John Carter (New Zealand politician)

John McGregor Carter QSO (born 8 May 1950) is a New Zealand politician, and member of the National Party. He represented the Bay of Islands, Far North and Northland electorates in Parliament from 1987 until July 2011, when he became New Zealand's High Commissioner to the Cook Islands. Since the October 2013 local elections, he has been mayor of the Far North District.

The Honourable

John Carter

QSO
Minister of Civil Defence
In office
19 November 2008 – 8 June 2011
Prime MinisterJohn Key
Preceded byRick Barker
Succeeded byCraig Foss
Minister for Senior Citizens
In office
19 November 2008 – 8 June 2011
Prime MinisterJohn Key
Preceded byRuth Dyson
Succeeded byCraig Foss
8th Minister of Racing
In office
19 November 2008 – 8 June 2011
Prime MinisterJohn Key
Preceded byWinston Peters
Succeeded byCraig Foss
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Northland
In office
1996 – 17 July 2011
Preceded bynew electorate
Succeeded byMike Sabin
Majority10,054 (29.89%)
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Far North
In office
1993 – 1996
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Bay of Islands
In office
1987 – 1993
Preceded byNeill Austin
Personal details
Born (1950-05-08) 8 May 1950
Te Kōpuru, New Zealand
Political partyNational Party
OccupationLocal government official
Websitejohncarter.co.nz

Early life

He was born in Te Kōpuru, Northland and educated at Otamatea District High School.[1] Before entering politics, Carter worked as a local government administration official.[2] Carter is married, and has one daughter and two sons.[2]

Political career
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
1987–1990 42nd Bay of Islands National
1990–1993 43rd Bay of Islands National
1993–1996 44th Far North National
1996–1999 45th Northland 34 National
1999–2002 46th Northland 16 National
2002–2005 47th Northland 21 National
2005–2008 48th Northland 15 National
2008–2011 49th Northland 21 National

Carter was elected to Parliament in the 1987 election, winning the Bay of Islands electorate.[3] He continued to represent the area when the seat changed names to Far North in 1993 and later Northland. The National Party came to power in the 1990 election and Carter was appointed as the Junior Government Whip, and later Senior Government Whip until 1995 and again from 1996 to mid-2004.

Carter was sacked as whip in 1995, after he phoned into a talkback radio show, hosted by fellow National MP John Banks, impersonating a work-shy Māori called Hone, causing widespread offence.[4]

In February 2011, the government announced that Carter would be the next High Commissioner to the Cook Islands.[5] He left Parliament in July 2011,[2] but his departure did not result in a by-election, as the vacancy occurred within six months of the next general election.[6] On 13 June 2011 Carter was granted the right[7] to retain the title of The Honourable for his lifetime. He retired as New Zealand's High Commissioner to the Cook Islands in July 2013.

Carter returned to the Far North District of New Zealand, successfully running for Mayor of the District in October 2013.[8] He was re-elected for a third term in 2019.[9] He lives at Waipapakauri Ramp[9] on Ninety Mile Beach.

Political views

Carter is a supporter of the monarchy in New Zealand. In 1992, a year described by Queen Elizabeth II as her annus horribilis, Carter called on New Zealanders to write in to express their support for her, having written to The Times of London criticising the British media's apparent lack of respect towards the Queen. Inundated with letters of support, he remarked that "we wanted her to know we cared". In March 1994 he publicly disavowed Prime Minister Jim Bolger's call for a New Zealand republic.

Honours

In 1990, Carter was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[10] In the 2012 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for services as a Member of Parliament.[11]

References
  1. Temple, Philip (1994). Temple’s Guide to the 44th New Zealand Parliament. Dunedin: McIndoe Publishers. p. 57. ISBN 0 86868 159 8.
  2. "Hon John Carter". New Zealand Parliament. 17 July 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  3. (8 December 2008) 651 Archived 23 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine NZPD 2.
  4. Edmunds, Susan (22 September 2013). "Battle of the motormouths]". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  5. "McCully names new High Commissioner to the Cook Islands". New Zealand Government. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
  6. Trevett, Claire (8 June 2011). "MP pleads for laughter and leniency as he goes". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  7. Retention of the title 'The Honourable' (13 June 2011) 83 New Zealand Gazette 2038.
  8. "Auckland, Wellington stick with incumbents". stuff.co.nz. 12 October 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  9. de Graaf, Peter (12 October 2019). "Local elections: Carter returned for third term as Far North mayor". Northland Age. Retrieved 17 January 2020 – via The New Zealand Herald.
  10. Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 92. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
  11. "New Year honours list 2012". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
Political offices
Preceded by
Rick Barker		 Minister of Civil Defence
2008–2011		 Succeeded by
Craig Foss
Preceded by
Ruth Dyson		 Minister for Senior Citizens
2008–2011
Preceded by
Winston Peters		 Minister of Racing
2008–2011
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
Neill Austin		 Member of Parliament for Bay of Islands
1987–1993		 Constituency abolished
New constituency Member of Parliament for Far North
1993–1996
Member of Parliament for Northland
1996–2011		 Succeeded by
Mike Sabin
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