parliament|Parliament]] in the [[1984 New Zealand general election|1984 election]] as MP for [[Eden (New Zealand electorate)|Eden]], replacing National's [[Anthony George Malcolm|Aussie Malcolm]].{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=221}} He was re-elected in the [[1987 New Zealand general election|1987 election]], but was defeated in the [[New Zealand National Party|National Party]]'s landslide victory in the [[1990 New Zealand general election|1990 election]]. In [[1990 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election|September 1990]] he stood for the Labour Party leadership against Foreign Affairs Minister [[Mike Moore (New Zealand politician)|Mike Moore]]. His candidature was a surprise to most given that he was not a member of cabinet. He was defeated by Moore by the wide margin of 41 votes to 15.{{sfn|Bassett|2008|p=536}}
He was first elected to [[New Zealand Parliament|Parliament]] in the [[1984 New Zealand general election|1984 election]] as MP for [[Eden (New Zealand electorate)|Eden]], replacing National's [[Anthony George Malcolm|Aussie Malcolm]].{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=221}} He was re-elected in the [[1987 New Zealand general election|1987 election]], but was defeated in the [[New Zealand National Party|National Party]]'s landslide victory in the [[1990 New Zealand general election|1990 election]]. During this time he was chair of the Auckland Labour MPs Lobby.{{sfn|Who's Who|1993|p=62}} In 1986 Northey led the New Zealand government's youth delegation to [[China]], attended the inter-parliamentary union conference in [[Bangkok]] in 1987 and was a delegate at the first parliamentary conference on the global environment in Washington in 1990.{{sfn|Who's Who|1993|p=62}} In [[1990 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election|September 1990]] he stood for the Labour Party leadership against Foreign Affairs Minister [[Mike Moore (New Zealand politician)|Mike Moore]]. His candidature was a surprise to most given that he was not a member of cabinet. He was defeated by Moore by the wide margin of 41 votes to 15.{{sfn|Bassett|2008|p=536}}


After losing his seat in 1990, he attempted to regain a seat on the Auckland City Council. He stood as a candidate in a [[List of by-elections to the Auckland City Council#1991 by-election, Maungakiekie Ward|1991 by-election]] for the Maungakiekie Ward, finishing runner-up to Ken Graham.{{sfn|Bassett|2013|p=382}}
After losing his seat in 1990, he attempted to regain a seat on the Auckland City Council. He stood as a candidate in a [[List of by-elections to the Auckland City Council#1991 by-election, Maungakiekie Ward|1991 by-election]] for the Maungakiekie Ward, finishing runner-up to Ken Graham.{{sfn|Bassett|2013|p=382}}


In the [[1993 New Zealand general election|1993 election]] he returned to Parliament, now representing [[Onehunga (New Zealand electorate)|Onehunga]] which he took off National's [[Grahame Thorne]]. In the [[1996 New Zealand general election|1996 election]] he contested the [[Maungakiekie (New Zealand electorate)|Maungakiekie]] seat after boundary changes caused by the introduction of [[Mixed-member proportional representation|mixed-member proportional]] (MMP) representation, but was defeated by National's [[Belinda Vernon]]. He was not ranked high enough on Labour's list to remain in Parliament.
In the [[1993 New Zealand general election|1993 election]] he returned to Parliament, now representing [[Onehunga (New Zealand electorate)|Onehunga]] which he took off National's [[Grahame Thorne]]. He was selected as the Labour candidate in Onehunga in preference to Chris Diack, a supporter of controversial former finance minister [[Roger Douglas]]. After missing out on the nomination Diack and his allies in the branch drained the electorate cash accounts by lump paying more than $6000 in outstanding debts to party headquarters, leaving just $7 to fund Northey's campaign in an act of spite. They then took ownership of an income-earning rental house from the Onehunga Labour Party and used it to instead fund the [[ACT New Zealand|ACT Party]] (to whom Diack defected to in 1994) before finally being returned to the Labour Party after a long legal case in 2004.<ref>{{cite news |title=Saga of Onehunga Labour Party house ends with whimper |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=13 December 2004 |page=A2 }}</ref>

