Colin Craig

Colin Craig
1st Leader of the Conservative Party
In office
3 August 2011 – June 2015
Deputy Christine Rankin
Personal details
Born (1968-01-08) 8 January 1968[1]
Auckland, New Zealand
Political party Conservative Party of New Zealand
Spouse(s) Helen Craig
Children 1[2]
Occupation Businessman and politician
Religion Christian (raised Baptist)[3]
Website votecolincraig.co.nz

Colin Craig (born 8 January 1968)[1] is a New Zealand businessman who was the founding leader of the Conservative Party of New Zealand.[4] Craig is a millionaire who owns companies that manage high-rise buildings.[5] His current company manages about $1.3 billion of assets.[6] He is against gay marriage, foreign ownership of land and housing and "anti-smacking" legislation. In June 2015, Craig resigned as leader of the Conservative Party following allegations of inappropriate behaviour surrounding the party's former press secretary Rachel MacGregor and tensions with the party's governing board. Craig has since admitted to inappropriate conduct with MacGregor but has denied charges of sexual harassment.[7][8] On 27 June, Colin Craig was formally suspended from the Conservative Party.[9] Since then, his suspension has been invalidated which would enable Craig to contest the Conservative Party's leadership.[10][11] On 16 November 2015, Craig announced that he would not be contesting the Conservative Party leadership in lieu of a police investigation against him over his Party's spending during the 2014 general election.[12]

Personal life

Born in Auckland and raised in the suburb of Howick,[1] Craig graduated from the University of Auckland with Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Arts degrees before completing post-graduate study at Massey University.[1] He has one daughter with his wife Helen.[1] His father, Ross Craig, served as a Rodney District councillor until 2010.[13]

Craig is a conservative Christian brought up in the Baptist denomination, but doesn't attend a church.[14] As of June 2014, he is resident in Fairview Heights on Auckland's North Shore.[15]

Views

Craig has stated he is not sure that "legislating morality" works well.[16] However, he has described legalisation of same-sex marriage as "social engineering",[17] and is also opposed to gay adoption,[18] adolescent access to abortion,[18] and voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide.[18] In May 2012, Craig described New Zealand's young men and women as "the most promiscuous in the world" based upon surveys such as David P. Schmitt's International Sexuality Description Project research statistics[19] and anecdotal evidence from New Zealand gynaecologists,[20] a statement which was dismissed by Prime Minister John Key[21] and other political leaders like Tariana Turia and Winston Peters.[22]

Following a series of child poverty items on current affairs show Campbell Live and a fundraising effort from the show to raise money for school lunches,[23] Craig said children sent to school without lunch should go without. Instead, their parents should be charged the "cost of rectifying their bad behaviour".[24]

In September 2012, Craig had 20,000 leaflets delivered to residents in the Helensville electorate, claiming locals had told him Helensville MP and Prime Minister John Key was "too gay" to be their representative in Parliament.[25]

In April 2013 Craig sided with controversial Danish politician Marie Krarup after she called a traditional Maori greeting "grotesque".[26] Craig said no visitors should have to face a "bare-bottomed native making threatening gestures" if they didn't want to.[27]

Following the legalisation of same sex marriage in April 2013,[28] Craig said "the day of reckoning" would come, that it was a "failure of democracy"[29] and that "[it] was not a vote of the people of New Zealand," adding "If it had been, the answer would have been no."[30]

Craig has been known to take offence at satirical articles directed at him, including a piece on the satirical website The Civilian, which he said published a story designed "to make him look ridiculous". He threatened to sue the site unless they published a retraction and paid him $500.[31] Craig withdrew the threat the following day.[32]

In November 2013 Craig said humans were not to blame for climate change, instead pointing to sunspots and "the circulation of planets".[33]

Political career

March for Democracy

Craig first emerged as a conservative activist in 2009[5] when he organised and funded a "march for democracy" to protest government decisions not to adhere to three citizen's initiated referenda:[34]

  1. the New Zealand MP reduction referendum, 1999, on a proposed reduction in the number of members of parliament (1999 – 81% in favour)
  2. the New Zealand justice referendum, 1999, re sundry suggested changes to the justice system (1999 – 92% in favour)
  3. the 2009 referendum concerning the repeal of the 2007 amendment of the Crimes Act, the so-called "anti-smacking" law, which removed parental corporal punishment as a defense in criminal assault cases (2009 – 87% in favour).

