Brian David Connell (born 23 April 1956) is a former
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
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
New Zealand Parliament
The New Zealand Parliament ( mi, Pāremata Aotearoa) is the unicameral legislature of New Zealand, consisting of the Monarchy of New Zealand, King of New Zealand (King-in-Parliament) and the New Zealand House of Representatives. The King is u ...
from 2002 to 2008.
Biography
Born in
Foxton in the
Manawatu region, Connell studied
history
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
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 ...
at
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
teaching
Teaching is the practice implemented by a ''teacher'' aimed at transmitting skills (knowledge, know-how, and interpersonal skills) to a learner, a student, or any other audience in the context of an educational institution. Teaching is closely ...
. He worked as a primary school
teacher
A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching.
''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...
for a time, then as a secondary school teacher, before moving to
Australia, where he became a manager at a
banking company in
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
. 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
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. ...
in the
2002 election
The following elections occurred in the year 2002.
* 2002 Bahraini parliamentary election
* 2002 Comorian presidential election
* 2002 East Timorese presidential election
* 2002 Fijian municipal election
* 2002 Hong Kong Chief Executive election
* ...
, replacing the retiring former
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...
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
TV3 News
Virgin Media News (formerly TV3 News and then 3News Ireland) is the news division of Virgin Media Television in Ireland, owned by Liberty Global. The news division produces news and current affairs programming for free-to-air channels Virgin M ...
and ''
The New Zealand Herald
''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation of all newspaper ...
'' 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
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...
.
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