Roger Sowry
Encyclopedia
Roger Morrison Sowry, ONZM
(born 3 December 1958) is a former New Zealand politician
. He is a member of the National Party
, and was the deputy leader from 2001 to 2003.
, and attended Tararua College
in Pahiatua where he was head boy. His education included an American Field Service exchange to Minnesota
in 1977, and a Diploma of Business Administration from Victoria University of Wellington
. After working for a time at the Valuation Department, Sowry was employed as a retail manager. He is Anglican, and married with four children.
Sowry joined the National Party in 1977, and was active in its youth wing. In the 1987 elections
, he unsuccessfully challenged Labour Party
MP Margaret Shields
in the Kapiti
electorate. In the 1990 elections
, however, he defeated Shields and entered Parliament. Sowry kept the seat until the 1996 elections
, when he unsuccessfully contested the new Otaki
seat against Labour's Judy Keall
and became a list MP.
In 1993, Sowry was appointed as his party's Junior Whip
, and in 1995, he became Senior Whip.
, becoming Minister of Social Welfare. In 1998, the role was reorganized, becoming Minister of Social Services, Work and Income. He also served for a time as Minister in charge of War Pensions, Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation (state housing
), and Associate Minister of Health. In January 1999, he was given special responsibility for co-ordinating National's relationship with the groups that it relied upon for support (Mauri Pacific
, Mana Wahine
, and others).
In October 2001, when Bill English
displaced Jenny Shipley
as leader of the National Party, Sowry (who had played a significant role in English's rise) became National's deputy leader. He remained in this position until English himself was displaced by Don Brash
in October 2003.
Until 2008 he was the Chief Executive of Arthritis New Zealand, subsequently moving to Saunders Unsworth, as a consultant on Government matters.
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(born 3 December 1958) is a former New Zealand politician
Politics of New Zealand
The politics of New Zealand take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy. The basic system is closely patterned on that of the Westminster System, although a number of significant modifications have been made...
. He is a member of the National Party
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:...
, and was the deputy leader from 2001 to 2003.
Early life
Sowry was born in Palmerston NorthPalmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
, and attended Tararua College
Tararua College
Tararua College is a secondary school in Pahiatua, New Zealand, with a role of approximately 407 students.The college mission statement is Tararua College promotes excellence and personal development inside and outside the classroom. The college celebrated its 50th Jubilee over Easter...
in Pahiatua where he was head boy. His education included an American Field Service exchange to Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
in 1977, and a Diploma of Business Administration from 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...
. After working for a time at the Valuation Department, Sowry was employed as a retail manager. He is Anglican, and married with four children.
Member of Parliament
| Parl. | Electorate | List Pos. | Party |
| 43rd 43rd New Zealand Parliament The 43rd New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Its composition was determined by the 1990 elections, and it sat until the 1993 elections.... |
Kapiti Kapiti (New Zealand electorate) Kapiti was a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, from 1972 to 1996.-Population centres:The main population centres in the electorate were Paraparaumu, Raumati and Waikanae, north of Wellington on the Kapiti Coast.-History:... |
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:... |
|
| 44th 44th New Zealand Parliament The 44th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Its composition was determined by the 1993 elections, and it sat until the 1996 elections.... |
Kapiti Kapiti (New Zealand electorate) Kapiti was a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, from 1972 to 1996.-Population centres:The main population centres in the electorate were Paraparaumu, Raumati and Waikanae, north of Wellington on the Kapiti Coast.-History:... |
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:... |
|
| 45th 45th New Zealand Parliament The 45th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Its composition was determined by the 1996 elections, and it sat until the 1999 elections.... |
List | 15 | 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:... |
| 46th 46th New Zealand Parliament The 46th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Its composition was determined by the 1999 elections, and it sat until the 2002 elections.... |
List | 7 | 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:... |
| 47th 47th New Zealand Parliament The 47th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Its composition was determined by the 2002 elections, and it sat until 11 August 2005.... |
List | 2 | 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:... |
Sowry joined the National Party in 1977, and was active in its youth wing. In the 1987 elections
New Zealand general election, 1987
The 1987 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the 43rd sitting of the New Zealand Parliament. The governing New Zealand Labour Party, led by Prime Minister David Lange, was re-elected for a second term, although the Opposition National Party made gains...
, he unsuccessfully challenged 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....
