Larry Baldock
Encyclopedia
Larry Baldock is a New Zealand politician. He was a member of Parliament for the United Future New Zealand party from 2002 to 2005. Before entering national politics, he served on the Tauranga
City Council, and was also previously involved with the evangelical Youth With A Mission
organisation.
. Along with Murray Smith
, Bernie Ogilvy
,and Marc Alexander
, Baldock failed to make it back to the 48th New Zealand Parliament in 2005, given United Future New Zealand's drop in electoral support to one-third the level at the previous general election. Like Smith, Ogilvy and Adams, Baldock is an evangelical
Christian.
, then a United Future List MP, announced that he would be forming a new Future New Zealand
party after expressing dissatisfaction with party leader Peter Dunne
's support of the child-discipline bill. Baldock joined the new party.
After Copeland's announcement, Baldock held an inaugural party meeting in Tauranga
, his city of residence, and stated that forty-five former members of the pre-merger Future New Zealand had attended, although the party had between sixteen to twenty members at that time. Former United Future List MP Bernie Ogilvy
also joined Future New Zealand, as party secretary.
On 17 July 2007, the Future New Zealand website's Copeland Chronicle (June 2007) edition announced that "Future New Zealand" had achieved its five hundred member goal required for registration under the New Zealand Electoral Act 1993 as a viable political party. The newsletter also stated that Copeland and Baldock would now work on establishing a Board of Management and Board of Reference for the party.
, which forced a referendum on the issue. Baldock has proposed giving parents the right to strike their children with implements stating, "I'm not opposed to the wooden spoon or ruler because you can control things with that better than you can with an open hand."
In the 2008 general election
, Baldock stood for the Tauranga electorate
, but came a distant fourth, with approximately five percent of the vote. The Kiwi Party also performed poorly, receiving 0.54% of the party vote nationwide.
Undaunted by its poor performance, the Kiwi Party held a conference in Christchurch in March 2009, and announced its intention to contest the 2011 general election
. As The Family Party and New Zealand Pacific Party
had been dissolved, it would have been the only fundamentalist party in the contest. As of September 2010, Baldock was still Kiwi Party leader. However, it was announced on 14 October 2011 that Kiwi Party members would not be running candidates for the 2011 election, instead standing for the Conservative Party
, of which Baldock is ranked at number 3 on the party list.
Tauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
City Council, and was also previously involved with the evangelical Youth With A Mission
Youth With A Mission
Youth With A Mission is an international, inter-denominational, non-profit Christian missionary organization...
organisation.
Political career
Baldock was elected to Parliament in the 2002 general electionNew Zealand general election, 2002
The 2002 New Zealand general election was held on 27 July 2002 to determine the composition of the 47th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the reelection of Helen Clark's Labour Party government, as well as the worst-ever performance by the opposition National Party.Arguably the most controversial...
. Along with Murray Smith
Murray Smith (New Zealand)
Murray Smith was a New Zealand politician. He was a member of the United Future New Zealand party caucus, having been elected to Parliament as a list MP in the 2002 elections.-Christian Democrats:...
, Bernie Ogilvy
Bernie Ogilvy
Bernard James Ogilvy is a New Zealand educator and politician. He was a list member of Parliament for the United Future New Zealand party from 2002 to 2005...
,and Marc Alexander
Marc Alexander
Marc Alexander is a former New Zealand politician. He was elected to Parliament as a list MP for the United Future New Zealand party in 2005, and stood unsuccessfully as the National Party candidate for Wigram in 2008.-Public activities:...
, Baldock failed to make it back to the 48th New Zealand Parliament in 2005, given United Future New Zealand's drop in electoral support to one-third the level at the previous general election. Like Smith, Ogilvy and Adams, Baldock is an evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Christian.
Future New Zealand
On 16 May 2007, his former colleague Gordon CopelandGordon Copeland
Gordon Copeland is a New Zealand politician who was a Member of Parliament from 2002 to 2008. He was a list MP for the United Future New Zealand party from 2002 until he resigned from the party in 2007. He is now Party President of The Kiwi Party, which he co-founded with another former United...
