Mark Mitchell (politician)

Mark Mitchell
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Rodney
Assumed office
30 November 2011 (2011-11-30)
Preceded by Lockwood Smith
Majority 12,222
Personal details
Born (1968-05-22) 22 May 1968
Auckland
Political party National Party
Spouse(s) Peggy Bourne
Relations Frank Gill (grandfather)
Website markmitchell.co.nz

Mark Patrick Mitchell (born 22 May 1968)[1] is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. He is a member of the National Party.

Early life

Mitchell was born on Auckland's North Shore and attended Rosmini College. He then attended the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania.[2]

He was in the New Zealand Police for thirteen years from 1989 to 2002, including time as a dog handler. After leaving the police, Mitchell worked for eight years as a private security contractor and spent time in Iraq, including the siege of the Italian-run An Nasiriyah compound in Southern Iraq by the Mahdi militia in 2004.[2][3]

Member of Parliament

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate List Party
2011  2014 50th Rodney 59 National
2014  present 51st Rodney 42 National

Mitchell was selected as the National Party's candidate for Rodney on 26 April 2011, replacing Lockwood Smith.[4]

In 2014, Nicky Hager's book Dirty Politics presented evidence which suggested that Mitchell had hired political strategist Simon Lusk during the National Party selection process for the Rodney electorate. Lusk appeared to have collaborated with blogger Cameron Slater to discredit Mitchell's opponents, particularly Brent Robinson. Mitchell strongly denies ever paying Lusk or Slater.[5]

He is currently Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee and a member of the Government Administration Committee.[6]

Personal life

Mitchell has had two previous marriages, and is currently married to Peggy Bourne, who is the widow of rally driver Possum Bourne.[4][7]

His grandfather was Frank Gill, a cabinet minister between 1975 and 1980.[2]

References

  1. The Dominion Post. 17 March 2012. p. C3. Missing or empty |title= (help);
  2. 1 2 3 In the line of duty Sunday Star Times, 27 March 2011
  3. Hager, Nicky (2014). "5. Simon Lusk's Plan". Dirty Politics. footnote 43. ISBN 9781927213360.
  4. 1 2 National selects Mark Mitchell for Rodney stuff.co.nz, 26 April 2011
  5. Chang, Derek (26 August 2014). "Disclosures disgust defeated candidate". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  6. "Mark Mitchell". parliament.nz. New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  7. Peggy Bourne weds National Party politician New Zealand Herald, 13 November 2011
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
Lockwood Smith
Member of Parliament for Rodney
2011–
Incumbent
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