Brendan Horan
| Brendan Horan | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for New Zealand First party list | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 26 November 2011 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 July 1961 |
| Political party | Independent (previously New Zealand First) |
Brendan Francis John Horan (born 9 July 1961) is a New Zealand politician and current list MP, who was elected to the New Zealand Parliament in 2011 for the New Zealand First party. He was expelled from the New Zealand First caucus on 4 December 2012.[1][2] Horan is of Māori descent with affiliations to Ngāti Maniapoto.[3]
Media career
Horan was previously a weather presenter for Television New Zealand's ONE News, running on a regular cycle with Karen Olsen and Natalie Crook. He started in March 2005, and took redundancy in 2007 when former TV1 weather presenter Jim Hickey returned after nearly 4 years absence on the air.[4][5] His final weather presentation was on 7 September 2007.
Horan is a former professional lifeguard and coach, and was a New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Iron Man champion. He also represented New Zealand and Australia in waterpolo, and was a New Zealand outrigger canoe champion.[5][6]
Political career
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||||
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party |
| 2011–2012 | 50th | List | 6 | NZ First |
| 2012 – present | Changed allegiance to: | Independent | ||
In the 2008 general election, Horan contested the East Coast electorate for the New Zealand First party. He came third in electorate votes.[7]
At the 2011 general election Horan was elected as a list MP for New Zealand First, after being ranked sixth on their party list.
In October 2012 he helped saved the life of Indonesian MP Atte Sugandi by giving him CPR when the MP collapsed at a UN conference in Japan.[6]
Expulsion from NZ First
In November 2012 Horan was accused of taking money from his dying mother's bank account and spending it on gambling.[8] At first Winston Peters refused to say whether he still had confidence in Horan,[9] but on 4 December expelled him from the party.[2] Horan wasn't informed until Peters made the announcement in Parliament.[10]
Horan flatly denied the allegations,[11] and vowed to continue as an independent MP,[12] despite only making it into Parliament as a list MP, without an electorate.
On 10 December 2012, Horan admitted making 144 calls to gambling agency TAB on his taxpayer-funded phone, but denied he had a gambling problem.[13] Later that day he notified the Speaker he was no longer a member of NZ First, making his independence from the party official. He also called for an investigation into who leaked his phone records to the media.[14]
In 2013, Horan announced his intention to form a new political party.[15]
References
- ↑ Trevett, Claire (4 December 2012). "Brendan Horan expelled from NZ First, Parliament told". The New Zealand Herald.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Brendan Horan expelled from NZ First". 3 News NZ. December 4, 2012.
- ↑ "Brendan Horan address in reply debate". Hansard debates. February 8, 2012.
- ↑ "Brendan Horan leaving One News". Bay of Plenty Times. 4 September 2007.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 McNaughton, Maggie (5 September 2007). "Wind of change blows television weatherman away". The New Zealand Herald.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Levy, Danya (4 October 2012). "MP saves mans life". Stuff. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
- ↑ "Official Count Results -- East Coast". Retrieved 20 October 2009.
- ↑ "Peters holds off backing MP". 3 News NZ. November 26, 2012.
- ↑ "Peters refuses to back Horan". 3 News NZ. November 27, 2012.
- ↑ "Brendan Horan expelled from NZ First, Parliament told". 3 News NZ. 4 December 2012.
- ↑ "Sacked MP vows to clear his name". 3 News NZ. 5 December 2012.
- ↑ "Horan refusing to leave Parliament". 3 News NZ. 4 December 2012.
- ↑ "Horan admits 144 TAB calls". 3 News NZ. 11 December 2012.
- ↑ "Horan loses party membership". 3 News NZ. 11 December 2012.
- ↑ "Horan may start political party". 3 News NZ. 29 January 2013.
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