After re-entering Parliament Northey was aligned to [[Helen Clark]] who replaced Moore as leader. Clark appointed him Labour's Shadow Minister of Local Government and Youth Affairs.<ref>{{cite news |work=[[The Dominion (Wellington)|The Dominion]] |title=The Labour Shadow Cabinet |date=14 December 1993 |page=2 }}</ref> In a 1995 reshuffle he was also given the disarmament and arms control portfolio.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Simon |last=Kilroy |title=Caygill takes over as Labour spokesman for foreign affairs |date=28 February 1995 |work=[[The Dominion (Wellington)|The Dominion]] |page=2 }}</ref> In the [[1996 New Zealand general election|1996 election]] he contested the [[Maungakiekie (New Zealand electorate)|Maungakiekie]] seat after boundary changes caused by the introduction of [[Mixed-member proportional representation|mixed-member proportional]] (MMP) representation, but was defeated in an upset by National's [[Belinda Vernon]]. He was not ranked high enough on Labour's list to remain in Parliament.

In June 2020 it was revealed that the [[New Zealand Security Intelligence Service]] had spied upon Northey during his time in Parliament, under the pretext of his support for racial equality and nuclear disarmament.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/the-service/418609/sis-spied-on-labour-mp-richard-northey |title=SIS spied on Labour MP Richard Northey |publisher=[[Radio NZ]] |date=9 June 2020 |access-date=9 June 2020}}</ref> At the time he was chair of the Justice and Law Reform Select Committee, which was responsible for financial oversight of the SIS, and of legislation altering its powers.


===Return to local politics===
===Return to local politics===
{{AC header}}
{{AC header}}
{{Auckland Council|colour=pink|affiliation=[[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour]]|ward=[[Maungakiekie-Tāmaki ward|Maungakiekie-Tāmaki]]|start=[[2010 Auckland local elections|2010]]|end=2013}}
{{Auckland Council|colour={{#invoke:Political party|fetch|New Zealand Labour Party|color}}|affiliation=[[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour]]|ward=[[Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Ward|Maungakiekie-Tāmaki]]|start=[[2010 Auckland local elections|2010]]|end=2013}}
{{end}}
{{end}}
He has since entered local politics, serving on the [[Auckland City Council]] holding senior committee roles. He was elected to the Penrose Ward in 1998 until 2001 when he changed to the Maungakiekie-Tamaki Ward, holding his seat until the council was abolished in 2010.{{sfn|Bassett|2013|p=370}} In 2007, Richard Northey became leader of the [[City Vision (Auckland, New Zealand political ticket)|City Vision]]-Labour bloc on council.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10448157 |title=Isolated Hucker vows to fight on |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=27 June 2007 |accessdate=26 September 2016}}</ref>
He has since entered local politics, serving on the [[Auckland City Council]] holding senior committee roles. He was elected to the Penrose Ward in 1998 until 2001 when he changed to the Maungakiekie-Tamaki Ward, holding his seat until the council was abolished in 2010.{{sfn|Bassett|2013|p=370}} In 2007, Richard Northey became leader of the [[City Vision (Auckland, New Zealand political ticket)|City Vision]]-Labour bloc on council.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10448157 |title=Isolated Hucker vows to fight on |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=27 June 2007 |access-date=26 September 2016}}</ref>


Northey became member of Labour's national council for six years and was chairman of the party's policy committee. In 2000 he stood unsuccessfully to replace [[Bob Harvey (mayor)|Bob Harvey]] as President of the Labour Party, but was defeated by [[Mike Williams (New Zealand politician)|Mike Williams]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=146795 |title=Ex-MP in bid for Labour president post |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=4 August 2000 |accessdate=1 May 2019 }}</ref>
Northey became a member of Labour's national council for six years and was chairman of the party's policy committee. In 2000 he stood unsuccessfully to replace [[Bob Harvey (mayor)|Bob Harvey]] as President of the Labour Party, but was defeated by [[Mike Williams (New Zealand politician)|Mike Williams]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=146795 |title=Ex-MP in bid for Labour president post |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=4 August 2000 |access-date=1 May 2019 }}</ref>


He was elected to the new [[Auckland Council]] in 2010, representing the [[Maungakiekie-Tāmaki ward]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11132422 |title=Super City elections 2013: Challenger out to unseat Northey – National – NZ Herald News |website=Nzherald.co.nz |date=1 October 2013 |accessdate=26 September 2016}}</ref>
He was elected to the new [[Auckland Council]] in 2010, representing the [[Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Ward]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11132422 |title=Super City elections 2013: Challenger out to unseat Northey – National – NZ Herald News |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=1 October 2013 |access-date=26 September 2016}}</ref>
In 2013 he contested the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Ward again but was defeated by [[Denise Krum]].
In 2013 he contested the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Ward again but was defeated by [[Denise Krum]].