, then a United Future List MP, announced that he would be forming a new Future New Zealand
Future New Zealand
The Kiwi Party is a New Zealand political party formed in 2007. Briefly known as Future New Zealand, it is a breakaway from the United Future New Zealand party and seeks to carry on the tradition of Future New Zealand. The party was formed when MP Gordon Copeland left United Future after a dispute...
party after expressing dissatisfaction with party leader Peter Dunne
Peter Dunne
Peter Dunne is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament who leads the United Future political party. He has served as a Cabinet minister in governments dominated by the centre-left Labour Party as well as by the centre-right National Party...
's support of the child-discipline bill. Baldock joined the new party.
After Copeland's announcement, Baldock held an inaugural party meeting in Tauranga
Tauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
, his city of residence, and stated that forty-five former members of the pre-merger Future New Zealand had attended, although the party had between sixteen to twenty members at that time. Former United Future List MP Bernie Ogilvy
Bernie Ogilvy
Bernard James Ogilvy is a New Zealand educator and politician. He was a list member of Parliament for the United Future New Zealand party from 2002 to 2005...
also joined Future New Zealand, as party secretary.
On 17 July 2007, the Future New Zealand website's Copeland Chronicle (June 2007) edition announced that "Future New Zealand" had achieved its five hundred member goal required for registration under the New Zealand Electoral Act 1993 as a viable political party. The newsletter also stated that Copeland and Baldock would now work on establishing a Board of Management and Board of Reference for the party.
The Kiwi Party
On 28 January 2008, Future New Zealand was renamed The Kiwi Party. Baldock became sole party leader, while Copeland concentrated primarily on parliamentary matters. Baldock successfully collected 310,000 signatures against the Child Discipline ActChild Discipline Act
The Crimes Amendment Act 2007 is an amendment to the New Zealand's Crimes Act 1961 which removed the legal defence of "reasonable force" for parents prosecuted for assault on their children...
, which forced a referendum on the issue. Baldock has proposed giving parents the right to strike their children with implements stating, "I'm not opposed to the wooden spoon or ruler because you can control things with that better than you can with an open hand."
In the 2008 general 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...
, Baldock stood for the Tauranga electorate
Tauranga (New Zealand electorate)
Tauranga is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Tauranga is Simon Bridges of the National Party, who won the seat in the 2008 New Zealand general election, after the previous MP, Bob Clarkson of...
, but came a distant fourth, with approximately five percent of the vote. The Kiwi Party also performed poorly, receiving 0.54% of the party vote nationwide.
Undaunted by its poor performance, the Kiwi Party held a conference in Christchurch in March 2009, and announced its intention to contest the 2011 general election
New Zealand general election, 2011
The 2011 New Zealand general election on Saturday 26 November 2011 determined the membership of the 50th New Zealand Parliament.One hundred and twenty-one MPs were elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives, 70 from single-member electorates, including one overhang seat, and 51 from party...
. As The Family Party and New Zealand Pacific Party
New Zealand Pacific Party
The New Zealand Pacific Party was a Christian political party that existed in New Zealand from 2008 to 2010. The party was founded as a vehicle for former Labour MP Taito Phillip Field, who was subsequently convicted for bribery and corruption...
had been dissolved, it would have been the only fundamentalist party in the contest. As of September 2010, Baldock was still Kiwi Party leader. However, it was announced on 14 October 2011 that Kiwi Party members would not be running candidates for the 2011 election, instead standing for the Conservative Party
Conservative Party of New Zealand
The Conservative Party of New Zealand is a political party founded in New Zealand in August 2011. It advocates social conservatism, the repeal of the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme and the child discipline law, and the use of binding referenda...
, of which Baldock is ranked at number 3 on the party list.
Further reading
- Larry Baldock and Stephen Monsma: Pursuing Justice in a Sinful World: Auckland: Lifeway Trust: 2005: ISBN 0-476-01667-3
External links
- http://www.thekiwiparty.org.nz