Bruce Cliffe Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Bruce Cliffe
Constituency Mp3:North Shore
Term Start3:1990
Term End3:1996
Parliament3:New Zealand
Predecessor3:George Gair
Successor3:Wayne Mapp
Party:United New Zealand (1995–1996)
Otherparty:National (until 1995)
Birth Name:Bruce Windsor Cliffe
Birth Date:24 September 1946
Birth Place:Auckland, New Zealand
Death Place:Auckland, New Zealand

Bruce Windsor Cliffe (24 September 1946 – 13 July 2022) was a New Zealand businessman[1] and politician.[2] [3]

Early life

Cliffe was born in Auckland in 1946. His parents were Mervyn Walter and Hilda Frances Cliffe. He received his education at Campbells Bay School, Murrays Bay Intermediate, and Takapuna Grammar School. He graduated from the University of Auckland in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts. In 1971, he obtained a certificate in management studies from Templeton College, Oxford.[4]

Cliffe married Josephine Jessie Winefield in 1969. They were to have one son and two daughters.

Member of Parliament

Cliffe was a Member of Parliament for the National Party from 1990 to 1996. In 1990 he replaced the retiring George Gair in the North Shore seat, and was re-elected in 1993. He became a Cabinet Minister in December 1993 holding the portfolios of Accident Compensation,[5] Radio & Television, and Associate Finance.

In 1994 he proposed Water Services Limited (Auckland Emergency water supply) bill.[6] [7]

In 1995, with the first mixed-member proportional (MMP) representation election impending in 1996, he resigned his cabinet posts and was a founder member of the United New Zealand Party, initially led by Clive Matthewson.[8] Cliffe then unsuccessfully sought to bring about a merger of ACT and United, along with other smaller "centre" or liberal parties to create a "united" centre party for the new MMP environment. In 1996 he chose to resign from Parliament. The United New Zealand Party lost all but Peter Dunne's seat in the 1996 election, and continued in Parliament under Dunne's leadership.

On 27–29 May 1995, he participated in "Wellington After the Quake" Conference (page 191).[9]

After politics

From 1997, Cliffe was the director of several businesses, including Northern Finance Limited, a property management company, and Millbank Technology Limited, trading as Zapmill.

In 2016, Cliffe expressed his disagreement with Living Earth getting a consent to process 75,000 tonnes of garden waste annually on Puketutu Island.[10]

Cliffe died on 13 July 2022.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Bohan, Edmund. Burdon: a man of our time. 19 February 2011. January 2004. Hazard Press Ltd. 978-1-877270-90-1. 153.
  2. News: Bruce Cliffe an Auckland member of Parliament who is overseeing a hastily assembled water crisis committee said. Usually wet Auckland wakes up to reality of drought Problem pinned on privatization, politicians, Pinatubo. 12 August 1994. The Washington Times. 19 February 2011.
  3. Book: Dannin, Ellen J.. Working free: the origins and impact of New Zealand's Employment Contracts Act. 1997. Auckland University Press. 978-1-86940-174-0. 159.
  4. Book: Who's Who in New Zealand, 1991 . Lambert . Max . 1991 . 12th . Octopus . Auckland. 9780790001302 . 123.
  5. News: Coffee kicks up a storm. 13 December 1994. New Sunday Times. 19 February 2011.
  6. Web site: Watercare Services Limited (Auckland Emergency Water Supply) Bill 1994 (28-1).
  7. Web site: New Zealand Hansard: Tuesday, September 06, 1994.
  8. News: Edwards, Brent . MPs Jump Ship – Seven Quit for United Party . 28 June 1995 . . 1 .
  9. Web site: The Challenge of Rebuilding Cities. canterbury.ac.nz. 1 June 2023.
  10. Web site: Stink brewing over council approval for compost plant.
  11. News: The Honourable Bruce Windsor Cliffe . 18 July 2022 . . 18 July 2022.