Tim Groser

The Honourable
Tim Groser
MP
Minister of Trade
Incumbent
Assumed office
19 November 2008
Prime Minister John Key
Preceded by Phil Goff
Minister Responsible for International Climate Change Negotiations
Incumbent
Assumed office
27 January 2010[1]
Prime Minister John Key
Minister of Conservation
In office
19 November 2008 – 27 January 2010[1]
Prime Minister John Key
Preceded by Steve Chadwick
Succeeded by Kate Wilkinson
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for National Party List
Incumbent
Assumed office
2005
Personal details
Born 1950 (age 64–65)
Perth, Scotland
Nationality New Zealand
Political party National
Occupation Diplomat

Timothy (Tim) John Groser (born 1950) is a current New Zealand politician and former diplomat.

Early years

He was born in Perth, Scotland and came to New Zealand with his parents in 1958. After completing his education at Victoria University of Wellington he served as a policy adviser in a number of key departments including Treasury, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Prime Minister's Advisory Group under Rob Muldoon.

In the 1980s he was appointed New Zealand's chief agricultural negotiator in the GATT Uruguay round before being promoted to Chief Negotiator midway through negotiations. He subsequently became New Zealand's ambassador to Indonesia from 1994 to 1997.[2]

Since then Groser has served as New Zealand's Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and as the WTO's chairman of agricultural negotiations. He was heavily involved in the Doha round of discussions.

Member of Parliament

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate List Party
2005–2008 48th List 13 National
2008–2011 49th List 15 National
2011 – 2014 50th List 12 National
2014 – present 51st List 14 National

In 2005 Groser opted to leave the civil service and run for Parliament. He was selected to stand as a list-only candidate for the National Party in the 2005 elections. He was placed 13th on the list and as a result was comfortably elected.

After the 2008 election he was given a Cabinet position with the Conservation and Trade portfolios.

Groser made international headlines in late 2012 when his governing National Party said New Zealand would be withdrawing from the Kyoto Protocol.[3] The climate minister said the 15-year-old agreement was outdated, and that New Zealand was "ahead of the curve" in looking for a replacement that would include developing nations.[4]

Groser speaking at the WTO Director-General selection process in 2013

In December 2012, the New Zealand Government announced that it was supporting Groser's bid to become the next Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, a position which became vacant at the end of May 2013 with the retirement of Pascal Lamy.[5] Groser's bid was eventually unsuccessful and the Brazilian diplomat Roberto Azevêdo was elected as the Director General of the WTO on May 2013..[6] On 22 March 2015, Edward Snowden's The Intercept news website claimed that New Zealand's signals intelligence agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau, had spied on other WTO contenders on behalf of Groser. Known targets included candidates from Brazil, Costa Rica, Ghana, Jordan, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, and South Korea.[7]

Personal life

During his tenure in Indonesia, Groser converted to Islam after marrying his second wife, an Indonesian citizen.[2][8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "John Key announces Cabinet reshuffle". The New Zealand Herald. 26 January 2010. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Adam Bennett (14 April 2012). "Indonesian visit by Key indicates fresh focus". New Zealand Herald.
  3. ↑ "Key defends 'no' to Kyoto Protocol". 3 News NZ. 12 November 2012.
  4. ↑ "Groser defends quitting Kyoto Protocol". 3 News NZ. 3 December 2012.
  5. ↑ "PM supports Tim Groser's WTO bid". New Zealand National Party. 21 December 2012.
  6. ↑ "Groser misses out on top WTO job". 3News. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  7. ↑ Fisher, David (23 March 2015). "GCSB spies monitored diplomats in line for World Trade Organisation job". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  8. ↑ Audrey Young (6 August 2007). "Key accepts high-flyer's promise he never smoked dope as ambassador". New Zealand Herald.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tim Groser.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
Phil Goff		 Minister of Trade
2008– 		Incumbent
Preceded by
Steve Chadwick		 Minister of Conservation
2008–2010 		Succeeded by
Kate Wilkinson