Warren Cooper
| The Honourable Warren Cooper CNZM JP | |
|---|---|
 Warren Cooper as Minister of Foreign Affairs, during a meeting with Caspar Weinberger at the Pentagon in 1983 | |
| 31st Minister of Defence | |
|
In office 2 November 1990 – 1 March 1996 | |
| Prime Minister | Jim Bolger |
| Preceded by | Peter Tapsell |
| Succeeded by | Paul East |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 February 1933 |
| Political party | National |
Warren Ernest Cooper, CNZM, JP (born 21 February 1933), is a former New Zealand politician. He was a National Party MP from 1975 to 1996, holding cabinet positions including Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defence.[1] Cooper also twice served as Mayor of Queenstown, from 1968 to 1975 and 1995 to 2001.[2]
Early life
Cooper was born in Dunedin in 1933. He received his education at Musselborough School and King's High School. He later moved to Queenstown. He worked as a retailer, a painting, decorating and signwriting contractor, and a motel manager, and also became involved in local politics.[3]
Member of Parliament
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||||
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | |
| 1975–1978 | 38th | Otago Central | National | |
| 1978–1981 | 39th | Otago | National | |
| 1981–1984 | 40th | Otago | National | |
| 1984–1987 | 41st | Otago | National | |
| 1987–1990 | 42nd | Otago | National | |
| 1990–1993 | 43rd | Otago | National | |
| 1993–1996 | 44th | Otago | National | |
He was first elected to Parliament in the 1975 elections as MP for Otago Central,[4] defeating the newly elected Ian Quigley of the Labour Party.[5] In the 1978 election, he successfully contested the replacement electorate Otago.[4]
Just after the 1978 election, his ministerial career started. He was Minister of Tourism (1978–1981), Minister of Regional Development (1978–1981), Postmaster-General (1980–1981), and Minister of Broadcasting (1981).[6] When Brian Talboys retired from Parliament in 1981, Cooper was appointed to replace him as Minister of Foreign Affairs; he held this position until the government of Rob Muldoon was defeated in 1984.[6] Later, in the government of Jim Bolger, Cooper served as Minister of Defence. Cooper remained in Parliament until the 1996 election, when he stepped aside in favour of Gavan Herlihy.
In the 1997 New Year Honours, Cooper was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for public services.[7]
Mayor
Cooper was Mayor of Queenstown Borough Council from 1968 to 1975, and Mayor of Queenstown Lakes District Council from 1995 to 2001.[8] He was involved in a public argument with actor Sam Neill in 2000, over development in Queenstown.[9]
Notes
- ↑ Trevett, Claire (21 April 2007). "Jim Bolger - regrets and legacies". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
- ↑ McKinnon, Malcolm. "Government and politics - Otago Association and Otago province". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
- ↑ Gustafson 1986, p. 305.
- 1 2 Wilson 1985, p. 190.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 228.
- 1 2 Wilson 1985, p. 96.
- ↑ New Year Honours List 1997. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
- ↑ "Past Mayors of the QLDC". Queenstown Lakes District Council. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
- ↑ "Former mayor and Sam Neill make up". New Zealand Herald. 25 May 2005. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
References
- Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
- Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
| New Zealand Parliament | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ian Quigley |
Member of Parliament for Otago Central 1975–1978 |
Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament for Otago 1978–1996 |
Succeeded by Gavan Herlihy |