Jeremy Paul Dwyer (3 December 1947 – 11 December 2005) was a New Zealand politician. He was deputy leader of the Social Credit Political League between 1977 and 1981, and Mayor of Hastings from 1986 to 2001.

Early life

Dwyer was born in

Waipawa Waipawa is the second-largest town in Central Hawke's Bay (district), Central Hawke's Bay in the east of the North Island of New Zealand. It has a population of The town is located northeast of Waipukurau and southwest of Hastings, New Zeal ...

on 3 December 1947, the son of Sam and Lillian Dwyer, and educated at Central Hawke's Bay College. He studied at Ardmore Teachers' Training College, gaining a Diploma of Teaching in 1969 and TTC in 1971. In 1983, Dwyer married Marilyn Eva McKay, and the couple had one son.

Teaching career

Dwyer was a teacher and head of department of history and social studies at

Te Aute College Te Aute College (Māori language, Māori: Te Kura o Te Aute) is a school in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand. It opened in 1854 with twelve pupils under Samuel Williams (missionary), Samuel Williams, an Anglicanism, Anglican missionary, and ...

from 1972 to 1976. He was a member of the board of governors of Te Aute College from 1976 until 1989, including a term as chair of the board between 1979 and 1981.

Political career

Social Credit

Dwyer was an activist in the Social Credit Political League, and was deputy leader of the League from 1977 to 1981. He stood as a parliamentary candidate for the League three times, coming third each time: at the for (receiving 654 votes); and at the

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

and 1978 general elections for (1,788 and 5,373 votes respectively). He resigned as deputy leader and as the candidate for Hastings in July 1981.

Hastings

Dwyer served as a

Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...

city councillor from 1977 to 1981. In 1986, he was elected as mayor of Hastings City, and then as mayor of Hastings District following the

1989 local government reforms The 1989 New Zealand local government reform was the most significant reform of local government in New Zealand in over a century. Some 850 local bodies were amalgamated into 86 local authorities, on Regions of New Zealand, regional and Territo ...

. In 2001, after 15 years as mayor, he chose not to seek re-election.

Honours and awards

In 1990, Dwyer was awarded the

New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal The New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal was a commemorative medal awarded in New Zealand in 1990 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, and was awarded to 3,632 people. Background The New Zealand 1990 Com ...

. In the

1999 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1999 for various Commonwealth realms were announced on 30 December 1998, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 1999. The ''Honours list'' is a list of people who have been awarded one of the various orders, d ...

, he was appointed a

Companion of the Queen's Service Order The King's Service Order () established by royal warrant (document), royal warrant of Queen regnant, Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, is used to recognise "valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to t ...

for public services.

Death

Dwyer died on 11 December 2005 from

melanoma Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer; it develops from the melanin-producing cells known as melanocytes. It typically occurs in the skin, but may rarely occur in the mouth, intestines, or eye (uveal melanoma). In very rare case ...

, from which he had suffered for over a year.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dwyer, Jeremy Paul People from Waipawa 1947 births 2005 deaths New Zealand educators Mayors of Hastings, New Zealand Unsuccessful candidates in the 1972 New Zealand general election Unsuccessful candidates in the 1975 New Zealand general election Unsuccessful candidates in the 1978 New Zealand general election Social Credit Party (New Zealand) politicians Companions of the Queen's Service Order New Zealand justices of the peace Deaths from melanoma in New Zealand