Gilbert Myles
Encyclopedia
Gilbert Myles, JP
, is a former New Zealand politician.
in the 1990 elections
as part of the New Zealand National Party
, a previously safe-seat of the previously ruling Labour Party, largely on a platform of opposition to the of the "Rogernomics
" economic reforms that had occurred during the 1980s in New Zealand. He openly identified with the pro-interventionist 'Muldoonist
' faction of the National Party, once saying "I joined the National Party because of Sir Robert Muldoon". His campaign slogan was "Let's rescue Roskill".
Myles, however, quickly fell out with the leadership of the National Party (that had simultaneously become the Government) due to the party's own swing toward privatisation and the slashing of the Government's expenditure on social policy
enthusiastically implemented by Finance Minister
Ruth Richardson
(see Ruthanasia
). His disgust with the continuation of these reforms by Prime Minister Jim Bolger
led to his identification with the rebels within the National Party, like Michael Laws
and Winston Peters
, who together had major confrontations with the dominant neo-liberals within the party's relatively gargantuan Caucus
.
, breaking away to become an independent in late 1991 and then proceeding to form the Liberal Party
in 1992. The party failed to gain significant popular support, with the problem being that neither of the two MPs of the party had any significant political experience but also the emergence of the left wing Alliance party and Winston Peters continuing to criticise National from within.
. Myles proceeded to quit the grouping within months in July, particularly over his somewhat conservative
social values conflicting with the highly socially liberal policies of the Alliance. He immediately joined the populist
New Zealand First
party, founded by the now Independent Winston Peters. However he lost his seat during the 1993 elections
.
Myles re-entered parliament for a brief period during 1999, following the total breakdown of the New Zealand First - National coalition government
and the resignation of former NZ First MP turned Independent minister in the National government Deborah Morris
over the prioritisation of military expenditure over social expenditure in the 1999 budget. Some controversy emerged as Morris issued a tape
-recorded telephone
conversation between her and Myles where he admitted that he would immediately quit NZ First upon arrival in Parliament and would support the struggling Jenny Shipley
-led National Government (This did not end up occurring, following threats of discipline by Peters and other NZ First party members).
In 2011 he was found guilty on a charge of obstructing the course of justice for faking a receipt book while under investigation for fraud. He was found not guilty on the fraud charges. For the obstruction of justice charge, he was sentenced to community detention and community work. Myles has since resigned as a Justice of the Peace.
Myles has two children; Tarsh Myles, currently living in Auckland, New Zealand and Daniel Myles, who lives with his wife Kaoru in Saitama, Japan.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, is a former New Zealand politician.
Member of Parliament
He was elected to Parliament for the seat of RoskillRoskill (New Zealand electorate)
Roskill was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate, from 1919 to 1996.-Population centres:The electorate is in the western suburbs of Auckland, New Zealand.-History:...
in the 1990 elections
New Zealand general election, 1990
The 1990 New Zealand general election was held on 27 October to determine the composition of the 43rd New Zealand parliament. The governing Labour Party was defeated, ending its controversial two terms in office...
as part of the New Zealand 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:...
, a previously safe-seat of the previously ruling Labour Party, largely on a platform of opposition to the of the "Rogernomics
Rogernomics
The term Rogernomics, a portmanteau of "Roger" and "economics", was coined by journalists at the New Zealand Listener by analogy with Reaganomics to describe the economic policies followed by Roger Douglas after his appointment in 1984 as Minister of Finance in the Fourth Labour Government...
" economic reforms that had occurred during the 1980s in New Zealand. He openly identified with the pro-interventionist 'Muldoonist
Robert Muldoon
Sir Robert David "Rob" Muldoon, GCMG, CH served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984, as leader of the governing National Party. Muldoon had been a prominent member of the National party and MP for the Tamaki electorate for some years prior to becoming leader of the party...
' faction of the National Party, once saying "I joined the National Party because of Sir Robert Muldoon". His campaign slogan was "Let's rescue Roskill".
Myles, however, quickly fell out with the leadership of the National Party (that had simultaneously become the Government) due to the party's own swing toward privatisation and the slashing of the Government's expenditure on social policy
Social policy
Social policy primarily refers to guidelines, principles, legislation and activities that affect the living conditions conducive to human welfare. Thus, social policy is that part of public policy that has to do with social issues...
enthusiastically implemented by Finance Minister
Finance minister
The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
Ruth Richardson
Ruth Richardson
Ruth Richardson served as New Zealand's Minister of Finance from 1990 to 1993, and is known for her strong pursuit of free-market economic reforms .-Early life:...
