Cam Campion

Cameron "Cam" Campion (1943–16 October 1995)[1] was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.

Contents

Private life

Campion was a queen scout and attended St Georges Preparatory School and Wanganui Collegiate. He was captain of the Wanganui under 21 rugby team. He took a tourism delegation including the Ngate Poneke concert group, New Zealand Agridome to the Calgary Stampede and Edmington Klondike days in Canada. Campion was a successful Romney Stud Sheep Breeder at Okirae farm situated East of Wanganui.

Campion married Margaret Neilson of Wanganui; they had four children (Kirsty, Amanda, Meg and Duncan).

Member of Parliament

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate Party
1990–93 43rd Wanganui National
1993 Changed allegiance to: Independent

Campion won the seat of Wanganui from Labour in 1990; the seat had been held by Russell Marshall, who was retiring. Once in Parliament, Campion quickly became associated with Michael Laws, Hamish MacIntyre and Gilbert Myles in objecting to the monetarist policy of Ruth Richardson, known as Ruthanasia, which the fourth National Government was following.

He announced his resignation from the National Party on 3 March 1993, and accused the party of attempting to rig the reselection process against him. Campion remained an Independent for the remainder of his term, up to the 1993 general election in November.

Death

Campion died of bowel cancer in 1995, which encouraged Laws in championing an unsuccessful 'Death with Dignity Bill' to legalise voluntary euthanasia.[1][2]

His surviving wife Margaret was elected to the Wanganui District Council for the term 2001-04.

References

  1. ^ a b Adhar, R.J. (1996). "Religious parliamentarians and euthanasia: a window into church and state in New Zealand". Journal of Church and State 38 (3): 569–593. doi:10.1093/jcs/38.3.569. 
  2. ^ History of euthanasia in New Zealand, The Life Resources Charitable Trust.
Parliament of New Zealand
Preceded by
Russell Marshall
Member of Parliament for Whanganui
1990–93
Succeeded by
Jill Pettis