Richard Prebble
Encyclopedia
Richard William Prebble CBE, born 7 February 1948, was for many years a member of the New Zealand
Parliament. Initially a member of the Labour Party
, he joined the newly formed ACT New Zealand party under Roger Douglas
in 1996.
, England
to Kenneth Ralph Prebble and Mary Prebble (née Thoad), and raised in Auckland. His father was an Anglican priest, and a leader in the Charismatic movement
as archdeacon at St. Pauls. Richard attended the University of Auckland
, gaining a BA
degree in 1970 and an LLB (Hons.) degree in 1972. He was admitted to the Bar in 1971, and practised law in both New Zealand and Fiji
.
Prebble's older brother, John Prebble, is a Professor of Law at Victoria University of Wellington
. His younger brother, Mark Prebble
is the State Services Commissioner, and head of New Zealand's public service. John's daughter Antonia Prebble
is an actor with a number of television roles. Prebble's wife Doreen, from whom he is separated, is a Solomon Islander
and a former Honorary Consul for the Solomon Islands
in New Zealand
.
, and stood as its candidate for the Auckland Central electorate in the 1975 election. His candidacy was successful.
From 1975 to 1984 Labour was in opposition, and Ross Meurant
recalled that:
Once inside Parliament, Prebble became aligned with Roger Douglas
, leader of the right-wing faction within the Labour Party. Douglas supported the privatization
of state assets, the deregulation
of the economy, and the removal of trade barriers such as tariff
s and subsidies
. The party's traditional left-wing faction strongly opposed all these policies.
won the 1984 election, Douglas
became Minister of Finance
, and began implementing his economic policy. Prebble, along with David Caygill
, proved one of his greatest supporters, Douglas
, Prebble, and Caygill
becoming sometimes known as "the Troika".
Prebble's ministerial roles granted him significant opportunities to pursue his policies - from 1984 to 1987, he served as Minister of Transport and Minister of Railways
. In these roles he promoted the privatization of state-owned transport infrastructure. He also served as Associate Minister of Finance during this period, allowing him to support Douglas
more closely. In 1987, he became Minister for State-owned Enterprises, Postmaster General, Minister of Works, and Minister of Broadcasting, portfolios in which he continued to advance Douglas
's policies. During his ministerial career, Prebble was effectively placed in charge of the ongoing privatisation of government assets.
Prebble's position became troubled, however, because of growing tensions between Douglas and the Prime Minister
, David Lange
. While Lange
had supported Douglas
's reforms in the beginning, believing that they were necessary to end the economic problems that the government inherited, he became increasingly hostile to the scale and pace that Douglas
demanded - Lange
tended to see the reforms as a means to an end, while Douglas
considered deregulation and privatisation as important goals in and of themselves. In November 1988, after a long period of bitter dispute, Prebble was fired from Cabinet
, and Douglas
was forced to resign. When fired from Cabinet
in 1988, Prebble held a State House Eviction Party before leaving his ministerial
's house.
lost, arguably because of public dissatisfaction with the reforms. In the 1993 election, however, Prebble lost his seat to Sandra Lee-Vercoe
, deputy leader of the left-wing Alliance
. For the next three years, he worked as a consultant
.
electoral system, which made it easier for smaller parties to enter Parliament, provided the means for Prebble to return to national politics. When Douglas
established the ACT New Zealand party, dedicated to the same laissez-faire
economic policies he had promoted while in power, Prebble quickly became involved. In March 1996, Douglas
stepped down as the new party's leader, and Prebble took over.
, ACT won eight seats in Parliament
. Prebble won the Wellington Central electorate after a hotly contested campaign.
Views vary over whether he won Wellington Central on his own merits or because of an implied endorsement from National
Prime Minister
Jim Bolger
. ACT had by this time started billing itself as a natural coalition partner for National
--a sharp departure from Prebble and Douglas' roots in Labour. If Prebble won Wellington Central, it would be able to enter Parliament even if it failed to cross the five-percent threshold for MMP.
