Philip Woollaston

Philip Tosswill Edmond Woollaston (born 17 August 1944) is a former New Zealand Labour Party politician. He was Member of Parliament for Nelson from 1981 to 1990 and Mayor of Nelson from 1992 to 1998.^[1]

Early life and family

Woollaston was born in Motueka to New Zealand artist Sir Mountford Tosswill Woollaston and Edith Winifred Alexander. He is married with two children.

Woollaston attended Greymouth Main Primary School and Cobden Primary School. While his parents were overseas he attended St Andrew's College in Christchurch (1958–62) as a boarder.^[2]

He graduated from the University of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Science in physics (1971) and Christchurch Teachers' College with a Diploma in Teaching (1971).

Teaching career

Woollaston taught at Linwood High School (1972–74), lectured at the University of Canterbury (1975), and taught at both Collingwood District High School (1976–77) and Collingwood Area School (1977–80) before embarking on a political career.

In 1974, Woollaston was awarded the Rutherford Trophy for Demonstrations in Physics by the New Zealand Institute of Physics, for his demonstration of linear dynamics.^[3]

Political career

Woollaston joined the New Zealand Labour Party in 1975. He was Secretary of the Labour Party Policy Council from 1982 to 1984.

He was a Golden Bay County Councillor and on the Nelson Regional Airport Authority from 1977 to 1980. Woollaston was also on the Nelson Bays United Council and No 11 District Roads Board from 1979 to 1980.

Woollaston stood for the Nelson electorate in 1981, defeating incumbent MP Mel Courtney. During his time in Parliament he was Associate Minister for the Environment (1987–89), Associate Minister of Justice (1987–90), Minister assisting the Deputy Prime Minister (1988–90), Minister of Conservation (1989–90), and Minister of Local Government (1990). Woollaston was a junior Minister in the controversial Fourth Labour Governments of David Lange & Geoffrey Palmer but never sought at the time (through resignation or public opposition) to distance himself from the Rogernomics policies of that era.

In 1990 Woollaston retired from Parliament and was replaced as MP for Nelson by John Blincoe. On 6 December 1990, he was granted the title "The Honourable" for life, in recognition of his services as a member of the Executive Council.^[4]

In 1991 he became Policy Advisor to the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya for two years.

Mayor

Following his return to New Zealand, Woollaston stood for and became Mayor of Nelson from 1992 to 1998. He was defeated by Paul Matheson in 1998.

Woollaston Estates Winery

In 1993 Woollaston developed a small vineyard at Mahana near Nelson with his wife Chan. Originally intended as a retirement hobby the winery grew into a full business and the Woollastons entered into partnership with American Casino couple, Glenn and (his former wife) Renee Schaeffer (see Fontainebleau Resort Las Vegas bankruptcy).^[5] In 2015 Woollaston ceased being a director of the Woollaston Estates winery (renamed Mahana Estates) with Glenn Schaeffer when he was sued for $3.5 million for making false representations regarding shareholdings in the winery (Nelson Mail).

References

• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.