Damien O'Connor

The Honourable Damien O'Connor MP
Minister of Tourism
In office 19 October 2005 – 19 November 2008
Prime Minister	Helen Clark
Succeeded by	John Key
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for West Coast
In office 1993 – 1996
Preceded by	Margaret Moir
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for West Coast-Tasman
In office 1996 – 2008
Succeeded by	Chris Auchinvole
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Labour Party list
Incumbent
Assumed office 2008
Personal details
Born	16 January 1958 (1958-01-16) (age 53) Westport
Nationality	New Zealand
Political party	Labour
Committees	Primary Production Committee
Religion	Roman Catholic

Damien Peter O'Connor is a New Zealand politician from the West Coast of the South Island. He is a member of the Labour Party and a Member of Parliament.

Early years

O'Connor was born in Westport on 16 January 1958. Before becoming an MP, he worked in a variety of jobs in farming and tourism. During a five-year stint in Australia, he worked as a machinery operator and in sales. On his return to New Zealand he established Buller Adventure Tours, an adventure tourism company, which he owned and operated in a partnership.

Member of Parliament

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate	List	Party
1993–96	44th	West Coast		Labour
1996–99	45th	West Coast-Tasman	32	Labour
1999–2002	46th	West Coast-Tasman	none	Labour
2002–05	47th	West Coast-Tasman	none	Labour
2005–08	48th	West Coast-Tasman	none	Labour
2009–present	49th	List	37	Labour

He was first elected to Parliament in the 1993 elections, recapturing the West Coast seat after the upset victory of National's Margaret Moir in the 1990 elections.

He retained his seat in the 1993 elections. He won the reconfigured West Coast-Tasman seat in the 1996 elections, and was the MP for the electorate until 2008.

O'Connor is regarded as being on the right of the Labour Party and has, with permission, voted against his colleagues on at least one occasion.^{[citation needed]}

He was the Minister of Rural Affairs, the Minister of Tourism, as well as Immigration and Associate Minister of Health.

At the 2008 general election O'Connor was beaten by National candidate Chris Auchinvole, who had previously been a list MP. Auchinvole's majority was 971.^[1] His position on the Labour Party list meant that O'Connor couldn't return to Parliament immediately. When the list MP Michael Cullen retired in May 2009, O'Connor regained his position as Member of the House of Representatives because he was the highest-ranked candidate on the list not already an MP.^[2]

O'Connor is currently Labour's spokesperson for Rural Affairs, Spokesperson for Biosecurity and Associate Spokesperson for Agriculture. for the election of the 50th New Zealand Parliament O'Connor announced he would only contest the electorate and not seek another selection for the list.

Business activities

O'Connor is past president of the Buller Promotion Association, a member of the West Coast Tourism Development Group, a member of the West Coast Business Development Board and a founding director of Buller Community Development Company. He also won West Coast Young Farmer of the Year.

Personal interests

O'Connor is an active sportsman and represented Buller at athletics. A keen skier and whitewater rafter, he enjoys jetboating, motorsports and plays rugby for the New Zealand Parliamentary Team.

References

1. ^ "Official Count Results -- West Coast-Tasman". Chief Electoral Office, Wellington. http://2008.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2008/electorate-60.html. Retrieved 21 November 2011. 
2. ^ "O'Connor to return to Parliament". Radio New Zealand. 13 April 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-05-05. http://www.webcitation.org/5gX3XxbnE. 

External links

• Parliamentary website page

Parliament of New Zealand
Preceded by Margaret Moir	Member of Parliament for West Coast 1993-1996	Constituency abolished
New constituency	Member of Parliament for West Coast-Tasman 1996-2008	Succeeded by Chris Auchinvole

Persondata
Name	Oconnor, Damien
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	16 January 1958
Place of birth	Westport
Date of death
Place of death