Gordon Copeland
Gordon Copeland | |
---|---|
party list | |
In office 2002–2008 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Mahana, Conservative Party | 19 August 1943
Other political affiliations | The Kiwi Party United Future |
Spouse | Anne |
Children | 5 |
Gordon Frank Copeland (19 August 1943 – 24 November 2018) was a New Zealand politician who served as a
Early life and family
Of English and Irish ancestry, Copeland was born at Mahana, near
Pre-Parliamentary career
Prior to entering parliament, Copeland worked for fourteen years in the
Copeland chaired the Inter-Church Working Party on Taxation (1987–2002) and became a member of the Working Party on Registration, Reporting and Monitoring of Charities that led to setting up the New Zealand Charities Commission.
He participated in a wide range of ecumenical activities, and in 2000 convened "Celebrate Jesus 2000", which saw 28,000
Member of Parliament
Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002–2005 | 47th | List | 2 | United Future | |
2005–2007 | 48th | List | 3 | United Future | |
2007–2008 | Changed allegiance to: | Independent |
The
Opposition to same-sex marriage
Following his 2005 re-election, Copeland gained the support of other
Opposition to abortion and to voluntary euthanasia
Subsequently, Copeland protested against the establishment of a hosted website for Australian
Copeland wanted to introduce a private member's ballot bill designed to require women seeking abortion to undergo mandatory counselling covering both proceeding with the
Opposition to prohibiting parental corporal punishment
Copeland criticised
Resignation from United Future
On 16 May 2007, Copeland resigned from the United Future party after its leader, Peter Dunne, had consistently voted for Bradford's Child Discipline Bill, which removed the defence of "reasonable force" related to parental corporal punishment of children. Copeland has since said that after the 2005 elections, which saw the United Future caucus reduce from eight to three, Dunne had wanted to return to his liberal roots and to see an end to the Christian influence in the party. Dunne also told Copeland that he regretted having voted against the legalisation of prostitution and the Civil Unions Act. In a televised interview[citation needed] on 3 July 2007, Dunne said that Copeland's decision to quit came after a failed leadership bid in January 2007. This is strongly denied by Copeland who says that he had never thought of, let alone made, such a bid.
After resigning, Copeland missed the vote against the Bill that he had quit his party over, when the debate ended well ahead of its scheduled two hours. He had his vote against the Bill recorded retrospectively by leave of the House.[4] As an independent MP, Copeland gave a proxy vote to the Opposition National Party to cast on his behalf while absent from the House, for any matters apart from confidence and supply.[5]
Future New Zealand Party / The Kiwi Party
Copeland announced that he would form a separate
On 17 September 2007, Copeland publicly confirmed an intention to co-lead a new political party with Richard Lewis, after Bishop Brian Tamaki, founder of the Destiny New Zealand party, had announced it at a press conference without Copeland's knowledge.[9] However, that announcement, coupled with Tamaki's statements that the Destiny New Zealand party would de-register and that he would not rule out a candidacy in the 2008 elections, gave the media the impression that the new party, which had no name, would be just a re-formed Destiny Party. Rank-and-file members of Future New Zealand immediately reacted negatively to that perception, so Copeland announced on 20 September 2007 that he "could not work" with Lewis, and would remain co-leader of Future New Zealand with Baldock.[10] In October 2007 Copeland distanced himself from The Family Party, led by Lewis, which formed out of Destiny New Zealand, and said he would contest the 2008 election under the Future New Zealand banner.[11]
On 28 January 2008, Future New Zealand changed its name to The Kiwi Party and Copeland relinquished his joint leadership to Larry Baldock, announcing that he would henceforth concentrate on parliamentary matters. In the 2008 general election Copeland stood for The Kiwi Party in the Rongotai electorate.[12] He fared poorly, receiving only 515 electorate votes, and the Kiwi Party did not cross the 5% threshold to enter Parliament.[13]
Post-Parliamentary career
In March 2009, the Kiwi Party elected Copeland as their president.
