Taito Phillip Field

Taito Phillip Hans Field, a New Zealand politician, is currently the Member of Parliament (MP) for Mangere.

Early life

Born in Apia the capital of Samoa on 26 September,1952, he gained the name of "Taito", the matai (paramount chief) title of the village of Manase on Savai'i, Samoa, in 1975. He has Samoan, Cook Island, German, English, and Jewish ancestry. He functioned as a pioneering figure for Pacific Islanders while in the Labour Party.

Member of Parliament

Field first became a Member of Parliament when elected by the South Auckland seat of Otara in the 1993 elections. He had stood for Otara in 1990 to replace Colin Moyle who was retiring, but with the swing against Labour in 1990 he was defeated by Trevor Rogers of National.

From 1996 he has served as MP for Mangere, in succession to David Lange. He held the position of Minister outside Cabinet, with the portfolios of Associate Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment, and Associate Minister for Justice until he was stood down in 2005.

In the 2005 general election, Field won a majority of more than 16,000 over his nearest opponent, Clem Simich of the National Party, this was the greatest majority in any electorate seat in New Zealand.

Conflict of interest allegations

In 2005, Field was stood down from his ministerial posts following controversies around allegations that he had improperly used his influence as an MP to receive material gain. In particular, it was alleged that he had used his position as a Member of Parliament to obtain a work permit for a non-resident who had worked as a tiler at reduced hourly rates on his home in Samoa. It was also alleged that Field had used his position to obtain a discounted price for a property deal he had constructed with low-income welfare beneficiaries in his electorate. An inquiry cleared him of any conflict of interest, but did criticise his judgement over the events. [cite web|title=Inquiry questions MP Field's judgment |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/search/story.cfm?storyid=000C3FD7-316B-14BC-9DE583027AF1010F |accessdate=2007-05-03]

Further allegations of improper behaviour were made by the Television New Zealand "Sunday" program on 27 August 2006, which led to Prime Minister Helen Clark saying that Field should reconsider his future as an MP. [cite web|title=Clark says Field's future as MP in doubt|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10398423|accessdate=2007-05-03] Police launched an investigation the following day into claims that Field had benefited from helping people with immigration applications. Field was put on indefinite paid leave from Parliament by the Labour Party. [cite web|title=Supporters welcome police investigation into Field |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10399052 |accessdate=2007-05-03] After Field made comments to the media that he may run against the Labour Party in a future election, steps were taken on 13 February 2007 by Labour to expel Field from the party.

Independent

On 14 February 2007, Field was formally expelled from the Parliamentary Labour Party. This was announced by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Margaret Wilson. To forestall moves to expel him from the Labour Party, Field resigned on 16 February 2007, returning to Parliament as an independent, but promising to support the Government's legislative programme; [cite web|title=Labour to get Field's vote despite resignation |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10424300 |accessdate=2007-05-03] However, on 21 February, he voted against the Labour Party on Green MP Sue Bradford's Members' Bill to amend Section 59 of the "Crimes Act, 1961".

New political party

The Sunday Star-Times reported on 15 April 2007 that Field is to form a new political party, based on family values. Mr Field cited opposition to Sue Bradford's Bill to remove the defence for child discipline as an example of a "groundswell of Christian people" and stated "There is a vacuum, there is room for a political party... people are looking for a new vehicle."cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4027099a6160.html |title=Dumped MP bases new party on family |author=Sunday Star-Times|accessdate=2007-04-17 |publisher=Fairfax] Mr Field has also had meetings with Destiny Church political party Destiny New Zealand leader Richard Lewis over a possible alliance.cite web| url=http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=116347 |title=Destiny Church and Phillip Field alliance? |author=Newstalk ZB |accessdate=2007-05-03]

In January 2008, Field moved to register the New Zealand Pacific Party [cite news|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5WLpqVm4m|archivedate=2008-03-16|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/4408370a6160.html|title=Field moves to register 'Pacific Party'|publisher=Fairfax New Zealand|date=20 February 2008]

Corruption charges

On 24 May 2007, police announced that they would seek the leave of the High Court to lay corruption charges against Field (a necessary procedural step when such are laid in New Zealand). The offence, corruption and bribery of a member of Parliament, carries a maximum sentence of 7 years' imprisonment, and Field faces 14 charges. If Field is convicted, his Parliamentary seat will be vacated, and a by-election may be held (which will depend on when it occurs - if it is within six months of an election a by-election is not automatic). [cite web|title=Police seek to charge Taito Phillip Field with bribery |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10441505 |accessdate=2007-05-24] [cite web|title=Taito Phillip Field case: The law |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10441529 |accessdate=2007-05-27]

At a press conference following the police announcement, Field asserted his innocence of the charges and expressed his intention to fight both the laying of the charges at the leave hearing, and any charges that might result from the police application. [cite web|title=TVNZ coverage of press conference|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411749/1145757 |accessdate=2007-05-24] [cite web|title=Taito Phillip Field: I have not broken the law |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10441505&pnum=0 |accessdate=2007-05-24] On 5 October 2007 the High Court ruled that the Police could lay corruption charges against Field.cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/4227154a6160.html|title=Field to face corruption charges|publisher=Stuff.co.nz|date=5 October 2007|accessdate=2007-05-10] The Thai tiler at the centre of the corruption allegations, Sunan Siriwan, has also announced he will sue Field for $200,000 compensation for the year's work he undertook on Field's property in Samoa.cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10468415|title=Tiler to sue Taito Phillip Field|publisher=New Zealand Herald|date=7 October 2007|accessdate=2007-07-10]

Field appeared in court on 26 November 2007 to 15 counts of bribery and 25 of attempting to pervert the court of justice, and was released on bail until 12 December without entering a plea. [cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10478379|title=MP bailed on bribery charges|publisher=New Zealand Herald|date=26 November 2007]

Illegal building

Field and his company TP Field Developments admitted illegally converting a garage into a family room and a carport into a garage at a Papatoetoe residence and were fined a total of $20,000 plus costs in 2008. [cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10490793|title=MP guilty of illegal building|publisher=New Zealand Herald|date=5 February 2008|accessdate=2008-02-06]

References

External links

* [http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/MPP/MPs/MPs/0/7/f/48MP871-Field-Taito-Phillip.htm Taito Phillip Field (New Zealand Parliament)]