Hon Philip Tosswill Edmond Woollaston (born 1944) was 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...

 member of Parliament of the Labour Party

New Zealand Labour Party

The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....

 from 1981 to 1990 and Mayor of Nelson, New Zealand

Nelson, New Zealand

Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....

 from 1992 to 1998.

Woollaston was born at Motueka

Motueka

The town of Motueka in the South Island of New Zealand lies close to the mouth of the Motueka River, on the western shore of Tasman Bay. It is, after Nelson and Richmond, the third largest centre in the Tasman Region, with a population of 7125...

 on 17 August 1944. He is the son of New Zealand artist Sir Mountford Tosswill Woollaston

Toss Woollaston

Sir Mountford Tosswill "Toss" Woollaston was one of the most important New Zealand painters of the 20th century.Born in Toko, Taranaki on April 11, 1910, Woollaston studied art at the Canterbury School of Art in Christchurch...

 and Edith Winifred Alexander. He is married with two children.

Education

Woollaston attended Greymouth Main Primary School and Cobden Primary School

Cobden, New Zealand

Cobden is a suburb to the north of Greymouth on the West Coast of New Zealand. The Grey River separates Cobden from the rest of Greymouth. To the north is the Rapahoe Range, also called the Twelve Apostles Range...

. While his parents were overseas he attended St. Andrew's College (New Zealand) (1958–1962) as a boarder.

He graduated from Canterbury University with a Batchelor of Science (1971) and Christchurch Teachers College with a Diploma in Teaching (1971).

Career

Woollaston taught at Linwood High School (1972–1974), lectured at University (1975), and taught at both Collingwood District High School (1976–1977) and Collingwood Area School (1977-1980 before embarking on a political career.

Political career

Woollaston joined the New Zealand Labour Party in 1975. He was Secretary of the Labour Party Policy Council from 1982 to 1984.

He was a Golden Bay County Councillor and on the Nelson Regional Airport Authority from 1977 to 1980. Woollaston was also on the Nelson Bays United Council and No 11 District Roads Board from 1979 to 1980.

Woollaston stood for the Nelson electorate

Nelson (New Zealand electorate)

Nelson is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. From 1853 to 1860, the electorate was called Town of Nelson. From 1860 to 1881, it was City of Nelson...

 in 1981, defeating incumbent MP Mel Courtney

Mel Courtney

Melvyn Francis Courtney is a former Labour then Independent Member of Parliament for Nelson, in the South Island of New Zealand.-Member of Parliament:...

. During his time in Parliament he was Associate Minister for the Environment (1987–1989), Associate Minister of Justice (1987–1990), Minister assisting the Deputy Prime Minister (1988–1990), Minister of Conservation (1989–1990), and Minister of Local Government (1990).

In 1990 he retired, and was replaced by John Blincoe

John Blincoe

John Blincoe is a former New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1990 to 1996, representing the Labour Party.-Early life and family:According to his eldest daughter, Blincoe was born on 14 March 1952 in Nelson, New Zealand to Victor and May Blincoe. He attended Hampden St. School, Nelson College...

. In 1991 he became Policy Advisor to the Executive Director of the Unite Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya for two years.

Mayor

On returning to New Zealand, Woollaston stood for and became Mayor of Nelson from 1992 to 1998.

Woollaston Estates Winery

In 1993 Woollaston developed a small vineyard at Mahana near Nelson with his wife Chan. Originally intended as a retirement hobby the winery grew into a full business with the Woollaston's going into partnership with Glenn and Renee Schaeffer.