At the [[2016 Auckland local elections|2016 Auckland elections]], Northey was elected as a member of the Waitematā Local Board for the [[City Vision (political ticket)|City Vision]] ticket.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/HowCouncilWorks/Elections/Documents/Confirmedlocalelectionresults2016.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=15 October 2016 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019000339/http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/HowCouncilWorks/Elections/Documents/Confirmedlocalelectionresults2016.pdf |archivedate=19 October 2016 |df=dmy }}</ref>
At the [[2016 Auckland local elections|2016 Auckland elections]], Northey was elected as a member of the Waitematā Local Board for the [[City Vision (political ticket)|City Vision]] ticket.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/HowCouncilWorks/Elections/Documents/Confirmedlocalelectionresults2016.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=15 October 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161019000339/http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/HowCouncilWorks/Elections/Documents/Confirmedlocalelectionresults2016.pdf |archive-date=19 October 2016 |df=dmy }}</ref> He was re-elected in the 2019 Auckland local elections, and was subsequently elected Chair of the Local Board.


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
[[File:Auckland pride parade 2016 51.jpg|thumb|Richard Northey on Auckland Pride Parade 2016 holding a sign reading 'I voted for [[Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986|Homosexual Law Reform in 1986]]']]
Northey was a [[lecturer]] in political studies and planning at the [[University of Auckland]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/alumni/af-alumni-groups-and-contacts/af-the-university-of-auckland-society/about-the-society/executive-committee |title=Archived copy |accessdate=5 October 2013 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007073858/https://www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/alumni/af-alumni-groups-and-contacts/af-the-university-of-auckland-society/about-the-society/executive-committee |archivedate=7 October 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref> In the [[2002 New Year Honours]], he was appointed an [[Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit]], for public services.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2002 |title=New Year honours list 2002 |date=31 December 2001 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |accessdate=1 May 2019}}</ref>
He was a [[lecturer]] in political studies and planning at the [[University of Auckland]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/alumni/af-alumni-groups-and-contacts/af-the-university-of-auckland-society/about-the-society/executive-committee |title=Executive committee- the University of Auckland |access-date=5 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007073858/https://www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/alumni/af-alumni-groups-and-contacts/af-the-university-of-auckland-society/about-the-society/executive-committee |archive-date=7 October 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref> In the [[2002 New Year Honours (New Zealand)|2002 New Year Honours]], he was appointed an [[Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit]], for public services.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2002 |title=New Year honours list 2002 |date=31 December 2001 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=1 May 2019}}</ref>


==Notes==
==Notes==
Line 42: Line 80:


==References==
==References==
{{commons category}}
*{{cite book |ref= harv |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |origyear= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher= V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc=154283103}}
* {{cite book |last=Bush |first=Graham |date=1991 |title=Advance in order: the Auckland City Council from centenary to reorganisation, 1971-1989 |publisher=Auckland City Council |isbn=0908834039 }}
*{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-year= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher= V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc=154283103}}
* {{cite book |last=Bassett |first=Michael |authorlink= Michael Bassett |date=2013 |title=City of Sails: the History of Auckland City Council, 1989-2010 |location= |publisher= |isbn=1927262003 }}
*{{cite book |last=Bush |first=Graham |date=1991 |title=Advance in order: the Auckland City Council from centenary to reorganisation, 1971–1989 |publisher=Auckland City Council |isbn=0908834039 }}
*{{cite book | ref=harv | last= Bassett | first= Michael | authorlink=Michael Bassett | title=Working with David: Inside the Lange Cabinet | edition= | origyear= | year=2008 | publisher=Hodder Moa | location=Auckland | isbn=978-1-86971-094-1 | oclc=}}
*{{cite book |last=Bassett |first=Michael |author-link= Michael Bassett |date=2013 |title=City of Sails: the History of Auckland City Council, 1989-2010 |isbn=978-1927262009 }}
*{{cite book | last= Bassett | first= Michael | author-link=Michael Bassett | title=Working with David: Inside the Lange Cabinet | year=2008 | publisher=Hodder Moa | location=Auckland | isbn=978-1-86971-094-1 }}
*{{cite book |title=Who's Who in the New Zealand Parliament 1993 |location=Wellington |publisher=[[New Zealand House of Representatives|Parliamentary Service]] |date=1993 |ref={{harvid|Who's Who|1993}}}}