(see Ruthanasia
Ruthanasia
Ruthanasia, a portmanteau of "Ruth" and "euthanasia", is the pejorative name given to the period of free-market economic reform conducted during the first term of the fourth National government in New Zealand, from 1990 to 1993...
). His disgust with the continuation of these reforms by Prime Minister Jim Bolger
Jim Bolger
James Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics...
led to his identification with the rebels within the National Party, like Michael Laws
Michael Laws
Michael Laws is a New Zealand politician, broadcaster and writer/columnist. He served two terms as a Member of the New Zealand Parliament, representing the National Party and New Zealand First . He was elected as Mayor of Wanganui in 2004, was re-elected in 2007 but announced his retirement from...
and Winston Peters
Winston Peters
Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being...
, who together had major confrontations with the dominant neo-liberals within the party's relatively gargantuan Caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
.
Independent
Eventually, the total breakdown of relations between Myles and the majority of the Government led to him and another dissident, Hamish MacIntyreHamish MacIntyre
Hamish MacIntyre was a New Zealand politician who at various times represented the National Party, Liberal Party, and the Alliance. His father was the Rt Hon Duncan MacIntyre, who was Deputy Prime Minister to Muldoon in the Third National Government, and he was born in Waipukurau.He was elected to...
, breaking away to become an independent in late 1991 and then proceeding to form the Liberal Party
New Zealand Liberal Party (1992)
The New Zealand Liberal Party founded in 1992 was a splinter group of the National Party....
in 1992. The party failed to gain significant popular support, with the problem being that neither of the two MPs of the party had any significant political experience but also the emergence of the left wing Alliance party and Winston Peters continuing to criticise National from within.
New Zealand First
During 1993, the Liberal Party merged with the much larger and far more left wing Alliance PartyAlliance (New Zealand political party)
The Alliance is a left-wing political party in New Zealand. It was formed in 1991, and was influential in the 1990s, but has since declined and has no representation in parliament. It suffered a major setback after Jim Anderton, the party's leader, left the party in 2002, taking several of the...
. Myles proceeded to quit the grouping within months in July, particularly over his somewhat conservative
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
social values conflicting with the highly socially liberal policies of the Alliance. He immediately joined the populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
New Zealand First
New Zealand First
New Zealand First is a political party in New Zealand that was founded in 1993, following party founder Winston Peters' resignation from the National Party in 1992...
party, founded by the now Independent Winston Peters. However he lost his seat during the 1993 elections
New Zealand general election, 1993
The 1993 New Zealand general election was held on 6 November 1993 to determine the composition of the 44th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Jim Bolger, win a second term in office, despite a major swing back towards the Labour Party. The new Alliance and New...
.
Myles re-entered parliament for a brief period during 1999, following the total breakdown of the New Zealand First - National coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
and the resignation of former NZ First MP turned Independent minister in the National government Deborah Morris
Deborah Morris
Deborah Morris-Travers is a former New Zealand politician. She was a list MP for New Zealand First from 1996 to 1999.-Member of Parliament:Morris was an MP from 1996 to 1999, representing the New Zealand First party...
over the prioritisation of military expenditure over social expenditure in the 1999 budget. Some controversy emerged as Morris issued a tape
Tape recorder
An audio tape recorder, tape deck, reel-to-reel tape deck, cassette deck or tape machine is an audio storage device that records and plays back sounds, including articulated voices, usually using magnetic tape, either wound on a reel or in a cassette, for storage...
-recorded telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
conversation between her and Myles where he admitted that he would immediately quit NZ First upon arrival in Parliament and would support the struggling Jenny Shipley
Jenny Shipley
Dame Jenny Shipley, DNZM , served as the 36th Prime Minister of New Zealand from December 1997 to December 1999, the first woman to hold this office and the first, and to date only, woman to serve as parliamentary leader of the National Party of New Zealand.-Early life:Shipley was born as Jennifer...
-led National Government (This did not end up occurring, following threats of discipline by Peters and other NZ First party members).
Life after politics
Myles was not re-elected in the elections later that year and retired from active politics.In 2011 he was found guilty on a charge of obstructing the course of justice for faking a receipt book while under investigation for fraud. He was found not guilty on the fraud charges. For the obstruction of justice charge, he was sentenced to community detention and community work. Myles has since resigned as a Justice of the Peace.
Myles has two children; Tarsh Myles, currently living in Auckland, New Zealand and Daniel Myles, who lives with his wife Kaoru in Saitama, Japan.