The New Zealand Electoral Commission de-registered the Kiwi Party in February 2012.[16]
In November 2012 Copeland made headlines when he compared same-sex marriage to apartheid.[17]
In August 2014 the
Copeland died in a Wellington hospice on 24 November 2018.[19]
Political views
Social policy
As a Member of Parliament Copeland said[citation needed] he wanted to give a central focus to the role and importance of the family in building a strong nation. To that end he was a strong advocate for marriage preparation and marriage enrichment programmes and parenting programmes, at every level from pre-natal through to the teenage years.
Copeland wanted[20] to develop policy giving greater encouragement to charities and not-for-profit organisations; and a taxation-system minimising distortions, ensuring that — through a mix of private savings and government support — New Zealanders had adequate retirement incomes.
Copeland introduced bills adding private-property rights to the
Former political positions
Former policy positions as part of United Future New Zealand include:
- a national control strategy for deer, chamois and pigs
- walking access for recreational use
- a review of the Prostitution Reform Act 2003
- promoting investigating adopting either an Australian currency or combined ANZAC dollar.[21]
Former political offices
- Former Party Whip, United Future
- Former United Future New Zealand Spokesman on:
- Economics and Business: Finance; Revenue; Customs; Public Trust; Economic Development; Industry & Regional Development; Industry & Regional Development; Small Business; Commerce; State Owned Enterprise; Labour & Immigration;
- Primary Industry: Agriculture; Forestry; Fisheries; Horticulture;
- Infrastructure: Energy; Transport; Transport Safety; Land Information; Statistics; Communications;
- Outdoors: Tourism; Conservation; Sport and Recreation
- Member and deputy chair of the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee
- Member and deputy chair of the Commerce Select Committee
References
- ^ "Gordon Copeland". New Zealand Parliament. 8 November 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
- ^ a b "Board of Management". The Kiwi Party. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
- ^
Green Party (2 March 2007). "Bradford dismisses bid to undermine S59 repeal". Scoop. Retrieved 16 May 2007.
- ^ "New Zealand Parliamentary Debates: Voting — Correction". New Zealand House of Representatives. 16 May 2007. p. 9308. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
- ^ Oliver, Paula (15 June 2007). "I want to be National's 49th MP, says defector". The New Zealand Herald. New Zealand Herald.
- ^ Maggie Tait (16 May 2007). "United Future MP quits party over smacking bill". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 16 May 2007.
- ^ Dan Eaton (22 May 2007). "Future NZ". The Press. p. A6.
- ^ Copeland's Chronicle, June 2007
- ^ Young, Audrey (21 September 2007). "New Christian party - an idiot's guide". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
- ^
"Speed wobbles hit Christian party plan". The Dominion Post. 20 September 2007. Retrieved 20 September 2007.
- ^ "Family Party aims to convert Labour supporters". Dominion Post. NZPA. 17 October 2007. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
- ^ The Wellingtonian 22 May 2008, page 8
- ^ "Official count results – Rongotai". Chief Electoral Office. November 2008. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
- Television New Zealand. 18 March 2009. Archived from the originalon 19 March 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
- ^ "Conservative list released" (Press release). Conservative Party. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
- ^
"Cancellation of Kiwi Party". Electoral Commission New Zealand. 10 February 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
On 8 February 2012 the Electoral Commission board cancelled the registration of the Kiwi Party at the party's request in accordance with part 4 of the Electoral Act 1993.
- ^ "Former MP's 'apartheid' gay analogy shocks". 3 News NZ. 14 November 2012. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
- ^ "Conservative Party NZ & TIME TO HIT THE RESET BUTTON".
- ^ "Gordon Copeland death notice". New Zealand Herald. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
- ^ "The Kiwi Party constitution". Retrieved 24 March 2008.
- Television New Zealand. 5 December 2006. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
Further reading
- Gordon Copeland, Faith That Works: Lower Hutt: Barnabas Christian Trust: 1988.