Todd McClay
Encyclopedia
Todd Michael McClay is a New Zealand
politician and former ambassador. He was formerly an ambassador for the Cook Islands
and Niue
to the European Union
, and is presently the representative for Rotorua
in the 49th New Zealand Parliament
.
, a former New Zealand politician. Todd McClay was educated at Tauhara College
in Taupo
, Wesley College
in Auckland
and Wellington Polytechnic in Wellington
. He has also gained a Bachelor's Degree in Politics and is completing a Masters of International Public Law (LLM).
as Head of Staff to Lord Henry Plumb, President of the European Parliament
and Leader of the British Conservatives in the European Parliament. He has also been active in European government affairs and lobbying, and was a founder and former CEO of a company, Political Relationship Management. McClay has been active in Pacific Islands
, European and New Zealand diplomacy and politics since 1992, and was the Cook Islands' first accredited diplomat outside of the Pacific region. He remains the youngest-ever appointed Head of Mission
to the European Union.
In 2000 the Cook Islands joined the Cotonou Agreement
between the EU and African, Caribbean
and Pacific states (ACP
) and he was appointed as special representative of the Cook Islands. In 2002 the Cook Islands government upgraded its representation to the level of diplomatic mission, at which time McClay was appointed Ambassador to the EU. He has represented the Cook Islands at many international meetings and conferences, including the WTO, FAO
, ACP, EU and UN.
candidate to stand for the Rotorua electorate in the 2008 New Zealand general election
, running against incumbent Labour
MP Steve Chadwick. McClay won the seat of Rotorua on election night with a majority of 5,065 (15.43%). He was sworn in as a Member of Parliament on 8 December 2008.
In 2009 his Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 Repeal (Easter Sunday Local Choice) Amendment Bill was drawn from the ballot. The bill would have allowed local authorities to permit shops to open on Easter Sunday - something currently prohibited in most of New Zealand. The bill was narrowly defeated at its first reading.
McClay currently lives in Rotorua with his wife, Nadene, and their four children.
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 former ambassador. He was formerly an ambassador for the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
and Niue
Niue
Niue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, and is presently the representative for Rotorua
Rotorua (New Zealand electorate)
Rotorua is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Rotorua is Todd McClay of the National Party, who won the seat in the 2008 general election from incumbent Labour MP Steve Chadwick.- Location :The...
in the 49th New Zealand Parliament
49th New Zealand Parliament
The 49th New Zealand Parliament was elected at the 2008 election. It consists of 122 members, including an overhang of two seats caused by the Māori Party having won two more electorate seats than its share of the party vote would otherwise have given it. The Parliament will serve from 2008 until...
.
Early life
Todd McClay was born in Rotorua on 22 November 1968. He is the son of Roger McClayRoger McClay
Roger Neville McClay, QSO is a former New Zealand politician. He attended secondary school at Wesley College, Auckland.-Member of Parliament:...
, a former New Zealand politician. Todd McClay was educated at Tauhara College
Tauhara College
Tauhara College is a medium-sized, decile five school in Taupo, New Zealand. The co-educational high-school currently has about 600 students.Tauhara College is one of three high-schools in Taupo; the others being Taupo-Nui-a-Tia College and Lake Taupo Christian School .As well as normal school...
in Taupo
Taupo
Taupo is a town on the shore of Lake Taupo in the centre of the North Island of New Zealand. It is the seat of the Taupo District Council and lies in the southern Waikato Region....
, Wesley College
Wesley College, Auckland
Wesley College is a secondary school in Pukekohe, New Zealand. The school provides education from year 9 to 13.The school was founded by members of the Methodist Church in 1844, making it one of the country's oldest schools. Initially located in Grafton and then the Three Kings area of Auckland, it...
in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and Wellington Polytechnic in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
. He has also gained a Bachelor's Degree in Politics and is completing a Masters of International Public Law (LLM).
European Union diplomatic career
McClay worked in the European ParliamentEuropean Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
as Head of Staff to Lord Henry Plumb, President of the European Parliament
President of the European Parliament
The President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. He or she also represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally. The President's signature is required for enacting most EU laws and the EU budget.Presidents serve...
and Leader of the British Conservatives in the European Parliament. He has also been active in European government affairs and lobbying, and was a founder and former CEO of a company, Political Relationship Management. McClay has been active in Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
, European and New Zealand diplomacy and politics since 1992, and was the Cook Islands' first accredited diplomat outside of the Pacific region. He remains the youngest-ever appointed Head of Mission
Head of Mission
In diplomatic usage, Head of Mission or Chief of Mission from the French "Chef de Mission Diplomatique" is the generic term used to refer to the head of a diplomatic representation, such as an Ambassador, High Commissioner, Nuncio, Chargé d'affaires, Permanent Representative, and sometimes to a...
to the European Union.
In 2000 the Cook Islands joined the Cotonou Agreement
Cotonou Agreement
The Cotonou Agreement is a treaty between the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States . It was signed in June 2000 in Cotonou, the largest city in Benin, by 78 ACP countries and the then fifteen Member States of the European Union...
between the EU and African, Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and Pacific states (ACP
ACP countries
The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States is a group of countries , created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975. The group's main objectives are sustainable development and poverty reduction within its member states, as well as their greater integration into the world's economy...
) and he was appointed as special representative of the Cook Islands. In 2002 the Cook Islands government upgraded its representation to the level of diplomatic mission, at which time McClay was appointed Ambassador to the EU. He has represented the Cook Islands at many international meetings and conferences, including the WTO, FAO
Fão
Fão is a town in Esposende Municipality in Portugal....
, ACP, EU and UN.
Member of Parliament
In 2008, McClay was selected as the National PartyNew 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:...
candidate to stand for the Rotorua electorate in the 2008 New Zealand 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...
, running against incumbent Labour
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....
MP Steve Chadwick. McClay won the seat of Rotorua on election night with a majority of 5,065 (15.43%). He was sworn in as a Member of Parliament on 8 December 2008.
In 2009 his Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 Repeal (Easter Sunday Local Choice) Amendment Bill was drawn from the ballot. The bill would have allowed local authorities to permit shops to open on Easter Sunday - something currently prohibited in most of New Zealand. The bill was narrowly defeated at its first reading.
McClay currently lives in Rotorua with his wife, Nadene, and their four children.