He spent $450,000 organising the march,[34] and it attracted 5,000 participants.[35] In 2010, Craig contested the Auckland Mayoral election, finishing third[36][37] with 42,598 votes behind Len Brown, mayor of Manukau City (237,487 votes) and John Banks (New Zealand politician and former mayor of Auckland – 171,542 votes), but ahead of incumbent North Shore City mayor Andrew Williams (3,813 votes).[38]

Conservative Party leadership

In 2011 Craig announced the formation of the Conservative Party of New Zealand.[39][40] The party contested the 2011 general election on a variety of issues, including the introduction of binding referenda, reducing the number of members of parliament while increasing the electoral term by one year, law and order reform (including work for prisoners), a repeal of the New Zealand emissions trading scheme, the protection of state assets (notably the foreshore and seabed), and fiscal conservatism. In September 2011, he announced he would stand in the Rodney electorate for the 2011 general election.[41]

After pre-election polling in this electorate, Craig claimed to have 47% support while the National Party candidate Mark Mitchell had 36.3%.[13][42] Prime Minister and National Party leader John Key said that the Conservative Party faced a "massive hurdle" to get a seat in Parliament.[43] According to preliminary election results, Mitchell won the seat with 52.6% of the vote, and Colin Craig came second with 21.4% of the vote. The Conservative Party also gained 2.76% of the vote nationwide, the fifth-largest share of any party and more than four of the parties that actually won seats, but this was insufficient for any Conservatives to enter Parliament because of the 5% of the party vote or one electorate seat required by the mixed-member proportional voting system operating in New Zealand.[44]

Since the Conservative party's conception, Craig has donated $4 million. He is one of the party's two major donors besides Waikato businessman Laurence Day.[45] Craig stood as a candidate in the East Coast Bays electorate in the 2014 general election but failed to win the electorate. His party received 4.1% of the vote; less than 5% of the voting threshold which denied them a seat in the New Zealand Parliament.[46][47] On 18 September 2014, the Conservative Party's press secretary Rachel MacGregor resigned, citing his alleged manipulative behaviour. When questioned by the media, Craig denied the allegations and offered to discuss the issue with MacGregor following the 2014 general election.[48]

In February 2014, the-then Green Party co-leader Russel Norman alleged that Colin Craig held misogynistic and homophobic attitudes during a speech at the Big Gay Out event in Auckland. Norman's comments prompted Craig to file a defamation suit and to demand that Norman issue an apology. In response, Norman and the Green Party announced that they would contest the lawsuit.[49] On 10 October 2014, following the 2014 general election, both parties settled the lawsuit out of court and agreed to bear their own legal expenses.[50]

2015 leadership dispute

In June 2015, Colin Craig drew criticism from elements of the Conservative Party when he participated in a sauna interview hosted by TV3 reporter David Farrier, which they felt badly reflected on Craig's public image. The interview was part of the television channel's new Sauna Session current affairs series.[7][51] Following sexual harassment allegations that were published on the right-wing blogger Cameron Slater's blog Whale Oil, Craig resigned as party leader on 19 June 2015 and also agreed to "facilitate a review" of the leadership. Craig was also criticised by elements of the Conservative Party for postponing a leadership vote at a scheduled board meeting that month.[52][53]

On 20 June 2015, Colin Craig announced that he was not ruling out a return to the Conservative Party's leadership if he found sufficient support from the Party's members. He also threatened to sue several media outlets over allegations that he had paid off his former secretary MacGregor over a complaint of sexual harassment to the New Zealand Human Rights Commission.[54] On 21 June, the New Zealand Herald reported that Craig had settled a "financial dispute" with MacGregor for around NZ$16,000 to $17,000 approximately eight weeks earlier.[55] The television channel One News also reported that there was a serious falling-out between Craig and several Conservative board members. One board member, John Stringer, has accused Craig of lying to the board and other inappropriate behaviour. In response, Craig has denied these allegations and threatened to take action against Stringer for speaking to the media.[8]

During the press conference held on 22 June 2015, Craig admitted that he had acted inappropriately towards his press secretary Rachel MacGregor but denied any charges of sexual harassment. In response, MacGregor accused the former Conservative leader for breaching a confidentiality agreement the pair had reached under Human Rights Commission mediation and disputed his version of the events. Craig's wife Helen Craig also announced that she was standing by her husband and characterised the charges against him as "false allegations."[56][57][58] Both Craig and MacGregor have also denied that they were involved in a romantic relationship.[59][60] Both Craig and MacGregor have also indicated that they would support the lifting of the confidentiality agreement in order to allay uncertainty and speculation.[61]

