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Ewen McQueen

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Ewen McQueen is a New Zealand social commentator, blogger and politician who has been a member of the New Zealand National Party. He was the third and final leader of Christian Heritage New Zealand, a Christian political party in New Zealand that has now closed down.

Early years

McQueen was born in Palmerston North in 1965, although spent most of his youth in the North Shore (part of the greater Auckland area). He attended Takapuna Grammar School where he played for the first XV and was head prefect in 1983. Mcqueen graduated from the University of Auckland in 1990. His primary field of study at university was economics, in which he gained a Master's degree with honours in 1990. As part of his post graduate degree he completed a thesis entitled "A Christian Perspective on Neo-Classical Economics."

Since graduating McQueen has worked in the health sector in analyst, planning and management roles. He is the planning & projects manager in the facilities Management Group at the Auckland District Health Board.[1]

Politics

Ewen McQueen was a member of the New Zealand National Party from 2007 until his resignation in June 2018 [2] because according to McQueen "family values issues ... leadership is not going to come via the National Party." McQueen was a member of the National party's 2010/11 candidate college and sought selection as the National candidate in the North Shore electorate for the 2011 general election, losing to Maggie Barry.[3] He also unsuccessfully sought selection for the Epsom seat.[4]

Prior to joining the National Party McQueen joined the Christian Heritage Party in 1992, and stood as a Christian Heritage candidate on five occasions. Four of his campaigns were in the Auckland electorates of Eden, Epsom and Mt Roskill, but his most successful election campaign was in the Taranaki-King Country by-election in 1998, in which he placed fifth. He also served as his party's deputy leader and finance spokesperson until 1999.

McQueen narrowly missed election to parliament as a Christian Heritage candidate in the New Zealand general election, 1996.

In August 2003, McQueen was elected as the new leader of Christian Heritage, and replaced the retiring Graham Capill.

McQueen became a Christian when aged eighteen, and said that his belief gave "hope, meaning, direction and strength." He stated a belief that he was "called to politics" in the same way that others might be called "to be a pastor or evangelist or such like." He opposed civil unions, saying that they were similar to marriage.[5]

In October 2006, McQueen announced the closure of Christian Heritage New Zealand, blaming its demise on Graham Capill's criminal convictions, although he hoped to be involved with a new conservative Christian political party .[6]

Social commentary

McQueen has had a number of articles published on economics and social values issues in newspapers across New Zealand including The New Zealand Herald, The Christchurch Press and The Taranaki Daily News and Otago Daily Times. McQueen has a blog site 'renewnz.'[2]

References

  1. ^ "NZ Linked In".[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ https://renewnz.org/
  3. ^ Mapping out a new political landscape The Press, 20 April 2011
  4. ^ Six seat National's Epsom spot stuff.co.nz, 26 June 2011
  5. ^ Dunne is having a bob each way say critics
  6. ^ [1]

Further reading

  • Martin Freeman: Christian Political Parties of New Zealand: Thesis 99/J94: 2001: University of Auckland, New Zealand
  • Ewen McQueen: A Christian Perspective on Neoclassical Economics: Honours Thesis: 1990: University of Auckland, New Zealand

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