Kevin Hague

Kevin Grant Hague (born 18 March 1960) is a New Zealand activist and former chief executive and politician. He was a Member of Parliament for the Green Party from 2008 to 2016, and served as chief executive of Forest & Bird, an independent New Zealand conservation organisation, from October 2016 to April 2022.[1] In July 2022 he became a volunteer Civil Defence and Emergency Management controller for the West Coast.[2]

Kevin Hague
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Green Party List
In office
2008–2016
Succeeded byBarry Coates
Personal details
Born (1960-03-18) 18 March 1960
Aldershot, Hampshire, England
NationalityNew Zealander
Political partyGreen Party
ChildrenOne
OccupationChief Executive of the Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society of New Zealand
Former Member of Parliament

Prior to his election to Parliament, Hague was the Chief Executive of the West Coast District Health Board. Hague is also an author, a long time gay rights activist and a former executive director of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation.

Career and activism
Hague during the 2008 election campaign

Hague has been an activist for a number of causes. In the 1980s he was heavily involved in the campaign against sporting contacts with apartheid South Africa.[3] In 1989 he co-authored Honouring the Treaty: an introduction for Pakeha to the Treaty of Waitangi.[4] Hague also edited Terry Stewart's 1996 book Invisible families: a New Zealand resource for parents of lesbian and gay children.[3]

Hague is openly gay and in 1988 began work as a research officer for the New Zealand AIDS Foundation, which provides education on HIV/AIDS issues and advocacy and support for those with HIV and AIDS. From 1998 to 2003 he was the Foundation's executive director.[3]

He has represented New Zealand at United Nations, UNESCO and Commonwealth conferences on apartheid and on AIDS. He has also campaigned on behalf of cycling.[3]

In 2005 Hague became Chief Executive of the West Coast District Health Board, where he had worked since 2003. Hague resigned in December 2008 to become a Member of Parliament.[5]

Member of Parliament
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2008–2011 49th List 7 Green
2011–2014 50th List 3 Green
2014–2016 51st List 3 Green

Hague was placed at number seven on the Green Party list for the 2008 election. He gained the third highest number of candidate votes in the West Coast-Tasman electorate and was elected to Parliament as a list MP for the Green Party.[6]

Hague again contested West Coast-Tasman in the 2011 and 2014 elections and was returned to Parliament as a list MP each time, being placed third on the Green Party list.

Hague was a member of the Health Committee for most of 2008 to 2016, and also spent time on the Governance and Administration Committee during that committee's consideration of the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, which legalised same-sex marriage in New Zealand in 2013.[7][8][9] Hague said once the bill had passed its third reading, in April 2013, there would be a number of "incredibly emotional" weddings between gay couples.[10]

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman indicated he would vacate that role in 2015. Hague contested the resulting leadership contest but ultimately placed second to fellow MP James Shaw.

Hague announced on 5 September 2016 that he would resign from parliament to become the CEO of Forest and Bird.[11] He was replaced by Barry Coates.[12][13]

At his retirement, Hague was the Green Party spokesperson for health (including Accident Compensation Corporation, sport and recreation), conservation, and Rainbow Issues.[14]

Life after politics

Hague was CEO of Forest and Bird for six years from 2016 to 2022.[15][16] In November 2022 he was appointed for a three year term as Chair of the Public Health Advisory Committee (PHAC); the PHAC provides public health advice to government and the Minister of Health.[17]

Personal life

Hague was born in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, on 18 March 1960, and moved to New Zealand in 1973 with his family when he was 13 years old.[18][19] He became a naturalised New Zealand citizen in 1978.[19] Hague enjoys mountain biking, cycle touring and tramping. He has been with his partner since 1984,[3] but has no plans to get married since Labour MP Louisa Wall's Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill passed.[9]

References
  1. "Forest & Bird welcomes Nicola Toki as new Chief Executive | Forest and Bird". www.forestandbird.org.nz. 17 April 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  2. "Council chairman objects to former Forest and Bird chief taking on Civil Defence role". Stuff. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  3. "GayNZ.com Green Party candidate Kevin Hague". www.gaynz.com. Archived from the original on 11 January 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  4. Yensen, Helen (1 January 1989). Honouring the Treaty: An Introduction for Pakeha to the Treaty of Waitangi. Penguin. ISBN 9780140124255.
  5. "The Westerly, Te Hauauru" (PDF). West Coast District Health Board. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  6. "Election Results – West Coast-Tasman". New Zealand Ministry of Justice, Chief Electoral Office. November 2008. Archived from the original on 11 December 2008. Retrieved 9 November 2008.
  7. "No surprises at gay marriage approval". 3 News NZ. 28 February 2013.
  8. "Gay marriage bill passes first step". The New Zealand Herald. 30 August 2012.
  9. "No surprises at gay marriage approval". 3 News NZ. 28 February 2013.
  10. "Marriage equality will be 'emotional'". 3 News NZ. 15 April 2013.
  11. "Green MP Kevin Hague quits Parliament". Newshub. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  12. "Green MP quits". 5 September 2016.
  13. "Kevin Hague quits Greens for Forest and Bird". 5 September 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016 – via New Zealand Herald.
  14. "Kevin Hague MP". Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  15. "Appointment announced to replace Hague". Otago Daily Times Online News. 22 January 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  16. "Forest & Bird Welcomes Nicola Toki As New Chief Executive". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  17. "About the committee: the role of PHAC". Ministry of Health NZ. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  18. Reid, Neil (27 March 2011). "Arresting times". Sunday Star Times. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  19. "Kevin Grant Hague in the New Zealand, naturalisations, 1843–1981". Ancestry.com Operations. 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
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