According to the Herald, several board members of the Conservative Party including John Stringer, Christine Rankin, and Laurence Day have indicated support for a change of leadership. A board meeting has been scheduled for 27 June 2015 and Day has also called for Craig to be expelled from the party.[62] Following the resignation of six Conservative Party board members, Craig indicated that a new board and a new leader would later be elected by the Party over the weekend. Craig has not ruled out contesting the leadership poll. It is currently unclear whether the dissolution of the board would favor Craig or any other contender for the Conservative Party's leadership.[61][63]

On 27 June 2015, Colin Craig was formally suspended from the Conservative Party by the party's newly appointed board which consisted of John Stringer and four newly appointed members. Four of the five board members with the exception of Stringer voted to suspend the former Conservative leader's membership. The conference took place in a hotel room at the Heartland Hotel near Auckland International Airport.[9] According to One News, Craig has since challenged the legality of Stringer and the board's actions; claiming that Stringer had been suspended from the Party. He has also not ruled out contesting the Conservative Party's leadership. Craig's remarks have been dismissed by Stringer, who has become the Party's interim leader.[64]

On 5 July 2015, John Stringer resigned his positions as chairman and board member in the wake of the statements that he had been suspended from the party and was therefore not entitled to hold the positions. According to the New Zealand Herald, a statement by former chairman Brian Dobbs that Stringer had been suspended meant that the decision by the interim board to suspend Colin Craig's membership was invalid.[10] On 7 July, Craig also sent a personal letter to Conservative Party members to apologize for his behaviour and to gauge whether he had sufficient support to return to the Party's leadership.[11] On 29 July 2015, Colin Craig announced that he was going to sue several opponents including Conservative Party member John Stringer, the right wing blogger Cameron Slater and New Zealand Taxpayers' Union's president Jordan Williams for alleged defamation. In addition, Craig also circulated a booklet, entitled "Dirty Politics and Hidden Agendas", which he claimed outlined a "campaign of defamatory lies" against him.[65][66] On 2 August 2015, Craig also announced his intention to contest the Auckland mayoral election in 2016.[67]

On 10 August 2015, John Stringer lodged a complaint against Colin Craig with the New Zealand Police, alleging that the later had exceeded his allocated election fund legal limit by NZ$2,000 when contesting the East Coast Bays electorate in 2014. In addition, Stringer criticized Craig's management of the Conservative Party's 2014 election campaign.[68] The following day, Stringer submitted a dossier of documents to both the Police and the New Zealand Electoral Commission.[69] On 14 August 2015, Jordan Williams served proceedings in defamation against Colin Craig and several Conservative Party officials in response to Craig's statements at the July press conference and in the circular Dirty Politics and Hidden Agendas.[70] On September 11 2015, Colin Craig filed a defamation suit against the Party's former chairman, John Stringer. Stringer has indicated that he would contest these charges in court.[71]

On 7 November 2015, Colin Craig was outed as the anonymous "Mr X" who posed as a party whistleblower that was interviewed in the "Dirty Politics" booklet delivered earlier in July. Despite acknowledging that he had fabricated the interview by posing as the interviewee, he defended his actions on the grounds that "talking about himself" in the third person was a common literary tool. He also stood by his assertions in the "Dirty Politics" booklet and vowed to continue his involvement in the Conservative Party.[72] On 16 November, Craig announced that he would not contest the Conservative Party's leadership in lieu of a police investigation over his Party's spending during the 2014 general election. However, he also indicated that he would contest the 2017 general elections if he was cleared and if the Party wanted him back.[12] On 24 November, it was reported that Craig had demanded that the blogger Cameron Slater pay him NZ$15,000 as compensation for reproducing a poem written for his former press secretary Rachel MacGregor on his blog Whale Oil.[73]

