Merv Wellington

Mervyn Langlois "Merv" Wellington QSO (6 October 1940 – 7 September 2003) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.

Early life and family

Wellington was born in Inglewood in 1940,[1] and received his education at New Plymouth Boys' High School and the University of Auckland.[2] He married Elizabeth Helen Bean in 1961 and the couple had three daughters.[1] After a period as a social welfare worker between 1959 and 1961, Wellington became a school teacher and taught at St Stephen's School, Pukekohe High School and Ruapehu College.[1] He was also a Methodist lay preacher and served as a Pukekohe borough councillor.[1]

Member of Parliament

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate Party
19751978 38th Manurewa National
19781981 39th Papakura National
19811984 40th Papakura National
19841987 41st Papakura National
19871990 42nd Papakura National

He represented the Manurewa electorate from 1975 to 1978, and then the Papakura electorate from 1978 to 1990, when he retired.

Wellington served as a Cabinet minister, being the Minister of Education from 13 December 1978 to 26 July 1984. During his tenure as Education Minister, he regularly courted controversy with teacher unions on various issues.[3] Wellington was a Muldoon loyalist, and was demoted after National's 1984 election defeat.

In the 1993 Queen's Birthday Honours Wellington was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.[4]

He died in 2003, following a long illness.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Kitchin, Peter (18 September 2003). "Education minister failed to ignite patriotic fervour". Dominion Post. p. 7.
  2. 1 2 Pickmere, Arnold (12 September 2003). "Obituary: Merv Wellington". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  3. Bob Linguard, John Knight & Paige Porter (1993). Schooling Reform In Hard Times. The Falmer Press. p. 67.
  4. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 53334. p. 38. 12 June 1993. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
Phil Amos
Member of Parliament for Manurewa
1975–1978
Succeeded by
Roger Douglas
New constituency Member of Parliament for Papakura
1978–1990
Succeeded by
John Robertson
Political offices
Preceded by
Les Gandar
Minister of Education
1978–1984
Succeeded by
Russell Marshall


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