Mark Burton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 34thMinister of Defence | |
| In office 10 December 1999 – 12 October 2005 | |
| Prime Minister | Helen Clark |
| Preceded by | Max Bradford |
| Succeeded by | Phil Goff |
| 44thMinister of Justice | |
| In office 19 October 2005 – 31 October 2007 | |
| Prime Minister | Helen Clark |
| Preceded by | Phil Goff |
| Succeeded by | Annette King |
| Member of theNew Zealand Parliament forTaupō | |
| In office 6 November 1993 – 8 November 2008 | |
| Preceded by | New constituency |
| Succeeded by | Louise Upston |
| Majority | 1,285[1] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1956-01-16)16 January 1956 (age 69) Northampton, Northamptonshire, England |
| Political party | Labour |
Richard Mark Burton (born 16 January 1956) is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of theLabour Party, having served as Minister of Defence, Minister of Justice, Minister of Local Government, Minister in Charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Deputy Leader of the House, and the Minister Responsible for the Law Commission in theFifth Labour Government of New Zealand.
Burton was born inNorthampton, England, but was brought to New Zealand by his family when ten years old. He attended high school inWanganui, attending Wanganui Boys College and was in the year group ahead of future National MP Michael Laws. He has been involved in a wide range of social and community organisations, including theRed Cross, the Department of Social Welfare, the Central Plateau Rural Education Activities Programme, the Council of Social Services, theTaupō Employment Support Trust, and theTaupō Sexual Abuse Counselling Service. He received theNew Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal for his work.[2]
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–1996 | 44th | Tongariro | Labour | ||
| 1996–1999 | 45th | Taupo | 10 | Labour | |
| 1999–2002 | 46th | Taupo | 18 | Labour | |
| 2002–2005 | 47th | Taupo | 16 | Labour | |
| 2005–2008 | 48th | Taupo | 16 | Labour | |
In the1993 election, Burton stood as theLabour Party's candidate forTongariro, an electorate in the centralNorth Island, defeatingIan Peters. This later became the seat ofTaupō, which Burton retained.
From1996 to1999, he served as hisparty'sSenior Whip.
When the Labour Party won power in the1999 election, Burton became part of the newCabinet, assuming the roles ofMinister of Internal Affairs,Minister of Defence, Minister forState-Owned Enterprises,Minister of Tourism, and Minister of Veterans' Affairs. In2002, Internal Affairs and Veterans' Affairs were transferred toGeorge Hawkins. In February 2005 he became the Minister ofTreaty of Waitangi Negotiations, and dropped theState-Owned Enterprises portfolio.
In late 2004, withJonathan Hunt set to retire from politics, Burton was regarded by many as theLabour Party's preferred choice to replace him asSpeaker of the House of Representatives. In the end, however, Labour decided to nominateMargaret Wilson for the position.
Burton sponsored the introduction of theElectoral Finance Act, which made election funding more transparent and open by making anonymous donations illegal if they exceed the sum of $12,000. The Act capped the highest donation to the sum of $120,000 and increased public funding in elections to allow for more funding to go to a wider range of parties. The Act extended the regulated period classifying an election year to 1 January of the election year.
In November 2007 Burton resigned from hisCabinet positions during Prime MinisterHelen Clark's portfolio renewal. When Labour's party list was written prior to the2008 general election, he was given a low placing of 39.[3] He then lost his seat in a nationwide swing to theNational Party, and due to his place on the list, was not returned to parliament.[4]
Burton stood unsuccessfully forTaupō District Mayor in the2010 local body elections.[5] AfterDarren Hughes resigned his list seat in 2011, and the next person on the Labour Party list,Judith Tizard, declined to take it up, Burton was entitled to reenter Parliament for the remainder of the term. However, he also declined the offer.[6]
| New Zealand Parliament | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament for Tongariro 1993–1996 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament for Taupō 1996–2008 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister of Defence 1999–2005 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Justice 2005–2007 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Senior Whip of the Labour Party 1996-1999 | Succeeded by |