Two days before the election Jim Bolger
admitted in an interview with Paul Holmes
that the polls pointed to a Prebble victory in Wellington Central although he thought it a pity because he liked the National
candidate, Mark Thomas. Some argue that Prebble won because of this implied endorsement. Others argue that Prebble had already won, independent media polls already having put him in the lead a week out from the election. In the end, it proved to be moot, as ACT won 6.1% of the vote of the nationwide party vote, easily clearing the threshold.
in the 1999 election, but remained in Parliament
as a list MP and leader of ACT. After the 2002 election, speculation grew that Prebble would be replaced as leader, but a challenge failed to eventuate.
cited as a potential challenger. No challenge eventuated. On 27 April 2004, however, Prebble announced his voluntary retirement from the leadership, saying that "there comes a point in politics when there's a time for a change, when there's time for a fresh face". After a so-called "primary" contest, Hide took over as ACT leader on 13 June 2004.
Prebble initially made no announcement about whether he would remain in Parliament
beyond the following election but indicated that he was "leaning towards" leaving. In mid-July 2004, however, he announced that he would seek the office of Speaker
upon the retirement of Jonathan Hunt
. However, he did not stand for election when the new Speaker was elected in March 2005 as he had decided to retire at the next election.
He delivered his valedictory speech to a full gallery on 28 July 2005.
Since the 2005 election Prebble has increasingly been involved in print media and on television as a political commentator. He continues to hold directorships with a number of New Zealand companies, including freight transport firm Mainfreight
.
Prebble's latest book, Out of the Red, was released on 23 October (Labour Day), 2006.
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...
Parliament. Initially a member 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....
, he joined the newly formed ACT New Zealand party under Roger Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
in 1996.
Early and personal life
Prebble was born in KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to Kenneth Ralph Prebble and Mary Prebble (née Thoad), and raised in Auckland. His father was an Anglican priest, and a leader in the Charismatic movement
Charismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
as archdeacon at St. Pauls. Richard attended 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...
, gaining a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1970 and an LLB (Hons.) degree in 1972. He was admitted to the Bar in 1971, and practised law in both New Zealand and Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
.
Prebble's older brother, John Prebble, is a Professor of Law at Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
. His younger brother, Mark Prebble
Mark Prebble
Mark Prebble CNZM is a former New Zealand civil servant. He was the State Services Commissioner, head of New Zealand's public service from May 2004 until 30 June 2008...
is the State Services Commissioner, and head of New Zealand's public service. John's daughter Antonia Prebble
Antonia Prebble
Antonia Mary Prebble is a New Zealand actress most famous for her role as Loretta West in the hit television show Outrageous Fortune and as Trudy in The Tribe.-Career:...
is an actor with a number of television roles. Prebble's wife Doreen, from whom he is separated, is a Solomon Islander
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
and a former Honorary Consul for the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
in 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
Labour in opposition
Prebble was originally a member of the Labour PartyNew 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....
, and stood as its candidate for the Auckland Central electorate in the 1975 election. His candidacy was successful.
From 1975 to 1984 Labour was in opposition, and Ross Meurant
Ross Meurant
Alan Ross Meurant is a New Zealand public figure who has at various times gained public attention as a police officer, a businessman, a politician, and a political lobbyist.- Police :...
recalled that:
- Sir RobRobert MuldoonSir Robert David "Rob" Muldoon, GCMG, CH served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984, as leader of the governing National Party. Muldoon had been a prominent member of the National party and MP for the Tamaki electorate for some years prior to becoming leader of the party...
has often said that when he was in GovernmentThird National Government of New ZealandThe Third National Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984. It was an economically and socially conservative government, which aimed to preserve the Keynesian economic system established by the First Labour government while also being socially conservative...
, the most irritating and damaging of his opponents was Richard Prebble. “Always at it” said Sir Rob, "Always a bother to us. Even if some thought he was mad the way he carried on, we never knew what he was going to come up with next"
Once inside Parliament, Prebble became aligned with Roger Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
, leader of the right-wing faction within the Labour Party. Douglas supported the privatization
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
of state assets, the deregulation
Deregulation
Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or...
of the economy, and the removal of trade barriers such as tariff
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
s and subsidies
Subsidy
A subsidy is an assistance paid to a business or economic sector. Most subsidies are made by the government to producers or distributors in an industry to prevent the decline of that industry or an increase in the prices of its products or simply to encourage it to hire more labor A subsidy (also...
. The party's traditional left-wing faction strongly opposed all these policies.
Cabinet minister
When Labour PartyNew 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....
won the 1984 election, Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
became Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
, and began implementing his economic policy. Prebble, along with David Caygill
David Caygill
David Caygill, CBE is a former New Zealand politician. After being New Zealand's youngest city councillor at 22 , he was an MP from 1978 to 1996, representing the Labour Party...
