- Chris Carter (politician)
-
The Honourable
Chris Carter
MP
Minister of Conservation In office
15 August 2002 – 5 November 2007Prime Minister Helen Clark Preceded by Sandra Lee Succeeded by Stephanie Chadwick Minister of Ethnic Affairs In office
15 August 2002 – 19 November 2008Prime Minister Helen Clark Preceded by George Warren Hawkins Succeeded by Pansy Wong Minister of Local Government In office
15 August 2002 – 19 October 2005Prime Minister Helen Clark Succeeded by Nanaia Mahuta Minister of Housing In office
19 October 2005 – 5 November 2007Prime Minister Helen Clark Succeeded by Maryan Street Minister for Building Issues In office
21 December 2004 – 19 October 2005Prime Minister Helen Clark 43rd Minister of Education In office
5 November 2007 – 19 October 2008Prime Minister Helen Clark Preceded by Steve Maharey Succeeded by Anne Tolley Minister Responsible for the Education Review Office In office
5 November 2007 – 19 October 2008Prime Minister Helen Clark Succeeded by Anne Tolley Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Te AtatuIncumbent Assumed office
27 November 1999In office
6 November 1993 – 12 October 1996Preceded by Brian Neeson Personal details Born 4 May 1952
Auckland,
New ZealandNationality 
New ZealandPolitical party Independent Domestic partner Peter Kaiser[1] Occupation Former secondary school teacher Cabinet N/A Committees N/A Christopher Joseph Carter[2] (born 4 May 1952) was an independent Member of Parliament in New Zealand, and a former member of the New Zealand Labour Party until his expulsion. Carter was a senior Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand, serving lastly as Minister of Education, Minister Responsible for the Education Review Office and Minister of Ethnic Affairs.[3] He was the Member of Parliament for the Te Atatu electorate, where he was first elected in 1993. He did not win re-election (to Waipareira) in 1996, but won a new and expanded Te Atatu seat in 1999. In 2010 he was suspended from the Labour Party caucus following a dispute with party leader Phil Goff, shortly afterwards he became an independent MP.[4][5] He was expelled by the Labour Party for breaching the Party's constitution in bringing the Party in disrepute, on 11 October 2010.[6]
In September 2011 Carter resigned from Parliament following his appointment to a United Nations position in Afghanistan.
Contents
Early and personal life
Chris Carter was born on 4 May 1952, and brought up in the Auckland suburb of Panmure. He was educated at St Peter's College, Auckland and at the University of Auckland where he received an MA(Hons) in history.
Before entering politics, Carter had served as a teacher and as a poultry farmer. His partner is Peter Kaiser, a headmaster, and they have been together for over 30 years. On February 10, 2007, Carter and Kaiser were joined[7] in the first civil union for a Cabinet Minister or Member of Parliament since civil unions in New Zealand were introduced after legislation was passed in December 2004.
Member of Parliament
Parliament of New Zealand Years Term Electorate List Party 1993–1996 44th Te Atatu Labour 1999–2002 46th Te Atatu 34 Labour 2002–2005 47th Te Atatu 25 Labour 2005–2008 48th Te Atatu 19 Labour 2008–2010 49th Te Atatu 7 Labour 2010–2011 Changed allegiance to: Independent Carter was the first openly gay man ever appointed as a New Zealand Cabinet minister. He has been a strong advocate of gay equality for some time, and has continued this role since entering Parliament. He also started one of the first branches of New Zealand Rainbow Labour for centre-left lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgendered people (LGBT) and others during the 1996-1999 term, during which he temporarily lost a seat during Mixed Member Proportional electoral system restructuring.
At the 2005 general election, Carter was re-elected to his seat with 59.2% of the vote, a majority of 9,165.
Labour lost power in the 2008 general election. Carter was re-elected, but his majority was reduced to 5,298.[8]
On 14 June 2010, 4 days after the release of ministerial credit card records, Carter along with two other MPs Shane Jones MP and Mita Ririnui MP (Lab - Lists) were demoted by Opposition Leader Phil Goff MP (Lab - Mt. Roskill) for misuse of such credit cards. In the case of Carter, he was accused of purchasing personal items with the card, which was outside the rules for Ministerial expenditure as a minister under the former Clark government over a six-year period. Carter has since repaid the money in full. Carter's demotion included removal from the front bench, and loss of the shadow portfolio of Foreign Affairs. Carter subsequently speculated publicly about whether he would continue as a Member of Parliament.
Removal from caucus
On 29 July 2010 Carter was suspended from the Labour Party caucus for allegedly being behind an anonymous letter sent around the Press Gallery claiming there was a leadership challenge against Phil Goff; a charge he has since admitted.[4] On 17 August 2010, Speaker Lockwood Smith announced that Chris Carter was officially an independent MP.[5]
Post-parliamentary career
In early September 2011 Carter was appointed as director of the Governance Unit of the United Nations mission in Kabul, Afghanistan, with responsibility in assisting the Afghan government in fighting corruption.[9] His parliamentary seat will remain vacant until the 26 November 2011 election as there is no requirement to hold a by-election when there is less than six months to a general election.
References
- ^ Meng-Yee, Carolyne (13 June 2010). "Big-spending MP may quit". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10651533. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
- ^ "New Zealand Hansard - Members Sworn Volume:651;Page:2". Parliament of New Zealand. http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Debates/Debates/5/c/4/49HansD_20081208_00000010-Members-Sworn.htm.
- ^ "Ministerial List for Announcement on 31 October 2007" (DOC) (Press release). New Zealand Government. 2007-10-31. http://www.beehive.govt.nz/Documents/Files/Ministerial%20List.DOC.
- ^ a b "Ousted MP's letter "stupid and disloyal"". Television New Zealand. 29 July 2010. http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/labour-suspends-mole-chris-carter-3678696. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
- ^ a b "Speaker: Chris Carter now an independent". The New Zealand Herald. 17 August 2010. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10666782. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
- ^ "Carter tells Labour council: I'll dish dirt on senior MPs". The New Zealand Herald. 12 October 2010. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10680164. Retrieved 2010-10-25].
- ^ McNaughton, Maggie; Perry, Keith (10 February 2007). "Minister to marry in gay union". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10423319. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
- ^ Te Atatu results 2008.
- ^ "MP Carter leaves Te Atatu for UN job in Afghanistan". New Zealand Herald. 1 September 2011. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10748665. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
Further reading
- Allan, James (ed.) (1996). Growing up gay: New Zealand men tell their stories. Auckland, [N.Z.]: Godwit. ISBN 0-908-87784-6
- For some more biographical details: List of alumni of St Peter's College, Auckland
External links
Parliament of New Zealand Preceded by
Brian NeesonMember of Parliament for Te Atatu
1993–1996
1999 – presentVacant Seat abolished (recreated in 1999)Vacant Seat recreated (abolished in 1996)Incumbent Political offices Preceded by
Steve MahareyMinister of Education
2007–2008Succeeded by
Anne TolleyCategories:- 1952 births
- Gay politicians
- LGBT politicians from New Zealand
- Living people
- Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand
- Ministers of Housing (New Zealand)
- New Zealand educators
- New Zealand farmers
- New Zealand Labour Party MPs
- People from the Auckland Region
- University of Auckland alumni
- Former students of St Peter's College, Auckland
- Independent MPs of New Zealand
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