Craig Foss is a New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 politician, and currently serves as a Member of Parliament.

Early years

Foss was born on 4 July 1963 in Lower Hutt

Lower Hutt

Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...

, and attended Victoria University of Wellington

Victoria University of Wellington

Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...

, completing a BCA. He worked in the banking sector, first for the Bank of New Zealand

Bank of New Zealand

Bank of New Zealand is one of New Zealand’s largest banks and has been operating continuously in the country since the first office was opened in Auckland in October 1861 followed shortly after by the first branch in Dunedin in December 1861...

 and then for Credit Suisse Financial Products in London and Tokyo.

Member of Parliament

In the 2005 election

New Zealand general election, 2005

The 2005 New Zealand general election held on 17 September 2005 determined the composition of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. No party won a majority in the unicameral House of Representatives, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the...

, Foss was a candidate for the National Party

New Zealand National Party

The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...

, standing in the Tukituki

Tukituki (New Zealand electorate)

rightTukituki is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Tukituki is Craig Foss of the National Party...

 electorate and being ranked 44th on the party list. He won the Tukituki seat and entered Parliament. He was returned to the 49th Parliament, holding the Tukituki seat, in the 2008 election

New Zealand general election, 2008

The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...

.

On 7 June 2011 Foss was announced to be the new Minister of Civil Defence, replacing John Carter

John Carter (New Zealand)

John McGregor Carter is a New Zealand politician, and member of the National Party. He represented the Bay of Islands, Far North and Northland electorates from 1987 until June 2011...

 who leaves to take up a High Commissioners post in the Cook Islands. Foss also picks up the Racing and Senior Citizens portfolios but will remain a Minister outside Cabinet for the remainder of the 49th New Zealand Parliament

49th New Zealand Parliament

The 49th New Zealand Parliament was elected at the 2008 election. It consists of 122 members, including an overhang of two seats caused by the Māori Party having won two more electorate seats than its share of the party vote would otherwise have given it. The Parliament will serve from 2008 until...

.

External links

• Craig Foss MP official site
• Profile at National party