Richard Prosser
Encyclopedia
Richard Prosser is a New Zealand
politician and a current member of the New Zealand House of Representatives
. He is a member of New Zealand First
party and was elected as a list MP at the 2011 election
.
in the Otago electorate
. He was ranked fourth on their party list but the party failed to get any MPs elected. Prosser later ran for the Central Otago mayoralty in 2007
and came last in the election contested by three applicants. He also contested the 2007 local elections for a position as Central Otago District councillor in the Earnscleugh-Manuherikia Ward, but came third of three contenders.
Prosser founded the South Island Party
in 2008. However the party chose not to register for the 2008 parliamentary elections
; instead, they decided that a more effective course of action would be to merge itself into the non-partisan, non-political South Island First, a lobby group advocating greater self-determination
for the South Island.
Prosser joined New Zealand First
in 2010 after attending a party meeting and was later elected to the party's board of directors.
Prosser stood for New Zealand First at the 2011 election
and was ranked fourth on their party list. He ran unsuccessfully as a candidate for the Waimakariri electorate
, getting 538 votes, but was elected from the party list. He is one of two New Zealand First MPs from the greater Christchurch area; the other is Denis O'Rourke
.
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 a current member of the New Zealand House of Representatives
New Zealand House of Representatives
The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand form the New Zealand Parliament....
. He is a member of 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 and was elected as a list MP at the 2011 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...
.
Early life
Prosser was born in West Auckland and spent his early life in the Waikato. He later moved to Otago and took up wine making. He is a former columnist for Investigate magazine.Political career
Prosser stood for the Democrats for Social Credit in the 2005 electionNew 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...
in the Otago electorate
Otago (New Zealand electorate)
Otago was a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate,which was replaced by the Waitaki electorate and Clutha-Southland electorates for the 2008 election....
. He was ranked fourth on their party list but the party failed to get any MPs elected. Prosser later ran for the Central Otago mayoralty in 2007
New Zealand local elections, 2007
Triennial elections for all 73 cities, districts, twelve Regional Councils and all District Health Boards in New Zealand were held on 13 October 2007...
and came last in the election contested by three applicants. He also contested the 2007 local elections for a position as Central Otago District councillor in the Earnscleugh-Manuherikia Ward, but came third of three contenders.
Prosser founded the South Island Party
South Island Party (2008)
The South Island Party was a small regionalist political party in New Zealand. It advocated South Island Independence. The party's leader was Richard Prosser, a contributor to Investigate, who had previously called for a regional Parliament for the South Island.The party was founded on the belief...
in 2008. However the party chose not to register for the 2008 parliamentary elections
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...
; instead, they decided that a more effective course of action would be to merge itself into the non-partisan, non-political South Island First, a lobby group advocating greater self-determination
Self-determination
Self-determination is the principle in international law that nations have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no external compulsion or external interference...
for the South Island.
Prosser joined 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...
in 2010 after attending a party meeting and was later elected to the party's board of directors.
Prosser stood for New Zealand First at the 2011 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...
and was ranked fourth on their party list. He ran unsuccessfully as a candidate for the Waimakariri electorate
Waimakariri (New Zealand electorate)
Waimakariri is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, formed in 1996 and returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Waimakariri is Clayton Cosgrove of the Labour Party. He has held this position since the 1999 election...
, getting 538 votes, but was elected from the party list. He is one of two New Zealand First MPs from the greater Christchurch area; the other is Denis O'Rourke
Denis O'Rourke
Denis O'Rourke is a New Zealand Member of Parliament representing New Zealand First. For many years, he was a senior councillor at Christchurch City Council.-Local government:...
.