{{s-start}}
{{s-start}}
Line 62: Line 102:
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People educated at Auckland Grammar School]]
[[Category:University of Auckland alumni]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Auckland]]
[[Category:New Zealand Labour Party MPs]]
[[Category:New Zealand Labour Party MPs]]
[[Category:Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit]]
[[Category:Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit]]

Latest revision as of 03:23, 12 September 2024

Richard Northey
Northey in 1999
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Onehunga
In office
6 November 1993 – 12 October 1996
Preceded byGrahame Thorne
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Eden
In office
14 July 1984 – 27 October 1990
Preceded byAussie Malcolm
Succeeded byChristine Fletcher
Personal details
Born28 April 1945
Hamilton, New Zealand
Political partyLabour
ProfessionLecturer

Richard John Northey ONZM (born 28 April 1945) is a New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1984 to 1990, and again from 1993 to 1996. He served on the Auckland Council between 2010 and 2013, and is a member of the Labour Party.

Biography

[edit]

Early life and career

[edit]

Northey was born in Hamilton in 1945 and was educated at Auckland Grammar School. He then attended the University of Auckland where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and physics and a first class Master of Arts in political science.[1]

He then found employment as a youth and recreation officer, arts advisor and employment officer. He became president of the New Zealand Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and served on the committee of the New Zealand Consultative Committee on Disarmament. He was also an executive member of the Auckland District Council of Social Service and Citizens' Advocacy and the president of the Citizens Association for Racial Equality (CARE).[2]

He joined the Labour Party and became chairman of Princes Street Labour as well as the Eden Central and Orakei branches. Later he was chair of the Tamaki and Eden electorate committees. Northey also was the vice-president, and later president, of the Auckland Labour Regional Council and was a member of Labour's national executive as a youth representative.[3]

Local body politics

[edit]

Northey first stood as a Labour Party candidate for the Auckland City Council at the 1968 local elections. He stood for the council unsuccessfully four times before finally winning a seat at a by-election in February 1979.[4] He lost his seat at the next election in 1980. After exiting the council Northey stood unsuccessfully for Parliament against the then Prime Minister, Robert Muldoon, in the Tamaki electorate in the 1981 election. In the 1983 local elections Northey regained a seat on the city council before deciding not to stand for re-election in 1986.[5]

Member of Parliament

[edit]
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1984–1987 41st Eden Labour
1987–1990 42nd Eden Labour
1993–1996 44th Onehunga Labour

He was first elected to Parliament in the 1984 election as MP for Eden, replacing National's Aussie Malcolm.[6] He was re-elected in the 1987 election, but was defeated in the National Party's landslide victory in the 1990 election. During this time he was chair of the Auckland Labour MPs Lobby.[3] In 1986 Northey led the New Zealand government's youth delegation to China, attended the inter-parliamentary union conference in Bangkok in 1987 and was a delegate at the first parliamentary conference on the global environment in Washington in 1990.[3] In September 1990 he stood for the Labour Party leadership against Foreign Affairs Minister Mike Moore. His candidature was a surprise to most given that he was not a member of cabinet. He was defeated by Moore by the wide margin of 41 votes to 15.[7]

After losing his seat in 1990, he attempted to regain a seat on the Auckland City Council. He stood as a candidate in a 1991 by-election for the Maungakiekie Ward, finishing runner-up to Ken Graham.[8]

In the 1993 election he returned to Parliament, now representing Onehunga which he took off National's Grahame Thorne. He was selected as the Labour candidate in Onehunga in preference to Chris Diack, a supporter of controversial former finance minister Roger Douglas. After missing out on the nomination Diack and his allies in the branch drained the electorate cash accounts by lump paying more than $6000 in outstanding debts to party headquarters, leaving just $7 to fund Northey's campaign in an act of spite. They then took ownership of an income-earning rental house from the Onehunga Labour Party and used it to instead fund the ACT Party (to whom Diack defected to in 1994) before finally being returned to the Labour Party after a long legal case in 2004.[9]

After re-entering Parliament Northey was aligned to Helen Clark who replaced Moore as leader. Clark appointed him Labour's Shadow Minister of Local Government and Youth Affairs.[10] In a 1995 reshuffle he was also given the disarmament and arms control portfolio.[11] In the 1996 election he contested the Maungakiekie seat after boundary changes caused by the introduction of mixed-member proportional (MMP) representation, but was defeated in an upset by National's Belinda Vernon. He was not ranked high enough on Labour's list to remain in Parliament.

