Don McKay (politician)

The Honourable Sir Don McKay KCMG
20th Minister of Health
In office 24 January 1962 – 9 February 1972
Prime Minister	Keith Holyoake
Preceded by	Norman Shelton
Succeeded by	Lance Adams-Schneider
11th Minister of Social Security
In office 24 January 1962 – 9 February 1972
Prime Minister	Keith Holyoake
Preceded by	Norman Shelton
Succeeded by	Lance Adams-Schneider
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Marsden
In office 13 November 1954 – 25 November 1972
Preceded by	Alfred Murdoch
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	28 November 1908 Waipu, New Zealand
Died	30 March 1988 (aged 79) Waipu, New Zealand
Political party	National
Spouse	Miriam Hilda Stehr
Children	3

Sir Donald Norman McKay KCMG (28 November 1908 – 30 March 1988) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. He was Minister of Health and Minister of Social Security in the Second National Government, and was also the Minister for the Welfare of Women and Children.

Biography

Early life and career

McKay was born in 1908 in Waipu. He received his education from Whangārei Boys' High School and the University of Auckland. At Whangārei Boys' High School he was head prefect, captain of the first XI cricket team and captain of the first XV rugby team. Another student at the same school was future parliamentary colleague Jack Marshall who described McKay as his schoolboy hero. He then became a farmer in Waipu. He married Miriam Hilda Stehr in 1934 with whom he had 3 children.

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament

Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1954–1957	31st	Marsden			National
1957–1960	32nd	Marsden			National
1960–1963	33rd	Marsden			National
1963–1966	34th	Marsden			National
1966–1969	35th	Marsden			National
1969–1972	36th	Marsden			National

McKay joined the National Party and became the chairman of the Marsden electorate committee. In early 1954 the 77 year-old MP for Marsden Alfred Murdoch was challenged for the National nomination by William Rodney Lewin Vallance, the deputy mayor of Whangarei. Vallance won a postal ballot of members, an outcome which split the Marsden National Party membership into two opposing factions. After it emerged that Vallance was in trouble with his taxes he was in turn deselected and replaced by McKay. Vallance ran as an independent candidate and split the vote, almost costing National the seat.

He represented the Marsden electorate in the Northland region from 1954, and he retired in 1972. He was Minister of Health and Minister of Social Security in the Second National Government from 1962 to 1972 under Keith Holyoake. He was also the Minister for the Welfare of Women and Children.

Following National's victory in 1960, Deputy Prime Minister Jack Marshall was unable to convince Keith Holyoake to include McKay in the cabinet. Holyoake thought that McKay had not sufficiently proved himself in the house, but later appointed him following a midterm vacancy based on Marshall's endorsement.

Later life and death

After retiring from Parliament, he was elected a member of the Northland Harbour Board and served one term as its chairman.

McKay was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, for public services, in the 1978 Queen's Birthday Honours, and died in 1988.

References

• Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
• Marshall, Jack (1989). John Marshall Memoirs Volume Two: 1960-1988. Auckland: Collins. ISBN 1-86950-003-2.
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840–1984 (4 ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.