Hamish Walker Explained

Hamish Walker
Term Start3:23 September 2017
Term End3:17 October 2020
Parliament3:New Zealand
Predecessor3:Todd Barclay
Successor3:Joseph Mooney
Majority3:14,354
Birth Place:Dunedin, New Zealand
Party:National

Hamish Richard Walker (born 1985)[1] is a New Zealand former politician and former Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the National Party.

Political career

At the 2014 general election, Walker stood in, placing second in the seat.

Member of parliament

At the 2017 general election, Walker stood in the electorate of . The Clutha-Southland electorate has been held since its creation in 1996 by the National Party. Walker was selected as a last minute candidate to replace Todd Barclay, who had resigned due to an employment scandal.[2] [3] [4] Walker won Clutha-Southland, defeating Labour candidate Cherie Joy Chapman by a margin of 14,354 votes.[5]

During his first term, Walker lobbied for the preservation of maternity services in Lumsden and greater support for Queenstown businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand.[6] [7] Walker was also a member of Parliament's primary production select committee and served as the party's associate agriculture spokesperson between 12 March 2018 and 25 May 2020. Between 25 May and 7 July 2020, Walker served as National's spokesperson on forestry and land information, and associate spokesperson on tourism.[8]

In February 2020, Walker admitted to misleading the public through posting a fake social media post falsely indicating he had participated in a door knocking campaign in the small Southland town of Mataura.[9]

On 2 July 2020, Walker again attracted media attention when he issued a press release criticising the Labour-led coalition government for not consulting residents of Dunedin, Queenstown, and Invercargill about hosting quarantine facilities for 11,000 returnees from India, Pakistan and South Korea. Walker's remarks were criticised as racist by Minister of Housing Megan Woods for singling out returnees from those countries. Walker defended his remarks, asserting that charges of racism were an attempt to deflect from the Government's failings.[10] [11] Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern criticised Walker's remarks as inappropriate while Mayor of Dunedin Aaron Hawkins described Walker's remarks as "dog whistling."[12] On 3 July 2020, Walker was reprimanded by National Party leader Todd Muller, who expressed disappointment and concern about his press statement. According to Stuff, Walker's statements had not been approved by the National Party's leadership.

On 7 July 2020 Walker admitted leaking sensitive medical information (private patient details) to media outlets about COVID-19 patients and was stripped of his portfolios.[13] [14] That same day, former National Party president Michelle Boag admitted passing COVID-19 patient details to Walker and resigned from her position as chief executive of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust.[15] On 8 July, National leader Todd Muller told the media that he had written to the party board asking them to remove Walker from the party.[16] That same day Walker announced that he would not be standing for re-election in the Southland electorate during the 2020 New Zealand general election.[17]

On 30 July 2020, a report published by former solicitor general Michael Heron, QC, concluded Walker was responsible for the unauthorised disclosure of sensitive information, his motivations were political and his actions were not justified or reasonable.[18]

Post-political career

Following his retirement from politics, Walker found work as a real estate salesman at the Harcourts real estate company in Queenstown.[19] Walker has since finished working at Harcourts and has launched a new real estate company in Queenstown called Premium Real Estate Queenstown.[20]

