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Government Ministers
The Minister for Building and Construction is the veteran MP,
the Hon Maurice Williamson.
Mr Williamson’s Parliamentary career began in 1987 when he was elected MP for the Auckland electorate of Pakuranga, which he has continued to represent since then. He was Minister of Transport during the last National Government and has also held Ministerial portfolios of Communications, Broadcasting, Information Technology, Local Government, and Associate Minister of Education, Health and State Services.
Mr Williamson was a physics teacher at Mt Albert Grammar school and a planning analyst at Air New Zealand before entering Parliament.
As the Minister for Social Development and Employment, the Hon Paula Bennett believes she's been given a great opportunity to affect positive change in people's lives, the lives of their families and their communities. Paula is passionate about ensuring a brighter future for all New Zealanders.
Paula lives in Waitakere, West Auckland, and has lived in the City of Sails since 1992. She grew up in Taupo. Paula raised her daughter single-handedly. She worked in hospitality, secretarial and retail roles. Realising her opportunities were limited without an education, Paula went to Massey University as an adult student. Although she originally studied social work, she ended up with a degree in social policy. Paula has worked in human resources and recruitment with a variety of clients across various industries, from banking and finance to manufacturing. Her rapid promotion saw her managing an Auckland human resources company before resigning to pursue a career in politics. Her mantra? "Self-belief - with a dose of hard work - can make anything possible."
Paula became a National Member of Parliament in September 2005. After three years in Opposition as a list MP, the public of Waitakere - her "Westies" chose her as their electorate MP and representative in Wellington.
The Minister for Senior Citizens is Hon John Carter who was first elected to Parliament in 1987 as the National Party Member for the Bay of Islands Electorate and has now represented the subsequent Northland Electorate for six terms. John’s other parliamentary roles are: Minister of Civil Defence, Minister for Racing, Associate Minister of Local Government, and Chairperson, Auckland Governance Legislation Committee.
John is a fifth generation New Zealander; born, bred and educated in the North. He was born at Te Kopuru and educated at Otamatea College. When he first stood for Parliament, he was Principal Officer of the Hokianga County Council. Being involved in the Community has always been really satisfying for John. In the Hokianga he was chairman of the Hokianga Community Health Committee. He has been involved with the Te Kuiti and Rawene Lions’ Clubs and has served on the Rawene Primary School committee. In Te Kuiti he was actively involved in the Local Rugby Club.
The Minister of Local Government is the Hon Rodney Hide. His other current parliamentary roles are: Leader, ACT New Zealand, Minister for Regulatory Reform, Associate Minister of Commerce, Member, Standing Orders Committee.
Rodney is the founding chairman of ACT Party predecessor the Association of Consumers and Taxpayers, and founding president of ACT when it was established in 1994, Rodney has been instrumental in the establishment and evolution of ACT as New Zealand’s liberal party.
Rodney holds a BSc in Zoology and Botany from University of Canterbury, MSc in Resource Management from Lincoln University, and a MSc in Economics from Montana State University.
The Minister of Justice is the Hon Simon Power and has been the Member of Parliament for Rangitikei since 1999. Simon's policy interests include justice, commerce and education.
While attending university from 1988 - 1993, Simon held various positions of responsibility. In particular he was President of the Victoria University Law Students' Society for 2 years. Simon graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in International Politics, in 1992 and a Bachelor of Laws, in 1993. Upon completion of his studies Simon returned to his home town of Palmerston North where he began work as a solicitor / associate partner at Fitzherbert Rowe. Aside from a brief period in 1997 when he was employed as a solicitor at Kensington Swan in Auckland, Simon remained at Fitzherbert Rowe until November 1999 when he resigned his position as a Senior Associate in order to pursue a future in national politics.
He has a number of other parliamentary roles: Deputy Leader of the House, Minister for State Owned Enterprises, Minister of Commerce, Minister Responsible for the Law Commission, Associate Minister of Finance, Member, Privileges Committee.
Hon Tony Ryall is the Minister of Health and represents the Bay of Plenty Electorate, which includes the fast-growing suburbs of Tauranga City (Papamoa, Bayfair, Maungatapu, Welcome Bay, and Ohauiti), and the surrounding rural areas of Te Puke, Kaimai, Omokoroa and Te Puna.
First elected as MP for East Cape in 1990 and following boundary changes he represented Eastern Bay of Plenty electorate (1993-96) and Bay of Plenty electorate (1996- ).
Mr Ryall lives in Tauranga with his wife Kara and two children. After schooling in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Mr Ryall graduated from Massey University with a Bachelor of Business Studies (Accounting and Finance), also with a Diploma in Business Studies (Accounting).
In 1997, Mr Ryall was promoted into the Shipley Cabinet. He held the portfolios of Minister of Justice, Minister for State Owned Enterprises, Minister of Local Government, Minister of Youth Affairs and Minister Responsible for Housing New Zealand Ltd. While in Opposition Mr Ryall served first as Law and Order spokesman, then as Health Spokesman. His other parliamentary role is Minister of State Services.
