Derek Tinia Fox (born 1947) is a New Zealand broadcaster, commentator, publisher, journalist and

Māori Party Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

candidate in several elections. He was the Mayor of Wairoa from 1995 to 2001. Born in Auckland, he grew up 45 km east of Wairoa on the Mahia Peninsula. He is of

Ngāti Kahungunu Ngāti Kahungunu is a Māori iwi located along the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The iwi is traditionally centred in the Hawke's Bay and Wairārapa regions. The tribe is organised into six geographical and administrative d ...

and

Ngāti Porou Ngāti Porou is a Māori iwi traditionally located in the East Cape and Gisborne regions of the North Island of New Zealand. Ngāti Porou is affiliated with the 28th Maori Battalion and has the second-largest affiliation of any iwi in New Zealan ...

descent. He worked for

Television New Zealand Television New Zealand ( mi, Te Reo Tātaki o Aotearoa), more commonly referred to as TVNZ, is a television network that is broadcast throughout New Zealand and parts of the Pacific region. All of its currently-operating channels are free-to-air an ...

until 1986, where he fronted Koha, a Māori current affairs programme, and produced

Te Karere ''Te Karere'' is a news and current affairs show that was New Zealand's first Māori language television programme. ''Te Karere'' is broadcast on Television New Zealand's TVNZ 1 at 3:55 pm on weekdays and repeated 1:05 am and 5:35 am the f ...

, a Māori news programme from 1983. He then launched Mana magazine and Rotorua-based Mana Māori News. He also became the chair of the Māori Broadcasters Association, which was later renamed Ngā Aho Whakaari. Next he was Chairman of the board of

Māori Television Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

. Although he hired and then fired (for falsifying his CV) Canadian John Davy as chief executive, Prime Minister

Helen Clark Helen Elizabeth Clark (born 26 February 1950) is a New Zealand politician who served as the 37th prime minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008, and was the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme from 2009 to 2017. She was ...

said he was the pre-eminent Māori broadcaster of his generation. Fox contested the as an independent in the electorate. He stood for the Māori Party in 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 ...

, again in the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti electorate, against Labour's

Parekura Horomia Parekura Tureia Horomia (9 November 1950 – 29 April 2013) was a New Zealand Labour Party politician who served as Minister of Māori Affairs between 2000 and 2008. Early life Horomia was born in Tolaga Bay of Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga Hauiti, ...

. In both elections, he opposed the Māori Affairs minister, but his candidacies were unsuccessful. Maori Party confirms Fox's domestic violence history. "He has been guilty of physical abuse 30 or 40 years ago with his wife, and families dealt with that at the time," Prof Winiata said. "Subsequently, 15 or 16 years ago, he and his partner at the time had an encounter and Derek reported that to the police." Mr Fox received counselling on anger management after the second incident and did not expect there would be a recurrence. Asked on Radio New Zealand whether he thought Mr Fox's history should exclude him from becoming an MP, he replied: "Not when it has been dealt with and the person involved has made what appeared to be a very sincere effort to manage what they see as a personal problem." The party is standing by Mr Fox, who has refused to comment to the media and has not returned NZPA's calls. He has issued a statement saying he had done things in his past that he regretted, had taken responsibility for them and believed he was now a different person.

Charlie Hebdo Murders

In January 2015, Fox became the subject of considerable public controversy for a Facebook post that blamed

Charlie Hebdo ''Charlie Hebdo'' (; meaning ''Charlie Weekly'') is a French satirical weekly magazine, featuring cartoons, reports, polemics, and jokes. Stridently non-conformist in tone, the publication has been described as anti-racist, sceptical, secular ...

editor Stephane Charbonnier for causing the deaths of the victims in the Paris terror attacks.

References

*''Dominion'' 10 April 1993 (page 10) *''New Zealand Herald'' 4 May 2002 (pages B1, B3) *''North and South'' April 2001 (no 181, pages 82–87) http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/maori-party-confirms-foxs-domestic-violence-history-32948

External links

Biography of Derek Fox
on

NZ On Screen NZ On Screen is a state-funded online promotional showcase of New Zealand television and film. Funded by NZ On Air, it provides free worldwide access to NZ-produced television, film and music videos. Content is streamed and the webpages provide ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fox, Derek 1947 births Living people New Zealand television presenters New Zealand journalists New Zealand television journalists Mayors of places in the Hawke's Bay Region People from Wairoa Māori mayors Māori Party politicians Ngāti Kahungunu people Ngāti Porou people New Zealand Māori broadcasters Unsuccessful candidates in the 2008 New Zealand general election 21st-century New Zealand politicians Unsuccessful candidates in the 1999 New Zealand general election People from Māhia Peninsula

Charlie Hebdo Murders

See also

References

External links