Personal life

Hamish Walker is of Scottish New Zealand heritage and his family has roots in the South Island town of Balclutha. Walker's wife Penny Tipu is of Māori descent. The couple have a cat named Monty. On 1 January 2019, Walker reportedly saved a distressed man at the Lake Hāwea dam.[21] [22]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Roll of members of the New Zealand House of Representatives, 1854 onwards . 24 May 2019 . New Zealand Parliament . 3 September 2020.
  2. News: Nicoll . Dave . Mitchell . Charlie . Hamish Walker the new National Clutha-Southland candidate replacing Todd Barclay . 4 January 2019 . . 16 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20191102141909/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/94237152/contenders-emerge-to-replace-embattled-cluthasouthland-mp-todd-barclay. 2 November 2019.
  3. News: National name Hamish Walker as Todd Barclay's Clutha-Southland replacement . 4 January 2019 . . 16 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20190412235320/https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/national-name-hamish-walker-todd-barclays-clutha-southland-replacement. 12 April 2019.
  4. News: Todd Barclay's Clutha-Southland replacement chosen . 4 January 2019 . . 16 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20190413030136/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/08/todd-barclay-s-clutha-southland-replacement-chosen.html. 13 April 2019.
  5. Web site: Clutha-Southland – Official Result . . 4 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20200116143422/https://electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2017/electorate-details-06.html. 16 January 2020.
  6. News: Houlahan . Mike . Walker’s future in doubt . 8 July 2020 . . 8 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200708023353/https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/walker%E2%80%99s-future-doubt. 8 July 2020.
  7. News: McPhee . Elena . Maternity hub decision ‘alarm bells’ . 8 July 2020 . . 26 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191127223338/https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/maternity-hub-decision-%E2%80%98alarm-bells%E2%80%99 . 27 November 2019.
  8. Web site: Hamish Walker . . 8 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200708031145/https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/walker-hamish/. 8 July 2020.
  9. News: 28 February 2020. Clutha Southland MP admits 'mistake' over fake door-knock post. 19 August 2020. Stuff. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20200708213055/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/119861314/clutha-southland-mp-admits-mistake-over-fake-doorknock-post. 8 July 2020. live.
  10. News: Wade . Amelia . National MP slammed for 'racist' statement on returning Kiwis from Asia . 3 July 2020 . . 2 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200703045416/https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/politics/national-mp-slammed-for-racist-statement-on-returning-kiwis-from-asia/. 3 July 2020.
  11. News: Devlin . Collette . National leader Todd Muller reprimands Hamish Walker over 'racist' press statement . 3 July 2020 . . 3 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200703051039/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/122029198/national-leader-todd-muller-reprimands-hamish-walker-over-racist-press-statement. 3 July 2020.
  12. News: 'It was inappropriate' – Ardern responds to National MP Hamish Walker's isolation facility comments . 3 July 2020 . . 3 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200703050513/https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/inappropriate-ardern-responds-national-mp-hamish-walkers-isolation-facility-comments . 3 July 2020.
  13. News: Cooke. Henry. National MP Hamish Walker admits passing on leaked Covid-19 patient info from former party president Michelle Boag. 7 July 2020 . . 7 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200707100516/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300051710/national-mp-hamish-walker-admits-passing-on-leaked-covid19-patient-info-from-former-party-president-michelle-boag. 7 July 2020.
  14. News: Cheng . Derek . National MP Hamish Walker, former party president Michelle Boag admit leaking Covid patients' details . 7 July 2020 . . 7 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200707224059/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12346280. 7 July 2020.
  15. News: Small . Zane . Former National Party president Michelle Boag admits passing COVID-19 patient details to MP Hamish Walker . 7 July 2020 . . 7 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200707100614/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/07/former-national-party-president-michelle-boag-admits-passing-covid-19-patient-details-to-mp-hamish-walker.html. 7 July 2020.
  16. News: Covid-19 privacy leak: Todd Muller on Hamish Walker – 'There needs to be consequences' . 7 July 2020 . Radio New Zealand. https://web.archive.org/web/20200708003018/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/420727/covid-19-privacy-leak-todd-muller-on-hamish-walker-there-needs-to-be-consequences. 8 July 2020.
  17. News: Covid-19 privacy leak: MP Hamish Walker announces he won't stand for re-election . 8 July 2020 . . 8 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200708003402/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/420754/covid-19-privacy-leak-mp-hamish-walker-announces-he-won-t-stand-for-re-election. 8 July 2020.
  18. News: Wade . Amelia . 29 July 2020 . Covid-19 patient leak: Hamish Walker sent private patient details after being labelled racist, inquiry finds . . 19 August 2020 . 1170-0777 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200820193436/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12352201 . 20 August 2020 . live.
  19. News: McDonald . Liz . Former MP Hamish Walker launches real estate career in Queenstown . 22 January 2021 . . 5 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201115173516/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/123310399/former-mp-hamish-walker-launches-real-estate-career-in-queenstown . 15 November 2020. live.
  20. Web site: Premium Queenstown. 12 May 2022.
  21. News: Cheng . Derek . MP Hamish Walker saves distressed man days before wedding . 4 January 2019 . . 4 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20200520222458/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12185635. 20 May 2020.
  22. News: Kelly . Rachael . Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker talks man down from ledge on New Year's Day . 4 January 2019 . . 4 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190412235635/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/109739683/mp-talks-man-down-from-ledge-on-new-years-day. 12 April 2019.

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