David Broome (politician)

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For other persons named David Broome, see David Broome (disambiguation).
Photo of David Broome in 2007
Photo of David Broome in 2007

David Broome (born 1968) is a politician in New Zealand. He joined the New Zealand National Party in 1985 and has been involved in every General Election from 1984 to 2005, with the exception of 1993. An accomplished public speaker [1], Broome was one of three contenders for the Party's 2008 nomination for the New Zealand Parliament in the Wellington Central (NZ electorate)[2] [12]. During the selection contest Broome positioned himself as a 'idiosyncratic social liberal' who would campaign on Labour's policy backyard. Broome, together with Paul Quinn, lost the selection to former Act New Zealand MP, Stephen Franks. Franks unsuccessfully bid for Act's leadership against Rodney Hide MP in 2004, joining National not long after losing his list seat at the New Zealand general election, 2005.

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[edit] The New David for Mangere (1996 general election)

At the 1996 general election Broome stood for the National Party against Taito Phillip Field in New Zealand's first MMP election. This was the seat previously held by former Prime Minister David Lange. While never expected to win the New Zealand Labour Party's safest seat, Broome's active but necessarily part-time campaign revealed him as a remarkable electioneerer. In polling second in 1996, with 3960 personal votes (and 4230 party votes) [3], Broome achieved the best result for National in that seat since former Prime Minister, Robert Muldoon's, New Zealand general election 1975 landslide victory; National, even then, didn't win Mangere [4]. What also made this highly impressive was that in 1996, National was seeking its third term in Government. His high profile but shoestring campaign drew comment from Ian Fraser (broadcaster) during election night coverage[5] and was featured on Television New Zealand's Holmes Show [6].

[edit] Interest in standing for local politics

After missing out on Wellington Central, Broome is understood to be considering a move into local politics. If true, Broome is thought to be a serious contender for Wellington City Council in the Onslow Western Ward [7] at the next Territorial authorities of New Zealand elections due in 2010.

Local politics is a recurring theme with Broome. More specifically urban and spatial planning. Broome worked briefly in New Zealand local government in the early 1990s and was a local government public affairs consultant in the United Kingdom with PPS Group [13] in London and Bristol and with Communiqué [14]in London. He worked on the UK's newest new town, one of 10 'eco-towns' being developed (the Wixams[8]), London's largest brownfield site, the Southall Gas Works site in Southall [9]. His final project was a 50,000m2 office development in Solihull[15] on privately held open space. This also took place against the backdrop of the United Kingdom general election of 2005. Lorely Burt, then Liberal Democrat candidate and the first ever Lib Dem MP for Solihull, paid the development close attention as it backed onto green belt. Broome's grassroots consultation and media management skills meant the scheme did not arise as a general election issue. Planning permission was unanimously granted by Solihull Council[10].

[edit] Political contacts

Broome maintains a wide variety of political friends including former New Zealand First President and current MP Doug Woolerton, National Party Pakuranga (NZ electorate) MP, Maurice Williamson and former National Party president, John Slater. After actively (but unsuccessfully) campaigning from afar in 2001 for Slater's re-election to the Party's Presidency, Broome fell out with Slater's successor, Michelle Boag. A pragmatic centrist, Broome has worked constructively with MPs from Act, Labour and the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand on Playcentre issues in particular. Broome has even been mentioned in speeches made by the Labour Minister of Finance, Michael Cullen [11].

[edit] Political career

Up until February 2008, Broome was the Party's Policy Chairman in Wellington Central, when he stood down to seek the nomination. Broome ran a series of policy forums in 2007/08 with external (non-party) speakers, the largest being on immigration and finance. These were the first local forums run since the 1990s. Broome is a former member of the Party's economic policy advisory group and a current member of its defence advisory group.

Broome was active in Hamilton West (NZ electorate) from 1985 to 1990 serving on the Executive. After a brief period of being a member only, Broome joined the Mangere Executive in the mid 1990s. He joined and maintained a membership in Pakuranga (NZ electorate) in 1998 before moving to the United Kingdom that year. Broome established the Party's first InterNat branch in London in 1999, supported by then Party President, John Slater.[12] Notable members included the now Leader of the Opposition, John Key and New Zealand born British Conservative Party MP Paul Beresford.

Broome unsuccessfully sought the Party's nomination for the Northcote (NZ electorate) in 2001 ahead of the 2002 general election. After returning to the UK he was an activist for the Conservative Party in the safe Croydon South (UK Parliament constituency). In 2005, before the birth of his first child, he returned to New Zealand with his wife. It is then that he joined the Executive Committee of the Wellington Central electorate.

[edit] Community roles

In 1997 Broome was establishment Chairman of the Life Education Trust in Mangere, winning major sponsorship from Auckland International Airport for drugs education. In 2006 Broome became a voluntary public relations officer with the Wellington Playcentre Association. He organised Playcentre @ Parliament held on 19 March 2008[13]. While in the United Kingdom Broome was a recruit Trooper (rank) with the British Territorial Army in C Squadron Kent and Sharpshooters Royal Yeomanry. He was also a volunteer conservator with Imperial War Museum at Duxford.

[edit] Education

Broome, who works for Simpson Grierson as a Business Development Manager in Wellington City, was educated at Hamilton's Fraser High School and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1991 from the University of Waikato and a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Massey University in 1996. He is married and has one son.

[edit] References

  1. ^ See Stephen Franks back-handed complement [1]
  2. ^ National Business Review article of 19 March 2008
  3. ^ 1996 General Election Official Results for Mangere pp 3-4[2]
  4. ^ See www.elections.org.nz for results 1996 to 2005 and New Zealand Electoral Study (NZES) datasets for data 1975-1993 [3]
  5. ^ Decision '96 broadcast 12 October 1996 on TV1
  6. ^ Holmes Show broadcast 14 October 1996 (TV1)
  7. ^ See Wellington City Council ward map [4]
  8. ^ Official website link here [5] and Ecotown details here [6]
  9. ^ See Communiqué website [7] and the CABE review [8]]
  10. ^ See developers Press Release [9]
  11. ^ See official speeches made by the Hon. Dr. Michael Cullen MPhttp://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/address+simpson+grierson+business+breakfast http://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/accelerating+new+zealand039s+growth+potential
  12. ^ External link to the InterNats herehttp://www.internats.org.nz/
  13. ^ See NZPA images [10] and Scoop article [11]