Denis Marshall
Encyclopedia
Denis William Anson Marshall, QSO
(born 23 September 1943) is a former New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1984 to 1999, representing the National Party
, and a Government Minister until 1996. His Ministerial career ended when he resigned about six months after the release of the Commission of Inquiry report into the Cave Creek Disaster
, and a year after the accident itself in which 14 people died and a further 4 were seriously injured, and during which time he was Minister of Conservation. He had been under pressure to resign since the report's release.
Having first joint the National Party in the 70s, he was first elected to Parliament for Rangitikei
in the 1984 election
, defeating Social Credit Party
leader Bruce Beetham
. He held the seat against Beetham in the 1987 election
, and retained it until his retirement at the 1999 election
.
in which 14 people died. A Commission of Inquiry found that whilst many individual mistakes contributed to the accident, a root cause was that the Department of Conservation had been under-funded and under-resourced for the role it was expected to achieve, and from the time of its creation in 1987 it had remained disorganised internally with few consistently used project and safety management systems, or formally qualified staff for much of the required work. Intense scrutiny of the Minister followed, as well as scrutiny of the government's funding priorities.
He did not resign immediately following the release of the report, claiming that his resignation would not remedy the situation, and citing a quotation of Sir Geoffrey Palmer which stated that Ministers weren't personally responsible for everything done in their name, as they couldn't be expected to know or authorise everything that occurred. Criticism that he had been the Minister of Conservation for five years during which time it had remained in a disorganised state, however, eventually ended with him resigning about six months later.
He has been consulting to the UNDP and the WBI over the past four years.
He now lives in Queenstown, Central Otago, New Zealand where he is a vigneron of his own vineyard Hawkshead Wine and producer of pinot noir, pinot gris, riesling and sauvignon blanc.
He was the chairman of the New Zealand Rural Communities Trust from 2000 to 2001.
He is a member in numerous community organisations in NZ such NZ Historic Places Trust and Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society.
Queen's Service Order
The Queen's Service Order was established by Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, awarded by the government of New Zealand "for valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or...
(born 23 September 1943) is a former New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1984 to 1999, representing 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:...
, and a Government Minister until 1996. His Ministerial career ended when he resigned about six months after the release of the Commission of Inquiry report into the Cave Creek Disaster
Cave Creek disaster
The Cave Creek disaster was an event in which 14 people died when a scenic viewing platform collapsed. It occurred in Paparoa National Park on New Zealand's West Coast, on 28 April 1995. The tragedy resulted in wide criticism of the government and its policies towards funding and management of...
, and a year after the accident itself in which 14 people died and a further 4 were seriously injured, and during which time he was Minister of Conservation. He had been under pressure to resign since the report's release.
Early life
He was educated at Norwood School, Gisborne, Hereworth School, Havelock North, Christ's College, Christchurch and Lincoln University as part of the Kellogg New Zealand Rural Leadership Programme and was a Nuffield Farming Scholar to the United Kingdom 1983.Member of Parliament
Marshall was a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 1984 to 1999.Having first joint the National Party in the 70s, he was first elected to Parliament for Rangitikei
Rangitikei (New Zealand electorate)
rightRangitīkei is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Rangitīkei is Simon Power of the National Party...
in the 1984 election
New Zealand general election, 1984
The 1984 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the 41st New Zealand Parliament. It marked the beginning of the Fourth Labour Government, with David Lange's Labour Party defeating long-serving Prime Minister Robert Muldoon of the National Party. It was also the...
, defeating Social Credit Party
Social Credit Party (New Zealand)
The New Zealand Social Credit Party was a political party which served as the country's "third party" from the 1950s through into the 1980s. The party held a number of seats in the New Zealand Parliament, although never more than two at a time...
leader Bruce Beetham
Bruce Beetham
Bruce Craig Beetham was an academic and politician from New Zealand, whose career spanned the 1970s and early 1980s.A lecturer at Hamilton's University of Waikato and at the Hamilton Teacher's Training College, he was elected leader of the Social Credit Party in 1972, at a time when the party was...
. He held the seat against Beetham in the 1987 election
New Zealand general election, 1987
The 1987 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the 43rd sitting of the New Zealand Parliament. The governing New Zealand Labour Party, led by Prime Minister David Lange, was re-elected for a second term, although the Opposition National Party made gains...
, and retained it until his retirement at the 1999 election
New Zealand general election, 1999
The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance...
.
Cabinet minister
Marshall served in a number of Ministerial roles, beginning in 1993 and ending in 1996. He was Minister of Lands, Valuation, Department of Survey Land & Information from 1993 to 1996, and Minister of Forestry in 1996. Other notable positions between 1997 and 1999 include Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Transport and Environment Committee, Chairman of Special Select Committee on Dairy Industry Restructuring, and Producer Boarder Reform.As Minister of Conservation
Denis Marshall's best known post was as Minister of Conservation from 1990 to 1996 during which he also acted as Associate Minister of Agriculture and Associate Minister of Employment. He resigned from his role as a Minister in May 1996, roughly a year following the April 1995 Cave Creek disasterCave Creek disaster
The Cave Creek disaster was an event in which 14 people died when a scenic viewing platform collapsed. It occurred in Paparoa National Park on New Zealand's West Coast, on 28 April 1995. The tragedy resulted in wide criticism of the government and its policies towards funding and management of...
in which 14 people died. A Commission of Inquiry found that whilst many individual mistakes contributed to the accident, a root cause was that the Department of Conservation had been under-funded and under-resourced for the role it was expected to achieve, and from the time of its creation in 1987 it had remained disorganised internally with few consistently used project and safety management systems, or formally qualified staff for much of the required work. Intense scrutiny of the Minister followed, as well as scrutiny of the government's funding priorities.
He did not resign immediately following the release of the report, claiming that his resignation would not remedy the situation, and citing a quotation of Sir Geoffrey Palmer which stated that Ministers weren't personally responsible for everything done in their name, as they couldn't be expected to know or authorise everything that occurred. Criticism that he had been the Minister of Conservation for five years during which time it had remained in a disorganised state, however, eventually ended with him resigning about six months later.
Life after politics
Marshall retired from Parliament in 1999, and moved to London. He took up a full-time post as secretary general at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) from January 2002 to December 2006.He has been consulting to the UNDP and the WBI over the past four years.
He now lives in Queenstown, Central Otago, New Zealand where he is a vigneron of his own vineyard Hawkshead Wine and producer of pinot noir, pinot gris, riesling and sauvignon blanc.
Community
In 2000 he founded the NZ National Parks and Conservation Foundation following his strong belief that there needed to be an opportunity for the private sector and corporate world to contribute more to conservation in New Zealand. He was the foundation's inaugural chairman from 2000 to 2001.He was the chairman of the New Zealand Rural Communities Trust from 2000 to 2001.
He is a member in numerous community organisations in NZ such NZ Historic Places Trust and Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society.