John Carter (New Zealand politician)


John McGregor Carter is a New Zealand politician, and member of the National Party. He represented the Bay of Islands, Far North and Northland electorates in Parliament from 1987 until July 2011, when he became New Zealand's High Commissioner to the Cook Islands. Since the October 2013 local elections, he has been mayor of the Far North District.

Early life

He was born in Te Kōpuru, Northland and educated at Otamatea District High School. Before entering politics, Carter worked as a local government administration official. Carter is married, and has one daughter and two sons.

Political career

Carter was elected to Parliament in the 1987 election, winning the Bay of Islands electorate. He continued to represent the area when the seat changed names to Far North in 1993 and later Northland. The National Party came to power in the 1990 election and Carter was appointed as the Junior Government Whip, and later Senior Government Whip until 1995 and again from 1996 to mid-2004.
Carter was sacked as whip in 1995, after he phoned into a talkback radio show, hosted by fellow National MP John Banks, impersonating a work-shy Māori called Hone, causing widespread offence.
In February 2011, the government announced that Carter would be the next High Commissioner to the Cook Islands. He left Parliament in July 2011, but his departure did not result in a by-election, as the vacancy occurred within six months of the next general election. On 13 June 2011 Carter was granted the right to retain the title of The Honourable for his lifetime. He retired as New Zealand's High Commissioner to the Cook Islands in July 2013.
Carter returned to the Far North District of New Zealand, successfully running for Mayor of the District in October 2013. He was re-elected for a third term in 2019. He lives at Waipapakauri Ramp on Ninety Mile Beach.

Political views

Carter is a supporter of the monarchy in New Zealand. In 1992, a year described by Queen Elizabeth II as her annus horribilis, Carter called on New Zealanders to write in to express their support for her, having written to The Times of London criticising the British media's apparent lack of respect towards the Queen. Inundated with letters of support, he remarked that "we wanted her to know we cared". In March 1994 he publicly disavowed Prime Minister Jim Bolger's call for a New Zealand republic.

Honours

In 1990, Carter was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. In the 2012 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for services as a Member of Parliament.