Rick Barker | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 30thMinister of Internal Affairs | |
| In office 19 October 2005 – 19 November 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Helen Clark |
| Preceded by | George Hawkins |
| Succeeded by | Richard Worth |
| 6thMinister for Courts | |
| In office 19 May 2003 – 19 November 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Helen Clark |
| Preceded by | Margaret Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Georgina te Heuheu |
| 58thMinister of Customs | |
| In office 15 August 2002 – 19 October 2005 | |
| Prime Minister | Helen Clark |
| Preceded by | Jim Anderton |
| Succeeded by | Nanaia Mahuta |
| Member of Parliament forTukituki Hastings (1993–1996) | |
| In office 6 November 1993 – 17 September 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Jeff Whittaker |
| Succeeded by | Craig Foss |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1951-10-27)27 October 1951 (age 73) Greymouth, New Zealand |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | Patsy |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Otago |
Richard John Barker[1] (born 27 October 1951) is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of theLabour Party, and was a middle-rankingCabinet minister in theFifth Labour Government of New Zealand.
Barker was born in the town ofGreymouth, on New Zealand'sWest Coast. He attendedGreymouth High School and then theUniversity of Otago. After working as a shop assistant,bartender, storeworker, farmhand, driver, factory worker, andquarrier, he became involved in thetrade unions, primarily those relating to the service sector. He eventually became National Secretary of the Service Workers' Union.[2]
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–1996 | 44th | Hastings | Labour | ||
| 1996–1999 | 45th | Tukituki | 28 | Labour | |
| 1999–2002 | 46th | Tukituki | 31 | Labour | |
| 2002–2005 | 47th | Tukituki | 24 | Labour | |
| 2005–2008 | 48th | List | 21 | Labour | |
| 2008–2011 | 49th | List | 34 | Labour | |
Barker became a member of theLabour Party in 1973, served for a time as the Industrial Representative on the party's National Council and was also junior vice-president of the party. In the lead up to the1993 election Barker sought the Labour nomination for the normally safe Labour seat ofHeretaunga, but lost out to political advisorHeather Simpson.[3] Later in 1993 he won the Labour nomination for theHastings electorate, defeating Auckland Tamoana Freezing Workers' Union president Pat Weir. His selection was a surprise as Weir won the floor vote of local members, but the selection panel chose Barker. The Freezing Workers' Union laid a complaint with the Labour Party's head office alleging the panel had beenstacked, an assertion rejected by party secretary Tony Timms.[4]
At the 1993 election, he succeeded in winning the Hastings electorate, winning a seat that was previously held by theNational Party. Soon after entering parliament he supportedHelen Clark in her successful leadership challenge toMike Moore.[5] He was re-elected in1996,1999, and2002 for the reconfigured seat ofTukituki. In2005 he lost the seat in what was a large swing against the sitting Labour government in the provincial areas and returned toParliament as alist MP. In2008 Barker tried unsuccessfully to regain the seat of Tukituki and for the second time was returned to parliament as a Labour list MP. He stood in one of the safest National seats,Taranaki-King Country, in 2011 and was not high enough on the Labour list to remain an MP.[6]
In 2002Labour was re-elected for a second term and Barker was appointed toCabinet asMinister of Customs,Minister for Courts, Associate Minister of Justice, and Associate Minister of Social Services and Employment. During the 2002–2005 term, he was given additional responsibility asMinister for the Community and Voluntary Sector and Minister for Small Business.
In 2005, Barker was re-appointed to Cabinet[7] as theMinister of Internal Affairs, Minister for Courts,Minister of Civil Defence and Minister of Veterans' Affairs. Barker lost his ministerial warrants following Labour's defeat in the 2008 election; however, Barker was appointed by the House of Representatives to the role of Assistant Speaker for the49th New Zealand Parliament for the session 2008–11.
As a cabinet minister, Barker was entitled to the title ofThe Honourable and became The Hon. Rick (Richard) Barker[8] which is a title he was granted for the rest of his life[9] after his term of office.
Barker was elected to theHawke's Bay Regional Council in 2013, representing the Hastings constituency. In 2016 he was appointed deputy chair of the council. On 30 June 2021 he was elected chair, holding the role until October 2022.[10]
In June 2018, Barker was appointed chairperson of theWest Coast District Health Board by theMinister of Health,David Clark. He was reappointed in December 2019.[11]
He is married to Patsy and has three children.[12]
| New Zealand Parliament | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament for Hastings 1993–1996 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament for Tukituki 1996–2005 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister of Customs 2002–2005 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Courts 2003–2005 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Civil Defence 2005–2008 | Succeeded by |
| Minister of Internal Affairs 2005–2008 | Succeeded by | |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Senior Whip of the Labour Party 1999–2002 2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Succeeded by | |