, proved one of his greatest supporters, Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
, Prebble, and Caygill
David Caygill
David Caygill, CBE is a former New Zealand politician. After being New Zealand's youngest city councillor at 22 , he was an MP from 1978 to 1996, representing the Labour Party...
becoming sometimes known as "the Troika".
Prebble's ministerial roles granted him significant opportunities to pursue his policies - from 1984 to 1987, he served as Minister of Transport and Minister of Railways
Minister of Railways (New Zealand)
The Minister of Railways was the minister in the government responsible for the New Zealand Railways Department 1895–1981, the New Zealand Railways Corporation 1981–1993, and New Zealand Rail Limited 1990–1993...
. In these roles he promoted the privatization of state-owned transport infrastructure. He also served as Associate Minister of Finance during this period, allowing him to support Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
more closely. In 1987, he became Minister for State-owned Enterprises, Postmaster General, Minister of Works, and Minister of Broadcasting, portfolios in which he continued to advance Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
's policies. During his ministerial career, Prebble was effectively placed in charge of the ongoing privatisation of government assets.
Prebble's position became troubled, however, because of growing tensions between Douglas and the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
, David Lange
David Lange
David Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...
. While Lange
David Lange
David Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...
had supported Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
's reforms in the beginning, believing that they were necessary to end the economic problems that the government inherited, he became increasingly hostile to the scale and pace that Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
demanded - Lange
David Lange
David Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...
tended to see the reforms as a means to an end, while Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
considered deregulation and privatisation as important goals in and of themselves. In November 1988, after a long period of bitter dispute, Prebble was fired from Cabinet
New Zealand Cabinet
The Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
, and Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
was forced to resign. When fired from Cabinet
New Zealand Cabinet
The Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
in 1988, Prebble held a State House Eviction Party before leaving his ministerial
New Zealand Cabinet
The Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
's house.
Labour in opposition
Prebble retained his Auckland Central seat in the 1990 election, which LabourNew 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....
lost, arguably because of public dissatisfaction with the reforms. In the 1993 election, however, Prebble lost his seat to Sandra Lee-Vercoe
Sandra Lee-Vercoe
Sandra Rose Te Hakamatua Lee-Vercoe QSO is a former New Zealand politician and diplomat. She served as deputy leader of the Alliance party, and was later High Commissioner to Niue.-Early life:...
, deputy leader of the left-wing Alliance
Alliance (New Zealand political party)
The Alliance is a left-wing political party in New Zealand. It was formed in 1991, and was influential in the 1990s, but has since declined and has no representation in parliament. It suffered a major setback after Jim Anderton, the party's leader, left the party in 2002, taking several of the...
. For the next three years, he worked as a consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
.
ACT New Zealand
New Zealand's switch to the MMPMixed member proportional representation
Mixed-member proportional representation, also termed mixed-member proportional voting and commonly abbreviated to MMP, is a voting system originally used to elect representatives to the German Bundestag, and nowadays adopted by numerous legislatures around the world...
electoral system, which made it easier for smaller parties to enter Parliament, provided the means for Prebble to return to national politics. When Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
established the ACT New Zealand party, dedicated to the same laissez-faire
Laissez-faire
In economics, laissez-faire describes an environment in which transactions between private parties are free from state intervention, including restrictive regulations, taxes, tariffs and enforced monopolies....
economic policies he had promoted while in power, Prebble quickly became involved. In March 1996, Douglas
Roger Douglas
Sir Roger Owen Douglas , is a New Zealand politician who formerly served as a senior New Zealand Labour Party Cabinet minister. He became arguably best-known for his prominent role in the radical economic restructuring undertaken by the Fourth Labour Government during the 1980s...
stepped down as the new party's leader, and Prebble took over.
1996 campaign
In the 1996 election, the first to be held under MMPMixed member proportional representation
Mixed-member proportional representation, also termed mixed-member proportional voting and commonly abbreviated to MMP, is a voting system originally used to elect representatives to the German Bundestag, and nowadays adopted by numerous legislatures around the world...
, ACT won eight seats in Parliament
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
. Prebble won the Wellington Central electorate after a hotly contested campaign.
Views vary over whether he won Wellington Central on his own merits or because of an implied endorsement from National
New 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:...
Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
Jim Bolger
Jim Bolger
James Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics...