In June 2020 it was revealed that the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service had spied upon Northey during his time in Parliament, under the pretext of his support for racial equality and nuclear disarmament.[12] At the time he was chair of the Justice and Law Reform Select Committee, which was responsible for financial oversight of the SIS, and of legislation altering its powers.

Return to local politics

[edit]
Auckland Council
Years Ward Affiliation
2010–2013 Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Labour

He has since entered local politics, serving on the Auckland City Council holding senior committee roles. He was elected to the Penrose Ward in 1998 until 2001 when he changed to the Maungakiekie-Tamaki Ward, holding his seat until the council was abolished in 2010.[13] In 2007, Richard Northey became leader of the City Vision-Labour bloc on council.[14]

Northey became a member of Labour's national council for six years and was chairman of the party's policy committee. In 2000 he stood unsuccessfully to replace Bob Harvey as President of the Labour Party, but was defeated by Mike Williams.[15]

He was elected to the new Auckland Council in 2010, representing the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Ward.[16] In 2013 he contested the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Ward again but was defeated by Denise Krum.

At the 2016 Auckland elections, Northey was elected as a member of the Waitematā Local Board for the City Vision ticket.[17] He was re-elected in the 2019 Auckland local elections, and was subsequently elected Chair of the Local Board.

Personal life

[edit]
Richard Northey on Auckland Pride Parade 2016 holding a sign reading 'I voted for Homosexual Law Reform in 1986'

He was a lecturer in political studies and planning at the University of Auckland.[18] In the 2002 New Year Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for public services.[19]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Who's Who 1993, p. 61.
  2. ^ Who's Who 1993, p. 61-62.
  3. ^ a b c Who's Who 1993, p. 62.
  4. ^ "Declaration of Result of Election". The New Zealand Herald. 12 February 1979. p. 17.
  5. ^ Bush 1991, p. 434.
  6. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 221.
  7. ^ Bassett 2008, p. 536.
  8. ^ Bassett 2013, p. 382.
  9. ^ "Saga of Onehunga Labour Party house ends with whimper". The New Zealand Herald. 13 December 2004. p. A2.
  10. ^ "The Labour Shadow Cabinet". The Dominion. 14 December 1993. p. 2.
  11. ^ Kilroy, Simon (28 February 1995). "Caygill takes over as Labour spokesman for foreign affairs". The Dominion. p. 2.
  12. ^ "SIS spied on Labour MP Richard Northey". Radio NZ. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  13. ^ Bassett 2013, p. 370.
  14. ^ "Isolated Hucker vows to fight on". The New Zealand Herald. 27 June 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  15. ^ "Ex-MP in bid for Labour president post". The New Zealand Herald. 4 August 2000. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  16. ^ "Super City elections 2013: Challenger out to unseat Northey – National – NZ Herald News". The New Zealand Herald. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  17. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. ^ "Executive committee- the University of Auckland". Archived from the original on 7 October 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  19. ^ "New Year honours list 2002". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2001. Retrieved 1 May 2019.

References

[edit]
  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
  • Bush, Graham (1991). Advance in order: the Auckland City Council from centenary to reorganisation, 1971–1989. Auckland City Council. ISBN 0908834039.
  • Bassett, Michael (2013). City of Sails: the History of Auckland City Council, 1989-2010. ISBN 978-1927262009.
  • Bassett, Michael (2008). Working with David: Inside the Lange Cabinet. Auckland: Hodder Moa. ISBN 978-1-86971-094-1.
  • Who's Who in the New Zealand Parliament 1993. Wellington: Parliamentary Service. 1993.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Eden
1984–1990
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Onehunga
1993–1996
Constituency abolished