- David Cunliffe
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For other people named David Cunliffe, see David Cunliffe (disambiguation).
The Honourable
David Cunliffe
MP
David Cunliffe at the NZ Open Source Awards, 2007 17 October Minister of Communications and Information Technology In office
2002 – 19 November 2008Preceded by Paul Swain Succeeded by Steven Joyce 37th Minister of Health In office
31 October 2007 – 19 November 2008Preceded by Pete Hodgson Succeeded by Tony Ryall Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for TitirangiIn office
1999 – 2002Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for New LynnIncumbent Assumed office
2002Majority 4,025 Personal details Born 1963 (age 47–48)
Auckland, New ZealandPolitical party Labour Profession Business consultant Religion Anglican David Richard Cunliffe[1] (born 1963) is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party, and the sitting member of parliament for New Lynn, West Auckland. He served as the Minister of Health and Minister for Communications and Information Technology for the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand from October 2007 until November 2008.[2] After the 2008 general election defeat of the Labour Party, and the resignation of Helen Clark as the party leader, Cunliffe was appointed to be the party's Finance Spokesman. This is considered to be the third highest ranking within the party after leader and deputy leader. Cunliffe has been touted as a future leader of the Labour party, and party insiders have suggested he seriously considered challenging Goff in the aftermath of the 2008 electoral defeat. Speculation of a leadership challenge again arose during the June 2010 expenses scandal and again after the 'Cartergate' affair.[3]
Contents
Early life
Cunliffe studied politics at University of Otago before working first as a diplomat and then as a business consultant. In 1994 and 1995, he was a Fulbright Scholar and Kennedy Memorial Fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Business School, earning a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School in 1995.
Member of Parliament
Parliament of New Zealand Years Term Electorate List Party 1999–2002 46th Titirangi 53 Labour 2002–2005 47th New Lynn 37 Labour 2005–2008 48th New Lynn 31 Labour 2008–present 49th New Lynn 8 Labour He was first elected to Parliament in the 1999 elections, standing as the Labour candidate for the Titirangi seat. Since the 2002 election he has represented the seat of New Lynn. At the 2005 elections, Cunliffe was returned with 18,087 votes (8,000 more than his nearest opponent) or 55% of the electorate vote .[4] He retained his seat in the 2008 general election, but his majority was cut to 4,025.[5] Labour was defeated in the election.
Cabinet minister
Cunliffe was a member of the New Zealand Cabinet as the Minister of Health, and Minister for Communications and Information Technology in the Fifth Labour Government until Labour lost the election in 2008.
David Cunliffe closing the 2005 Auckland BioBlitz
In the 2002–2005 Parliament he held the ICT portfolios and was Associate Minister of Finance and Revenue, after previously serving as Parliamentary Private Secretary for Finance and Commerce.
During his first term (1999–2002) he served as Chair of the Commerce Select Committee, and sat on the Finance and Expenditure and Regulations Review select committees.
In 2006, in his previous role as Immigration Minister, he announced a major review of the Immigration Act 1987.[6] As Minister for Communications and Information Technology he announced local loop unbundling in the telecommunications sector.[7]
In May 2006 Cunliffe was referred to the Securities Commission by the NZX for prematurely exposing information on Telecom's future dividend plans.[8] This caused a drop in Telecom's stock price.
On 30 June 2008 Cunliffe was conferred the title of Honorary Fellow of the NZCS (HFNZCS) by the New Zealand Computer Society, the professional body of the ICT profession in recognition of his significant contribution to the ICT sector.[9][10]
District Health Board controversy
In February 2008, as the Minister of Health, Cunliffe dismissed the Hawke's Bay District Health Board over political, monetary and conflict of interest troubles.[11] Napier Mayor Barbara Arnott and a number of members of the district voiced opposition to Cunliffe's move as many of the board members were democratically elected.[12] Following the release of a Health Ministry-commissioned independent report into the matter, Cunliffe referred to the board as "nasty little nest of self-perpetuating provincial elites".[13]
Opposition
While in opposition of the Fifth National Government, Cunliffe was made Labour's spokesman of Finance, shadowing National's Finance Minister, Bill English.
Political views
Cunliffe is a supporter of New Zealand becoming a republic. During the Address-In-Reply debate on 4 September 2002, Cunliffe said: "A New Zealand where we journey together towards maturity as a nation, and to the Commonwealth republic I personally believe we will become before the Treaty turns 200".[14]
Further reading
- ICT leaders election forum 2005 [videorecording: DVD]. Wellington, [N.Z.]: InternetNZ. c.2005
- This was a discussion forum about information technology policy – National's Maurice Williamson is also a participant.
References
- ^ "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.
- ^ "New Minister of Health" (Press release). New Zealand Government. 31 October 2007. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0710/S00593.htm. Retrieved 10 November 2007.
- ^ Audrey Young (12 November 2008). "Goff plans radical shake-up at the top". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10542499. Retrieved 12 November 2008.
- ^ Elections NZ: Official Count Results – New Lynn
- ^ New Lynn results 2008.
- ^ "Immigration Act to drop 'Zaoui' law". NZPA. 8 August 2007. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4157379a10.html. Retrieved 22 March 2008.
- ^ "Cunliffe: Vision 2011 – Roadmap to the Top" (Press release). New Zealand Government. 28 June 2006. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0606/S00543.htm. Retrieved 22 March 2008.
- ^ Dickens, David (17 May 2006). "NZX reports Cunliffe to Securities Commission". techday. http://www.techday.co.nz/telecommunicationsreview/news/nzx-reports-cunliffe-to-securities-commission/8867/. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
- ^ Computerworld Article regarding Cunliffe HFNZCS Conferment
- ^ NZCS Honorary Fellowship Conferment Notice
- ^ Martin Kay (27 February 2008). "Health Minister fires Hawke's Bay DHB". The Dominion Post. http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4418090a10.html. Retrieved 22 March 2008.
- ^ "Locals back sacked Health Board". TVNZ. 29 February 2008. http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411416/1608329.
- ^ David Cunliffe (18 March 2008). Hawke’s Bay District Health Board—Conflicts of Interest Report (Speech). Debating Chamber of the New Zealand House of Representatives. http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Debates/Debates/Speeches/d/a/7/48HansS_20080318_00000880-Cunliffe-David-Urgent-Debates-Hawke-s-Bay.htm. Speech video on nzherald.co.nz
- ^ "David Cunliffe: Address-In-Reply speech". http://www.cunliffe.org.nz/6.news/articles/detail.asp?id=41. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
External links
- Cunliffe's official website
- Parliamentary page
- 3news.co.nz interview with David Cunliffe ahead of 2011 election
Parliament of New Zealand Vacant Constituency recreated after abolition in 1996Title last held bySuzanne SinclairMember of Parliament for Titirangi
1999–2002Constituency abolished Vacant Constituency recreated after abolition in 1999Title last held byPhil GoffMember of Parliament for New Lynn
2002–Incumbent Political offices Preceded by
Pete HodgsonMinister of Health
2007–2008Succeeded by
Tony RyallPreceded by
Bill EnglishShadow Minister of Finance
2008–Incumbent Categories:- 1963 births
- Living people
- John F. Kennedy School of Government people
- New Zealand Labour Party MPs
- New Zealand diplomats
- New Zealand republicans
- Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand
- University of Otago alumni
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