. ACT had by this time started billing itself as a natural coalition partner for National
New 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:...
--a sharp departure from Prebble and Douglas' roots in Labour. If Prebble won Wellington Central, it would be able to enter Parliament even if it failed to cross the five-percent threshold for MMP.
Two days before the election Jim Bolger
Jim Bolger
James Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics...
admitted in an interview with Paul Holmes
Paul Holmes (broadcaster)
Paul Holmes CNZM is a radio and television broadcaster in New Zealand. he hosts Q+A on TV ONE, and the Saturday morning radio show on Newstalk ZB, where for 23 years until December 2008 he hosted the weekday breakfast show, the long-standing number one rating breakfast show...
that the polls pointed to a Prebble victory in Wellington Central although he thought it a pity because he liked the National
New 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, Mark Thomas. Some argue that Prebble won because of this implied endorsement. Others argue that Prebble had already won, independent media polls already having put him in the lead a week out from the election. In the end, it proved to be moot, as ACT won 6.1% of the vote of the nationwide party vote, easily clearing the threshold.
1999 campaign
Prebble lost his Wellington Central seat (the boundaries of which were significantly changed by the Electoral Commission, to Prebble's disfavour) to Labour's Marian HobbsMarian Hobbs
Marian Leslie Hobbs , a New Zealand politician, was a Labour Member of Parliament from 1996 to 2008. She was initially a list MP and then represented the Wellington Central electorate...
in the 1999 election, but remained in Parliament
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
as a list MP and leader of ACT. After the 2002 election, speculation grew that Prebble would be replaced as leader, but a challenge failed to eventuate.
Retirement
In February 2004, after a particularly poor poll result, speculation about Prebble's position appeared once again, with second-ranked Rodney HideRodney Hide
Rodney Hide is a New Zealand politician who was leader of the political party ACT New Zealand from 2004 to 2011. From 2005 to 2011 he represented the electorate of Epsom as its Member of Parliament. Rodney Hide was Minister of Local Government, Associate Minister of Commerce and Minister of...
cited as a potential challenger. No challenge eventuated. On 27 April 2004, however, Prebble announced his voluntary retirement from the leadership, saying that "there comes a point in politics when there's a time for a change, when there's time for a fresh face". After a so-called "primary" contest, Hide took over as ACT leader on 13 June 2004.
Prebble initially made no announcement about whether he would remain in Parliament
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
beyond the following election but indicated that he was "leaning towards" leaving. In mid-July 2004, however, he announced that he would seek the office of Speaker
Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
In New Zealand the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives...
upon the retirement of Jonathan Hunt
Jonathan Hunt (New Zealand)
Jonathan Lucas Hunt, ONZ is a New Zealand politician, and was New Zealand's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2005 to March 2008. He formerly served as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives. He is a member of the Labour Party, and was until recently the longest-serving MP...
. However, he did not stand for election when the new Speaker was elected in March 2005 as he had decided to retire at the next election.
He delivered his valedictory speech to a full gallery on 28 July 2005.
Since the 2005 election Prebble has increasingly been involved in print media and on television as a political commentator. He continues to hold directorships with a number of New Zealand companies, including freight transport firm Mainfreight
Mainfreight
Mainfreight Limited is a New Zealand based trucking and logistics firm operating in Australia, China, the United States of America and New Zealand. Bruce Plested founded the firm in 1978, with $2700 and a 1969 Bedford truck. He was later joined by Neil Graham. When the firm was founded, it entered...
.
Prebble's latest book, Out of the Red, was released on 23 October (Labour Day), 2006.
Books & party political publications
- Prebble's contribution was the paper: "New Zealand: tenth by 2010."
- Prebble's contribution was the paper: "Old values, new ideas."
- The second edition of this book is entitled Now it's time to act - [note the ISBN].
- This is the second edition of I've been thinking - [note the ISBN] containing additional material.
- Prebble's contributions are the papers: "Why I do not vote National"; and (co-authored with Deborah CoddingtonDeborah CoddingtonDeborah Coddington is a New Zealand journalist and former ACT New Zealand politician.- Pre-political career :Coddington, born in Waipukurau, worked from 1973 to 1984 as a magazine journalist, but in 1985 moved to Russell, a town in the Bay of Islands, where she owned and operated a café and...
) "Lessons of freedom and choice."