MP Margaret Shields
Margaret Shields
Dame Margaret Kerslake Shields, DNZM, QSO, JP is a former New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.She represented the electorate of Kapiti in Parliament from 1981 to 1990, when she was defeated by Roger Sowry, one of a number of losses contributing to the fall of the Fourth Labour Government...
in the Kapiti
Kapiti (New Zealand electorate)
Kapiti was a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, from 1972 to 1996.-Population centres:The main population centres in the electorate were Paraparaumu, Raumati and Waikanae, north of Wellington on the Kapiti Coast.-History:...
electorate. In the 1990 elections
New Zealand general election, 1990
The 1990 New Zealand general election was held on 27 October to determine the composition of the 43rd New Zealand parliament. The governing Labour Party was defeated, ending its controversial two terms in office...
, however, he defeated Shields and entered Parliament. Sowry kept the seat until the 1996 elections
New Zealand general election, 1996
The 1996 New Zealand general election was held on 12 October 1996 to determine the composition of the 45th New Zealand Parliament. It was notable for being the first election to be held under the new Mixed Member Proportional electoral system, and produced a parliament considerably more diverse...
, when he unsuccessfully contested the new Otaki
Otaki (New Zealand electorate)
Ōtaki is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, spanning part of the coast of the lower North Island. The bulk of its population comes from the Horowhenua district, but it also takes in part of the northern Kapiti Coast, including the towns of Otaki and Waikanae, and part of Paraparaumu. The...
seat against Labour's Judy Keall
Judy Keall
Judith Mary Keall is a former New Zealand politician. She was an MP from 1984 to 1990, and again from 1993 to 2002, representing the Labour Party....
and became a list MP.
In 1993, Sowry was appointed as his party's Junior Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
, and in 1995, he became Senior Whip.
Member of Cabinet
In December 1996, he was elevated to CabinetNew 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...
, becoming Minister of Social Welfare. In 1998, the role was reorganized, becoming Minister of Social Services, Work and Income. He also served for a time as Minister in charge of War Pensions, Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation (state housing
State housing
State housing is the system of public housing offered to New Zealand residents on low to moderate incomes. Some 66,000 houses are managed by Housing New Zealand Corporation, most of which are owned by the government.-The Liberal Government:...
), and Associate Minister of Health. In January 1999, he was given special responsibility for co-ordinating National's relationship with the groups that it relied upon for support (Mauri Pacific
Mauri Pacific
Mauri Pacific was a short-lived political party in New Zealand. It was formed in 1998 by five former members of the New Zealand First party. It has often been described as a Māori party. Officially, Mauri Pacific was a multiculturalist party, welcoming anyone who supported racial and cultural...
, Mana Wahine
Mana Wahine Te Ira Tangata
Mana Wahine Te Ira Tangata was a small and short-lived political party in New Zealand. It was established by Alamein Kopu, a member of the New Zealand Parliament who had left her original party . After a short time as an independent MP, Kopu established Mana Wahine as her own party...
, and others).
In October 2001, when Bill English
Bill English
Simon William "Bill" English is the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister of Infrastructure of New Zealand.English entered parliament in 1990 as a National party MP representing the Wallace electorate...
displaced Jenny Shipley
Jenny Shipley
Dame Jenny Shipley, DNZM , served as the 36th Prime Minister of New Zealand from December 1997 to December 1999, the first woman to hold this office and the first, and to date only, woman to serve as parliamentary leader of the National Party of New Zealand.-Early life:Shipley was born as Jennifer...
as leader of the National Party, Sowry (who had played a significant role in English's rise) became National's deputy leader. He remained in this position until English himself was displaced by Don Brash
Don Brash
Donald "Don" Thomas Brash , a New Zealand politician, was Leader of the Opposition, parliamentary leader of the National Party from 28 October 2003 to 27 November 2006 and the leader of the ACT Party for 28th April 2011 - 26 November 2011...
in October 2003.
Resignation
On 13 July 2004, Sowry announced that he would not seek re-election, saying that he was looking for a change of career. Sowry denied there were tensions between himself and the party's new leadership. Brash publicly praised Sowry's "outstanding contribution" over the years.Until 2008 he was the Chief Executive of Arthritis New Zealand, subsequently moving to Saunders Unsworth, as a consultant on Government matters.