Mark Gosche Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Vui Mark Gosche
Order1:5th Minister of Corrections
Term Start1:15 August 2002
Term End1:12 May 2003
Primeminister1:Helen Clark
Predecessor1:Matt Robson
Successor1:Paul Swain
Order2:6th Minister of Pacific Island Affairs
Term Start2:10 December 1999
Term End2:12 May 2003
Primeminister2:Helen Clark
Predecessor2:Tuariki Delamere
Successor2:Phil Goff
Order4:19th Minister of Housing
Term Start4:10 December 1999
Term End4:12 May 2003
Primeminister4:Helen Clark
Predecessor4:Murray McCully
Successor4:Steve Maharey
Order5:19th Minister of Transport
Term Start5:10 December 1999
Term End5:27 July 2002
Primeminister5:Helen Clark
Predecessor5:Maurice Williamson
Successor5:Paul Swain
Constituency Mp6:Maungakiekie
Parliament6:New Zealand
Term Start6:27 November 1999
Term End6:8 November 2008
Predecessor6:Belinda Vernon
Successor6:Sam Lotu-Iiga
Constituency Mp7:Labour party list
Parliament7:New Zealand
Term Start7:12 October 1996
Term End7:27 November 1999
Birth Date:1955 12, df=yes
Birth Place:Auckland, New Zealand
Party:Labour
Spouse:Carol
Children:4

Mark James Gosche (born 2 December 1955) is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party. He was born in Auckland to Samoan parents, and has been active in New Zealand's Pasifika community.

Biography

Early life and career

Gosche was born in 1955 to German-Samoan parents. He was raised and educated in South Auckland. He was a full-time official with the Hotel, Hospital & Restaurant Workers Union later the Service & Food Workers Union − or SFWU) for 15 years. He was later a union secretary with the SFWU for 7 years. This led him to join the Labour Party in 1981.

Gosche founded the Union Health Centres (four low cost medical centres for union members, doctors and nurses) and was the original director of the organisation. He was a trustee of the Union Law Centre and a member of the national executive of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU). He was also on several boards including the Trade Union Authority and New Zealand Tourism Council.

Member of Parliament

He was first elected to Parliament as a list MP in the 1996 election, and was seen as a key bridge builder between Labour and the Alliance. He was later MP for the Auckland seat of Maungakiekie following the 1999 election. He held a number of Cabinet posts, including Minister of Corrections, Minister of Housing, Minister of Transport, and Minister of Pacific Island Affairs. In May 2003, however, he resigned all his ministerial roles due to the serious illness of his wife, who had suffered a brain haemorrhage.

At the 2008 election, Gosche retired from politics to spend more time with his family.[1]

Post-parliamentary career

In 2009 he was nominated as a director on the New Zealand Rugby League board, being confirmed on 27 June.[2] [3] On 31 May 2011 Gosche was elected the Chairman of the Asia Pacific Rugby League Confederation.[4] Gosche's term on the NZRL board ended in 2012 after he decided not reapply for the position.[5]

Gosche is the Chief Executive of Vaka Tautua, a role he took up in July 2014 after five years on the governance board. Vaka Tautua is a not-for-profit ‘for Pacific by Pacific’ community health and social service provider working in the areas of disability, mental health, older people, family violence and financial capability – with offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The governance board and staff of Vaka Tautua are almost all of Pacific Island heritage and all operational staff are bilingual. Since leaving politics he has held a large number of governance roles including being Chief Advisor Strategic Relationships at the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs in Auckland, TYLA Trust, COMET Auckland, Vaka Tautua, Brain Injury Association, Talklink Trust and Fonua Ola. He currently serves on the board of Lifewise and was recently elected to the Mt. Wellington Licensing Trust which owns and operates hotel and conference centres – the profits of which are returned to the community via a charitable trust. Gosche's experience is also informed by his wife Carol whom he is a caregiver for. Carol, had a severe brain haemorrhage in 2002. He and his wife had four children.

Gosche is currently employed by the Manukau Institute of Technology as External Relations Manager for MIT's Pasifika Development office.[6]

At the 2016 Auckland elections, Gosche was elected to the Mt Wellington Licensing Trust.[7] In April 2018 Gosche was appointed chair of the Counties Manukau District Health Board, effective 3 May 2018.[8]

In June 2018 Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford announced Gosche as deputy chair of the Housing New Zealand (Kāinga Ora) board.[9] He became chair of the board and resigned from that position in 2024.[10] [11]

Honours

In April 2007 he was bestowed with the Samoan matai title Vui at his grandmother's village of Lano in Samoa.[12]

References

Notes and References

  1. News: Gosche bows out as MP . https://archive.today/20130223080017/http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/4573353a22399.html . dead . 23 February 2013 . 5 June 2008 . Central Leader . 20 October 2011 .
  2. http://www.warriors.co.nz/news/224/carter-chairman-of-new-nzrl-board Carter chairman of new NZRL board
  3. News: League: Trio get nod for NZRL . 28 June 2009 . . 20 October 2011.
  4. http://nzrl.co.nz/media/48308/in%20touch%20june%202011%20web.pdf In Touch
  5. http://www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=43954 Appointments to NZRL Board
  6. http://www.manukau.ac.nz/about-us/press-room2/2009-press-releases/february/former-nz-politician-to-strengthen-mit-pasifika-relations Former NZ Politician to Strengthen MIT Pasifika Relations
  7. Web site: 19 October 2016. Declaration of Results of Election for the 2016 elections for the five licensing trusts in the Auckland region. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20161019015948/http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/HowCouncilWorks/Elections/Documents/licensingtrusts2016.pdf. 19 October 2016. 24 March 2019.
  8. Web site: New Auckland DHB chairs announced. April 29, 2018. Scoop.co.nz. 24 March 2019.
  9. Web site: Housing New Zealand board appointments. The Beehive. 24 March 2019.
  10. News: Plummer . Benjamin . 2024-02-29 . Kāinga Ora chairman resigns amid ongoing review of agency . 2024-05-01 . NZ Herald . en-NZ.
  11. Web site: 29 February 2024 . Housing minister thanks outgoing Kāinga Ora chair . 2 May 2024 . beehive.govt.nz.
  12. Web site: Trevett. Claire. 18 February 2018. Mark Gosche: After bad news come the blessings. 2020-12-01. . en-NZ.