Trevor Rogers
Encyclopedia
Trevor Vicemar Rogers is a former New Zealand
member of parliament, sitting for the National Party
from 1990 to 1995, then for the Right of Centre
party from 1995 to 1996.
In the 1990 election
he took the Otara
seat beating Taito Phillip Field
, who had replaced the retiring MP Colin Moyle
as the Labour candidate for the seat. He had previously stood for the Otara seat in 1987
. In the 1993 election
he won the new Howick
seat, which comprised the eastern part of the old Otara seat.
He gained considerable public recognition for his crusade against pornography
and for the open access to children studying on home computers. He wanted programs such as "Net Nanny" to be available and even compulsory in the home. Open access on the internet he saw as facilitating the distribution of pornography to minors. In 1994 he introduced a private member's bill, the Technology and Crimes Reform Bill. A select committee recommended against its enactment and it was defeated in the house.
On 8 June 1995, Rogers quit the National Party, having become increasingly frustrated with its refusal to pursue his policies. He joined the Right of Centre
, which had been founded by another dissident conservative, Ross Meurant
. The Right of Centre party restyled itself as the New Zealand Conservative Party as a result of poor opinion poll performances. After Meurant was dismissed from Government over a conflict of business interests, Meurant left the party and became an independent MP, leaving Rogers as party leader. Despite a belief that they could win 15% of the party vote in the 1996 election
, the Conservatives fared badly, gaining only 0.07% of the vote New Zealand wide. Rogers lost his seat, and has never returned to Parliament.
He was jailed for one month for contempt of court in February 2011, and again in March, after failing to provide the Court with the whereabouts of the intellectual property relating to the helicopter businesses. Mr Rogers was censured for "continually lying to the court" .
The Rogers have argued that the intellectual property is in their heads so can not be handed over, despite Court appointed seizures determining that the Rogers email history claimed the technical and intellectual property had been moved offshore in various overseas banking institutions. A counter offer made by the Rogers to the Court to recreate the intellectual property in exchange for staff, facilities and wages was dismissed by the plaintiffs attorney.
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, sitting for 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:...
from 1990 to 1995, then for the Right of Centre
New Zealand Conservative Party
The New Zealand Conservative Party was a short-lived political party in New Zealand. It was founded by a dissident National Party MP, Ross Meurant.-Foundation:...
party from 1995 to 1996.
Member of Parliament
Rogers was first a member of parliament for the National Party, having previously been on several Auckland local bodies; an Auckland City Councillor 1977-89, a member of the Auckland Regional Authority 1983-86, and on the No 2 District Roads Council 1983-87.In the 1990 election
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...
he took the Otara
Otara (New Zealand electorate)
Otara was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate, from 1984 to 1993.-Population centres:This suburban electorate is in the southern part of greater Auckland.-History:The electorate was established in the 1984 election...
seat beating Taito Phillip Field
Taito Phillip Field
Taito Phillip Hans Field is a Samoan New Zealand politician. He was a Member of Parliament for south Auckland electorates from 1993 to 2008. Field was a minister outside Cabinet in a Labour-led government from 2003 to 2005. Following charges of bribery and perverting the course of justice, he was...
, who had replaced the retiring MP Colin Moyle
Colin Moyle
Colin James Moyle, CBE is a former politician of the New Zealand Labour Party. He was a Government Minister in the Third Labour and Fourth Labour Governments. In the Fourth Labour Government he oversaw the removal of farming subsidies and the establishment of a fisheries quota system.-Early...
as the Labour candidate for the seat. He had previously stood for the Otara seat in 1987
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...
. In the 1993 election
New Zealand general election, 1993
The 1993 New Zealand general election was held on 6 November 1993 to determine the composition of the 44th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Jim Bolger, win a second term in office, despite a major swing back towards the Labour Party. The new Alliance and New...
he won the new Howick
Howick (New Zealand electorate)
Howick was a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, from 1993 to 1996 only.-Population Centres:This suburban electorate is in the southern part of greater Auckland.-History:...
seat, which comprised the eastern part of the old Otara seat.
He gained considerable public recognition for his crusade against pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
and for the open access to children studying on home computers. He wanted programs such as "Net Nanny" to be available and even compulsory in the home. Open access on the internet he saw as facilitating the distribution of pornography to minors. In 1994 he introduced a private member's bill, the Technology and Crimes Reform Bill. A select committee recommended against its enactment and it was defeated in the house.
On 8 June 1995, Rogers quit the National Party, having become increasingly frustrated with its refusal to pursue his policies. He joined the Right of Centre
New Zealand Conservative Party
The New Zealand Conservative Party was a short-lived political party in New Zealand. It was founded by a dissident National Party MP, Ross Meurant.-Foundation:...
, which had been founded by another dissident conservative, 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 :...
. The Right of Centre party restyled itself as the New Zealand Conservative Party as a result of poor opinion poll performances. After Meurant was dismissed from Government over a conflict of business interests, Meurant left the party and became an independent MP, leaving Rogers as party leader. Despite a belief that they could win 15% of the party vote in the 1996 election
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...
, the Conservatives fared badly, gaining only 0.07% of the vote New Zealand wide. Rogers lost his seat, and has never returned to Parliament.
Life after politics
Since leaving Parliament, Rogers has managed engineering companies including TGR Helicorp which was placed into receivership in April 2008. All of his other companies (shell or otherwise) were also folded and he was forced by Bank of New Zealand into bankruptcy. The status of some of the assets from his various ventures is in some doubt or dispute and forensic receivers and investigators were called in by the liquidators. Some of the missing assets that were claimed as destroyed or sold by Mr and Mrs Rogers, were later found in concurrent property searches, having been sequestered in various shipping containers around Auckland.He was jailed for one month for contempt of court in February 2011, and again in March, after failing to provide the Court with the whereabouts of the intellectual property relating to the helicopter businesses. Mr Rogers was censured for "continually lying to the court" .
The Rogers have argued that the intellectual property is in their heads so can not be handed over, despite Court appointed seizures determining that the Rogers email history claimed the technical and intellectual property had been moved offshore in various overseas banking institutions. A counter offer made by the Rogers to the Court to recreate the intellectual property in exchange for staff, facilities and wages was dismissed by the plaintiffs attorney.