Post-leadership

On 19 January 2016, Colin Craig donated NZ$36,000 to the Conservative Party. Despite his lack of involvement with the leadership, he stated that he and his wife still wanted to support the Party financially.[74] On 1 March 2016, it was reported that former Conservative board member John Stringer had dropped his defamation suit against Craig and would seek seek legal advice to ensure that his statement of defence complied with court rules for defamation cases.[75] In early April 2016, Craig tabled legal papers seeking more than $NZ13,000 in legal damages from blogger Cameron Slater for publishing his romantic poem The Two of Me relating to the former Conservative press secretary Rachel MacGregor on his blog Whale Oil the previous year.[76]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Vote Colin Craig: About Colin Craig". votecolincraig.co.nz. 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  2. ↑ Smacking law is stupid: Colin Craig
  3. ↑ Chisnall, Kim (3 August 2011). "Conservative party leader happy being 'traditional'". 3 News. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  4. ↑ "People". Conservative Party of New Zealand. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
  5. 1 2 Fisher, David (31 July 2011). "Dreams of Act's demise". The New Zealand Herald.
  6. ↑ "Making referendum count". New Zealand Centre for Political Research. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
  7. 1 2 Young, Audrey (19 June 2015). "Colin Craig could face the chop after TV antics". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  8. 1 2 "Colin Craig claims evidence of allegations withheld by Conservative Party". One News. 21 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  9. 1 2 Theunissen, Matthew (27 June 2015). "Colin Craig's membership suspended". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  10. 1 2 "Conservative Party battle draws to a close". The New Zealand Herald, Auckland, New Zealand. July 5, 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-06.
  11. 1 2 Kirk, Stacey (7 July 1025). "Colin Craig asks forgiveness and puts his political future to a ballot". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  12. 1 2 Davidson, Isaac (16 November 2015). "Colin Craig won't seek re-election". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  13. 1 2 Backhouse, Matthew; Bennett, Adam (20 September 2011). "Conservative leader confident he can take Rodney from Nats". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
  14. ↑ Andrea Vance (12 May 2012). "The curious case of Colin Craig". Dominion Post.
  15. ↑ "Returns of party donations exceeding $30,000". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  16. ↑ Whitworth, Chris (7 November 2011). "Conservatives open to both Labour and National". 3 News. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  17. ↑ Vance, Andrea (11 May 2012). "Craig slams gay marriage". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  18. 1 2 3 Vance, Andrea. "The curious case of Colin Craig". Dominion Post. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  19. ↑ "Conservatives reject birth control for beneficiaries". radionz.co.nz. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  20. ↑ "NZ Women Promiscuous – Doctor". nzherald.co.nz. 9 July 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  21. ↑ Chapman, Kate (9 May 2012). "Key slams Conservative promiscuous claim". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  22. ↑ Harper, Paul; Young, Audrey (9 May 2012). "No proof to promiscuity claim – PM". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  23. ↑ "Campbell Live's Lunchbox Day". 3 News NZ. 21 September 2012.
  24. ↑ "'No free lunches' for hungry kids, says Colin Craig". 3 News NZ. 24 October 2012.
  25. ↑ "Key shrugs off gay comments". 3 News NZ. 2 September 2012.
  26. ↑ "Powhiri 'grotesque' – Danish politician". 3 News NZ. 8 April 2013.
  27. ↑ "Bare bottom welcomes 'should be optional'". 3 News NZ. 8 April 2013.
  28. ↑ "Gay marriage bill will 'save lives'". 3 News NZ. 18 April 2013.
  29. ↑ "Gay marriage 'a failure of democracy' – Craig". 3 News NZ. 18 April 2013.
  30. ↑ Gay marriage opponents licking wounds http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/8566153/Gay-marriage-opponents-licking-wounds
  31. ↑ "Colin Craig threatens satirical website". 3 News NZ. 23 April 2013.
  32. ↑ "Colin Craig abandons defamation suit". 3 News NZ. 24 April 2013.
  33. ↑ VIDEO: Who is Colin Craig?. 3 News NZ. 15 November 2013.
  34. 1 2 Collins, Simon (28 October 2009). "Smacking law march aims to be big". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  35. ↑ "One arrest as thousands join 'March for Democracy'". The New Zealand Herald. NZPA. 21 November 2009.
  36. ↑ Orsman, Bernard (29 June 2010). "Organiser of democracy march joins mayoral race". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  37. ↑ "Len Brown beats John Banks in super-race". Stuff. 9 October 2010. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  38. ↑ "Mayor (1) final results". Auckland Council. Auckland Council. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  39. ↑ Donnell, Hayden; Bennett, Adam (8 April 2011). objectid=10742803 "Craig no threat to Banks in Epsom, says Brash" Check |url= value (help). The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  40. ↑ "Colin Craig announces new Conservative Party". The New Zealand Herald. 8 March 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  41. ↑ "Colin Craig won't go up against John Banks". The New Zealand Herald. 19 September 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  42. ↑ "Colin Craig to stand in Rodney". Radio Live. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  43. ↑ New Zealand Press Association (8 August 2011). "Key won't rule out working with new party".
