Winston Peters
Winston Raymond Peters ( Maori: Winitana Pita; born April 11, 1945 in Whangarei, Northland ) is a New Zealand politician.
Biography
Peters, son of Māori Kihirini " Len " Peters and a Scottish mother, Joan Merle McInnes (1911-2008) studied, after visiting the Whangarei Boys' High School history, political science and law studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA ) and a Bachelor of Laws ( LL.B. ) from. He then worked as a teacher and as a lawyer.
He began his political career as a candidate of the New Zealand National Party ( NP) in 1978 with the election of the member of the House of Representatives, where he represented the constituency Hunua until 1981. He was then again from 1984 to 2005 a member of the House of Representatives and, representing the constituency of Tauranga. Most recently, he was from 1987 to 1990 member of the board of NP- faction in the opposition ( Opposition Front Bench).
In November 1990 he was appointed by Prime Minister Jim Bolger to the Minister for the Affairs of the Maori ( Maori Affairs Minister of ) appointed to the government. In 1993, Peters, who is also a member of the Ratana movement, from the NP and founded New Zealand First, which he is chairman since then, and formed a coalition with the NP. As part of a Government reshuffle, he was appointed by Bolger Deputy Prime Minister (Prime Deputy Minister ) and Minister for the Treasury ( Treasurer ) in December 1996 and held this position under Bolger Jenny Shipley successor to August 1998.
In 2005, Peters Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand. Although his party had to accept significant losses in the General Election of 2005 with 5.72% just came across the five-percent hurdle, she came into a participation in government with Labour, as the New Zealand Labour Party does not have the sufficient majority in parliament possessed. Peters Party signed an agreement that the Labour Party promised a government support because a coalition, on the basis, there was no question of very different political ideas of both parties. Peters was to include foreign minister without the Cabinet. Even Peter had lost his direct mandate from 2002 and only came on the election list of his party in the House of Representatives.
On 29 August 2008 he was forced to resign as secretary of state public pressure after the Serious Fraud Office (fraud department of the government ) had launched investigations against him for fraud in connection with political donations to his party and he presented a confusion in the public. Although it has not been demonstrated criminal behavior, his reputation was damaged by his behavior in public. The House of Representatives said in September 2008 a complaint made against him. After New Zealand First then with only 4.07% failed in the parliamentary elections in November 2008 at the 5 % hurdle and thus lost all the seats in the House of Representatives, Peters retired from politics. Back on the political stage Peters joined the parliamentary elections on 26 November 2011, and came back over the list of his party, who took the 5% hurdle with 6.8%, returned to Parliament. This was possible, and since the political commentators in New Zealand agreed well with a public that has become conversation over a cup of tea in a cafe between the New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and the candidate of the party ACT New Zealand, John Banks, which became a scandal was just before the election.
Peter 's older brother Ian Peters was also a member of the House of Representatives for the constituency of Tongariro, while the oldest brother Jim Peters 2002-2005 New Zealand First also acted as representatives of the NP between 1990 and 1993 as a member of the House of Representatives.