Mike Williams (New Zealand)
Encyclopedia
Mike Williams is a former (and the second-longest serving) President of the New Zealand Labour Party
.
Williams has been an information technology consultant and was a director (until December 2008) of Genesis Power, the New Zealand Transport Agency
, and GNS Science
.
He is currently Chief Executive of the anti-P Stellar Trust, a charity which campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of methamphetamine
.
Williams unsuccessfully stood for several local government positions in the 2010 Auckland local elections
. These were the Henderson-Massey Local Board, the Waitakere Licensing Trust, and the Waitemata District Health Board.
and, at the age of 17, joined the New Zealand Labour Party. He attended Victoria University, where he joined the marches against apartheid, nuclear weapons and the Vietnam war
. He obtained an Master of Arts
in New Zealand History from the University of Auckland
. It was here that he first met future Prime Minister Helen Clark
, where they were both members of the Princes Street Branch of the Labour Party.
These activities helped the party to achieve a landslide victory in 1984. After the election, Williams joined the Australian Labor Party
in Canberra but had returned to New Zealand within a year.
Williams was appointed as Campaign Manager for the 1999 election which was won by the Labour Party. After the election he was appointed as Party President.
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....
.
Williams has been an information technology consultant and was a director (until December 2008) of Genesis Power, the New Zealand Transport Agency
New Zealand Transport Agency
The New Zealand Transport Agency is a New Zealand Crown entity tasked with promoting safe and functional transport by land, including the responsibility for driver and vehicle licensing and investigating rail accidents. It was created on 1 August 2008 by the Land Transport Management Amendment...
, and GNS Science
GNS Science
GNS Science is a New Zealand Crown Research Institute. It focuses on geology, geophysics , and nuclear science ....
.
He is currently Chief Executive of the anti-P Stellar Trust, a charity which campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
.
Williams unsuccessfully stood for several local government positions in the 2010 Auckland local elections
Auckland local elections, 2010
The Auckland local elections, 2010 took place from 17 September until 9 October and were conducted by postal vote. The elections were the first since the merger of the seven councils and elected the new Auckland Council, composed of the mayor, 20 members of the Governing Body, and 149 members of 21...
. These were the Henderson-Massey Local Board, the Waitakere Licensing Trust, and the Waitemata District Health Board.
Early life
Williams attended Karamu High SchoolKaramu High School
Karamu High School is a co-educational state high school in Hastings, New Zealand for students in Years 9 to 13. The school is the main co-ed secondary school within Hastings City itself...
and, at the age of 17, joined the New Zealand Labour Party. He attended Victoria University, where he joined the marches against apartheid, nuclear weapons and the Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. He obtained an Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in New Zealand History from the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
. It was here that he first met future Prime Minister Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
, where they were both members of the Princes Street Branch of the Labour Party.
Commercial activities
Williams set up two successful companies based on his experience of Labour Party organisation. Insight Research (now UMR Insight) was a market research company (which was sold in 1994) and Insight Data, which specialised in direct-mail and marketing and was sold in 1997.Labour Party activities
Williams initially started working for the Labour Party as an education officer but rapidly moved into fundraising where he instigated a number of new practices:- - A pledge system, whereby supporters agreed to pay a regular amount using the then-new automatic bank transfer system;
- - Sending out requests for donations to the party membership, enclosing pre-paid reply envelopes;
- - Visiting businesses to solicit donations;
- - Systematic canvassing and direct-mailing.
These activities helped the party to achieve a landslide victory in 1984. After the election, Williams joined the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
in Canberra but had returned to New Zealand within a year.
Williams was appointed as Campaign Manager for the 1999 election which was won by the Labour Party. After the election he was appointed as Party President.