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Chris Penk

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Chris Penk
MP
Penk in 2021
Chief Opposition Whip in the House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office
7 December 2021
DeputyMaureen Pugh
LeaderChristopher Luxon
Preceded byMatt Doocey
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Kaipara ki Mahurangi
Helensville (2017–2020)
Incumbent
Assumed office
23 September 2017
Preceded byJohn Key
Majority4,435
Personal details
Born
Christopher Aidan Penk

1980 (age 43–44)
Auckland, New Zealand
Political partyNational
Alma materUniversity of Auckland

Christopher Aidan Penk (born 1980)[1] is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the National Party.

Personal life

Penk Onboard HMAS Sheean
Penk onboard HMAS Sheean

Penk was born in West Auckland. He attended Kelston Boys' High School and graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Arts in 1999.[2] He joined the Royal New Zealand Navy, serving as an officer on HMNZS Te Kaha. He was an aide-de-camp for Governor-General Silvia Cartwright, before joining the Australian Defence Force for four years.[3]

After his military career, Penk became a property lawyer.[3] His father, Stephen, is an Associate Dean at the University of Auckland's Law School and his brother Alex is also a lawyer.[4]

Political career

In August 2014, Penk was selected to contest the Kelston electorate in the general election after the resignation of Claudette Hauiti.[2] He placed second behind Carmel Sepuloni.[5] Penk was ranked 68th on the National Party's party list and was not elected to parliament.

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2017–2020 52nd Helensville 64 National
2020–present 53rd Kaipara ki Mahurangi 41 National

Penk won selection as National's Helensville candidate for the 2017 election, replacing former prime minister John Key.[3] He won Helensville, defeating Labour's candidate Kurt Taogaga by margin of 14,608 votes.[6]

During the 2020 New Zealand general election, Penk contested the Kaipara ki Mahurangi electorate, defeating Labour's candidate Marja Lubeck by a margin of 4,435 votes.[7]

In June 2021, in response to Winston Peters describing National Party members as "sex maniacs", Penk made a tweet saying Peters "is the real sex maniac because he can fuck [...] a whole country at once". Judith Collins said her office asked Penk to take down the tweet. Collins said "It's just simply inappropriate, we don't use that sort of language."[8][9][10]

On 7 December 2021, the National caucus elected him as its Senior Whip, thus making him the Chief Opposition Whip in the House of Representatives.[11]

Penk was one of only eight MPs to vote against the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act 2022. He voted against it at its first reading in July 2021 (which then-party-leader Judith Collins instructed her MPs to do), for it at its second reading, and against it at its third and final reading in February 2022.[12]

Penk During a Shovel-Ready Projects Protest in Kumeu, 2021
Penk During Shovel-Ready Projects Protest, 2021

References

  1. ^ "Roll of members of the New Zealand House of Representatives, 1854 onwards" (PDF). New Zealand Parliament. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  2. ^ a b "National selects Christopher Penk as Kelston candidate". 2 August 2014.
  3. ^ a b c "Former Navy officer Chris Penk chosen as National candidate to replace John Key in Helensville". Stuff. Archived from the original on 29 April 2019.
  4. ^ "Third law graduate in family". University of Auckland Law School. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Official Count Results – Kelston". Electoral Commission. 4 October 2014. Archived from the original on 21 January 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  6. ^ "Helensville – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 17 January 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Kaipara ki Mahurangi – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  8. ^ Manch, Thomas (22 June 2021). "National MP Chris Penk told to delete tweet attacking Winston Peters by office of party leader Judith Collins". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  9. ^ Satherley, Dan (22 June 2021). "National MP Chris Penk admits tweet calling Winston Peters a 's*x maniac' who 'can f**k a whole country at once' was 'a bit out there'". Newshub. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  10. ^ Cheng, Derek (22 June 2021). "Judith Collins responds to Winston Peters' 'sex maniacs' barb". NZ Herald. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  11. ^ Cooke, Henry (7 December 2021). "National elects Chris Penk senior whip, Maureen Pugh to keep junior role". Stuff. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  12. ^ "Politicians react as bill to ban conversion therapy passes". Radio New Zealand. 15 February 2022. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Helensville
2017–2020 		Constituency abolished
New constituency Member of Parliament for Kaipara ki Mahurangi
2020–present 		Incumbent
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