Brian David Connell (born 23 April 1956) is a former

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politician who represented the

New Zealand National Party The New Zealand National Party ( mi, Rōpū Nāhinara o Aotearoa), shortened to National () or the Nats, is a centre-right political party in New Zealand. It is one of two major parties that dominate contemporary New Zealand politics, alongsi ...

in the

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from 2002 to 2008.

Biography

Born in Foxton in the Manawatu region, Connell studied

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and

geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, a ...

Massey University Massey University ( mi, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa) is a university based in Palmerston North, New Zealand, with significant campuses in Albany and Wellington. Massey University has approximately 30,883 students, 13,796 of whom are extramural o ...

. He also gained a diploma in

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. He worked as a primary school

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for a time, then as a secondary school teacher, before moving to Australia, where he became a manager at a banking company in

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. After holding a number of management and consultancy positions, he returned to New Zealand and took up

farming Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peop ...

. The voters of the Rakaia electorate elected Connell to

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in the

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, replacing the retiring former

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Jenny Shipley Dame Jennifer Mary Shipley (née Robson; born 4 February 1952) is a New Zealand former politician who served as the 36th prime minister of New Zealand from 1997 to 1999. She was the first female prime minister of New Zealand, and the first woma ...

as the National Party candidate. Connell served on the Law and Order and Commerce select committees. Following Connell's re-election in the 2005 election, National Party leader

Don Brash Donald Thomas Brash (born 24 September 1940) is a former New Zealand politician who was Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the New Zealand National Party from October 2003 to November 2006, and the Leader of ACT New Zealand from April to N ...

ranked him 27th in the National party caucus of 48 MPs giving him the portfolios of forestry, commerce, consumer affairs and statistics. Although this gave Connell a higher position (he was previously unranked), Connell objected to such a lowly ranking, saying "I would have liked bigger portfolios and a higher ranking based on my ability, rather than the leader slapping me around because I'm outspoken" and describing it as a "big rat to swallow". Don Brash responded by removing his portfolios and rank in the caucus, saying Connell no longer had his confidence. On 4 November 2005, Connell threatened to become an independent MP. On 13 September 2006

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and ''

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'' reported that Connell had confronted Brash during a National Party caucus meeting with allegations of an extramarital affair. Brash issued a statement later that same day, declaring plans to take leave in order to sort out marital difficulties with his wife. The National Party caucus suspended Connell on 26 September 2006. A statement released by the National Party said that Connell had failed to show the restraint and discipline expected of a caucus member, and that it had no confidence in him. Connell reportedly declared that he planned to grow his hair as a protest until the National Party changed its leader: he later denied this. Having already announced his intention to retire at the

2008 election This electoral calendar 2008 lists the national/federal direct elections held in 2008 in the de jure and de facto sovereign states and their dependent territories. Referendums are included, even though they are not elections. By-elections are no ...

, Connell retired from Parliament on 31 August 2008 to take up a job in

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External links

National Party page

Footnotes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Connell, Brian 1956 births Living people Massey University alumni New Zealand farmers New Zealand National Party MPs People from Foxton, New Zealand Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates 21st-century New Zealand politicians