Richard Northey

Richard Northey on Auckland Pride Parade 2016 holding a sign reading 'I voted for Homosexual Law Reform in 1986'

Richard John Northey, ONZM (born 28 April 1945) is a New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1984 to 1990, and again from 1993 to 1996. He served on the Auckland Council between 2010 and 2013, and is a member of the Labour Party.

Member of Parliament

Northey stood unsuccessfully against the Prime Minister, Robert Muldoon, in the Tamaki electorate in the 1981 election. He was first elected to Parliament in the 1984 election as MP for Eden, replacing National's Aussie Malcolm. He was re-elected in the 1987 election, but was defeated in the National Party's landslide victory in the 1990 election. In the 1993 election, however, he returned to Parliament, now representing Onehunga which he took off National's Grahame Thorne. In the 1996 election he contested the Maungakiekie seat after boundary changes caused by the introduction of mixed-member proportional (MMP) representation, but was defeated by National's Belinda Vernon. He was not ranked high enough on Labour's list to remain in Parliament.

Local politics

He has since entered local politics, serving on the Auckland City Council in senior committee roles. In 2007, Richard Northey became leader of the City Vision-Labour bloc on council.^[1] He was elected to the new Auckland Council in 2010, representing the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Ward.^[2] In 2013 he contested the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Ward but was defeated by Denise Krum.

At the 2016 Auckland elections, Northey was elected to the Waitemata Local Board for City Vision.^[3]

Personal life

Northey was a lecturer in Political Studies and Planning at the University of Auckland.^[4] He was appointed Officer in the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2002 New Year Honours, for public services.^[5]

References