David Bennett (New Zealand politician)

David Allister Bennett (born 28 October 1970) is a New Zealand National Party politician. He was first elected the Member of Parliament for Hamilton East in 2005, and became a list MP in 2020. He was Minister for Food Safety and Minister of Veterans' Affairs in the final year of the Fifth National Government.

The Honourable
David Bennett
MP
Minister of Veterans' Affairs
In office
20 December 2016 – 26 October 2017
Prime MinisterBill English
Preceded byCraig Foss
Succeeded byRon Mark
Minister for Food Safety
In office
20 December 2016 – 26 October 2017
Prime MinisterBill English
Preceded byJo Goodhew
Succeeded byDamien O'Connor
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for National party list
Assumed office
17 October 2020
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Hamilton East
In office
17 September 2005 – 17 October 2020
Preceded byDianne Yates
Succeeded byJamie Strange
Personal details
Born
David Allister Bennett

(1970-10-28) 28 October 1970
Hamilton, New Zealand
Political partyNational
Signature
Websitedavidbennett.co.nz

Early years

Bennett was born on 28 October 1970 in Hamilton. He attended St John's College, Hamilton before gaining an LLB and a BCA from Victoria University of Wellington.[1] Bennett owns two dairy farms near Te Awamutu, is partner in a third, and has also worked as an accountant for KPMG, in Auckland.[2][3]

Member of Parliament
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2005–2008 48th Hamilton East 32 National
2008–2011 49th Hamilton East 44 National
2011–2014 50th Hamilton East 48 National
2014–2017 51st Hamilton East 37 National
2017–2020 52nd Hamilton East 24 National
2020–2023 53rd List 11 National

Fifth Labour Government, 2005–2008

In the 2005 election, Bennett stood as the National Party's candidate for the Hamilton East seat. He was successful, defeating the incumbent MP, Dianne Yates of the Labour Party.[4] In his maiden speech, he remarked that at age 34, he was the youngest National MP elected at that election.[5] In his first term, he was a member of the Transport and Industrial Relations committee.[6] He was an associate spokesperson for transport under National leader John Key from 1 December 2006.[7]

Fifth National Government, 2008–2017

Bennett retained Hamilton East for the duration of the Fifth National Government, defeating Labour candidate Sue Moroney three times.[8][9][10] He was a member of the Finance and Expenditure Committee from December 2008 to January 2017 (the last two years as chair), the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee from December 2008 to August 2014 (the last three years as chair), and the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee from 2014 to 2017.

He was appointed Minister for Food Safety, Minister for Veterans' Affairs, and Associate Minister of Transport (outside Cabinet) after Bill English became Prime Minister in December 2016, and was additionally appointed Minister of Racing in 2017.[11][12] On appointment, Bennett noted he was the first MP for a Hamilton electorate to become a minister since 1984 (when Ian Shearer completed a term as Minister for the Environment).[13] He introduced the Government's Racing Amendment Bill in July 2017 but it was abandoned after National lost the 2017 election.[14][15]

Sixth Labour Government, 2017–2020

At the 2017 general election, Bennett retained Hamilton East by 5,810 votes over new Labour candidate Jamie Strange,[16] but lost to Strange by a margin of 2,973 votes at the 2020 general election. Despite that loss, he was returned as a list MP.[17][18]

The National Party was in opposition from October 2017. Bennett held various spokesperson roles for the party, including food safety and racing under the leadership of Bill English, corrections and land information under Simon Bridges, agriculture under Todd Muller and Judith Collins, and economic and regional development under Christopher Luxon.[6]

Bennett briefly served as an Assistant Speaker of the House in August 2022.[19] He will retire at the 2023 New Zealand general election.[20]

Political views

In 2005, Bennett voted for the Marriage (Gender Clarification) Amendment Bill, which would have amended the Marriage Act to define marriage as only between a man and a woman.[21] He opposed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill at its first and second readings in 2012 and 2013, but voted in support at its final reading in 2013.[22] He supported the Conversion Practices Bill at second and third reading in 2022.[23]

In 2009, Bennett voted against the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill, a bill aimed at amending the Misuse of Drugs Act so that cannabis could be used for medical purposes.[24]

In 2019 and 2020, he voted for the Abortion Legislation Bill at all stages. In 2022, he supported the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion (Safe Areas) Amendment Bill at its second and third reading.

Personal life

Bennett was in a long-distance relationship with Australian senator Bridget McKenzie and both are members of their respective countries' National Parties with Senator McKenzie having served as her party's deputy leader between 2017 and 2020.[25][26] On 26 July 2022 Bennett announced his intention to step down from Parliament at the 2023 election in order to spend more time with his fiancee Nicky Preston and their first child.[20]

References
  1. El-Gamel, Nancy (9 June 2016). "Catholic school boys get pep talk from Bill English". Stuff. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  2. Burke, Peter (10 June 2020). "National ag spokesman is a dairy farmer". Rural News Group. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  3. Lines-MacKenzie, Jo (3 January 2017). "David Bennett is Hamilton's first minister in 33 years". Stuff. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  4. "Official Count Results -- Hamilton East". Electoral Commission. 1 October 2005. Archived from the original on 22 January 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  5. "Bennett, David: Address in Reply - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  6. "Bennett, David - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  7. "Key announces his shadow cabinet". NZ Herald. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  8. "Official Count Results -- Hamilton East". Electoral Commission. 22 November 2008. Archived from the original on 21 January 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  9. "Official Count Results -- Hamilton East". Electoral Commission. 10 December 2011. Archived from the original on 19 January 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  10. "Official Count Results -- Hamilton East". Electoral Commission. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 22 January 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  11. MacKenzie, Jo-Lines (3 January 2017). "David Bennett is Hamilton's first minister in 33 years". Stuff. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  12. "Minister hoping for first reading before election". Otago Daily Times. 11 May 2017. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  13. Lines-MacKenzie, Jo (2 January 2017). "David Bennett is Hamilton's first minister in 33 years". Stuff. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  14. Turner, Jonny (10 August 2017). "Minister confident tax can be collected". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  15. "Racing Amendment Bill - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  16. "Hamilton East - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  17. Whyte, Anna (18 October 2020). "Analysis: The winners, losers, new faces and goodbyes of election 2020". 1 News. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  18. "2020 General Election and Referendums - Official Result Successful Candidates". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  19. "Appointments — Assistant Speakers - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  20. "Family and farming new future focus for retiring veteran Hamilton MP". Waikato Times. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  21. "Marriage (Gender Clarification) Amendment Bill – First Reading". New Zealand Parliament. 7 December 2005. Archived from the original on 29 February 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  22. Carson, Jonathan (18 April 2013). "David Bennett: Why he voted yes". Stuff. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  23. "Conversion practices ban passes in Parliament". 1 News. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  24. "Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill — First Reading". Hansard. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand House of Representatives. 655: 4850. 1 July 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  25. "Trans-Tasman relations: Long-distance love for Hamilton East MP David Bennett, who confirms he is in a relationship with Australian senator". The New Zealand Herald. 24 December 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  26. Bridget McKenzie: New Zealand enchants another National, The Australian, 9 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
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