Roger Maxwell

Background

Maxwell was born in South Canterbury.

Education

From 1967, he owned a farm in the Taranaki region and studied rural valuation.

Career

He was an Member of Parliament from 1984 to 1999, representing the National Party. He obtained his tertiary education at Lincoln College and at Massey University. He chaired the Urenui branch of the National Party from 1969, and was the Taranaki electorate chairman from 1977 to 1983.

He organised the Taranaki electorate campaigns for the 1978 and 1981 elections for David Spence Thomson.

He was first elected to Parliament in the 1984 election in Taranaki, when he succeeded Thomson. In 1993, he became the (full) Minister of Immigration.

In the 1996 election, the Taranaki electorate was merged with the King Country electorate, and the combined Taranaki-King Country electorate was taken by King Country Member of Parliament (and Prime Minister) Jim Bolger. Maxwell instead contested the New Plymouth electorate, but was defeated by Labour"s Harry Duynhoven.

Maxwell remained in Parliament as a list Member of Parliament, but lost his ministerial portfolios in the reshuffle made necessary by National"s coalition with New Zealand First.

He retired at the 1999 election.

Achievements

• When the National Party won power in the 1990 election, Maxwell became the Minister of Business Development, the Associate Minister of Employment, and the Associate Minister of Immigration.

Membership

Maxwell was a member of the Ashburton branch of the Young Nats from 1963.