  44. ↑ http://www.elections.org.nz
  45. ↑ Kirk, Stacey; Easton, Paul (19 June 2015). "Colin Craig resigns ahead of Conservative Party leadership vote". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  46. ↑ Bennett, Adam (22 June 2014). "Colin Craig to contest McCully for East Coast Bays seat". The New Zealand Herald (Auckland: APN New Zealand Limited). ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 18 July 2014. Conservative Party leader Colin Craig has confirmed he will contest Murray McCully's East Coast Bays seat in the September election.
  47. ↑ Sincock, Taylor (20 September 2014). "Craig: Next election will be the one". 3 News. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  48. ↑ Dougan, Patrick (18 September 2014). "Colin Craig's press secretary quits, reportedly calls him a 'manipulative man'". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  49. ↑ Davison, Isaac (4 March 2015). "Colin Craig to limit his defamation claim". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  50. ↑ Wong, Simon (10 October 2014). "Colin Craig drops defamation case against Russel Norman". 3 News. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  51. ↑ Farrier, David (9 June 2015). "The Sauna Session That May Bring Down Colin Craig". 3 News. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  52. ↑ Kirk, Stacey (19 June 2015). "Conservative faction to block Colin Craig's return as leader". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  53. ↑ Slater, Cameron. "Exclusive: The poem Colin Craig doesn't want you to see". Whale oil. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  54. ↑ Watkins, Tracey (21 June 2015). "Colin Craig off to lawyers, would consider a Conservative Party comeback". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  55. ↑ Bilbey, Lynley (21 July 2015). "Colin Craig entangled in money dispute". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  56. ↑ "Colin Craig admits 'inappropriate' conduct". Stuff.co.nz. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  57. ↑ "'Factual inaccuracies' - former press secretary speaks out after Colin Craig denies allegations". One News. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  58. ↑ Davison, Isaac (22 June 2015). "Colin Craig is trying to frame me as a mistress". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  59. ↑ "'Had you fallen in love with Rachel MacGregor?' - Colin Craig pushed over ex-press secretary". One News. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  60. ↑ Kirk, Stacey (23 June 2015). "Colin Craig's ex-aide denies sexual relationship". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  61. 1 2 Kirk, Stacey (23 June 2015). "Colin Craig expects 'face-palm moments' ahead". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  62. ↑ Davison, Isaac (22 June 2015). "Calls for Colin Craig's party membership to be cancelled". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  63. ↑ Davison, Isaac. "More board members quit Conservative Party". New Zealand Herald.
  64. ↑ "Colin Craig has Conservative Party membership suspended". One News. 27 June 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  65. ↑ Miller, Corazon; Davison, Isaac (29 July 2015). "Colin Craig sues 'dirty politics brigade'". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  66. ↑ Craig, Colin (2015). "Dirty Politics and Hidden Agendas" (PDF) (Press release). Auckland: Colin and Helen Craig. Retrieved 2015-08-11.
  67. ↑ Day, Simon (2 August 2015). "Colin Craig could run for Auckland Mayor". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  68. ↑ Hutching, Chris (9 August 2015). "Stringer reveals allegations he has taken to the police". National Business Review. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  69. ↑ Wilson, Peter; Robson, Sarah (11 August 2015). "Colin Craig documents given to police". 3 News. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  70. ↑ Jones, Nicholas (14 August 2015). "Legal action taken against Colin Craig". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  71. ↑ "Colin Craig files defamation suit". Radio New Zealand News. 11 September 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  72. ↑ Hill, Marika (7 November 2015). "Ex-Conservative leader Colin Craig outed as Mr X". Sunday Star Times. Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  73. ↑ Kirk, Stacey (24 November 2015). "Colin Craig claims $15,000 from Whale Oil blogger Cameron Slater for publication of 'Two of Me' poem". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  74. ↑ Sachdeva, Sam (19 February 2016). "Colin Craig donates $36,000 to Conservative Party after resigning as leader". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  75. ↑ Van Breynen, Martin (2 March 2016). "John Stringer dumps claim against Colin Craig in Christchurch defamation action". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  76. ↑ "Poet, songwriter, and politician: Colin Craig sues Slater for publishing his poem". Sunday Star Times. Stuff.co.nz. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.

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