Bob Clarkson
Encyclopedia
Bob Clarkson, CNZM
(born 1939 in Gisborne
) was National Party
MP for Tauranga
in the 48th Parliament of New Zealand
.
and worked on the Kaimai Tunnel
. He began selling and servicing tractors in Matamata
before deciding to import V8 motors from the United States
– a business he continued for nine years. Clarkson then moved into commercial building construction.
Clarkson has played field hockey
for the Poverty Bay
provincial team. He was selected as a standby goalie for the New Zealand team that won Gold at the 1976 Summer Olympics
. He was also a member of the New Zealand Stock Car Racing Team from 1968–1971, and held seven New Zealand titles in Dragster racing during 1972–1975.
Clarkson was awarded the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
(CNZM) for his services to Philanthropy, Industrial Properties and the Sports Stadium in the New Years Honours for 2003
In the 2005 election
, Clarkson was recruited as the National candidate for the Tauranga
seat. He challenged Winston Peters
, leader of the New Zealand First
party, who held the seat for twenty-one years. The contest was of national significance as party must have 5% of the vote or an electorate seat to qualify for proportional representation in parliament. A loss by Peters would have deprived New Zealand First of its electorate seat, leaving it vulnerable to a decline in its vote.
Clarkson won the seat by 730 votes, a 2.02% majority over Winston Peters.
As a member of parliament, Clarkson was the National Party's associate spokesperson for Building and Construction and Housing.
filed a petition in the High Court of New Zealand
alleging that Clarkson had over-spent on campaigning than is allowed under the New Zealand Electoral Act. The Act prescribes a campaign spending limit of $20,000 per local candidate. Peters alleged that Clarkson had spent more than $100,000. However the High Court found that Clarkson had only spent $18,159. The court ordered Peters to pay $40,000 in legal costs to Bob Clarkson.
and homosexual groups. He was reported as saying that Muslim women wearing burqas, who did not want to fit in should "go back to Islam or Iraq" and that burqas should not be worn in banks or courts. Clarkson also made reference the number of gay
and lesbian
Members of Parliament
(MPs) in the New Zealand Labour Party
and was quoted as saying "We've got a problem there they are employing more of those than average people."
The National Party
MP caused further controversy after comparing homosexuality
to nose picking saying that "If you walk up and down the street picking your nose, you're a bit different, aren't you? You're going to offend somebody."
Clarkson was also reported as saying he had nothing against gays and lesbians unless they tried to "ram it down" his throat.
While visiting a prominent all-male school in his electorate, he caused a negative reaction towards himself, and his party, by again referring to homosexuality as being "rammed down his throat". He also stated that "males needed to take back their rightful place as leaders" and made strong sexist comments towards an audience he expected would support him.
was being discussed. Mrs Muliaga died after her electricity was cut because she could not afford to pay the overdue bill. When asked to apologise in parliament after offence was taken by another member to the interjection, Mr Clarkson left the House after refusing to apologise. Clarkson said: "Sorry that's his problem. Mr Clarkson was reprimanded for the comments after John Key said the comments were "distasteful."
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(born 1939 in Gisborne
Gisborne, New Zealand
-Economy:The harbour was host to many ships in the past and had developed as a river port to provide a more secure location for shipping compared with the open roadstead of Poverty Bay which can be exposed to southerly swells. A meat works was sited beside the harbour and meat and wool was shipped...
) was National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
MP for Tauranga
Tauranga
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
in the 48th Parliament of New Zealand
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
.
Biography
In 1958 Clarkson qualified as a fitter and turner in Gisborne. He then moved to the WaikatoWaikato
The Waikato Region is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato, Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupo District, and parts of Rotorua District...
and worked on the Kaimai Tunnel
Kaimai Tunnel
The Kaimai Tunnel is a railway tunnel through the Kaimai Range in the North Island of New Zealand. Since it was opened in 1978, it has held the title of longest tunnel in New Zealand, assuming this distinction from the previous title holder, the Rimutaka Tunnel...
. He began selling and servicing tractors in Matamata
Matamata
Matamata is a rural Waikato town in New Zealand with a population of around 12,000 . It is located near the base of the Kaimai Ranges, and is a thriving farming area known for Thoroughbred horse breeding and training pursuits...
before deciding to import V8 motors from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
– a business he continued for nine years. Clarkson then moved into commercial building construction.
Clarkson has played field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
for the Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay
Poverty Bay is the largest of several small bays on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island to the north of Hawkes Bay. It stretches for 10 kilometres from Young Nick's Head in the southwest to Tuaheni Point in the northeast. The city of Gisborne is located on the northern shore of the bay...
provincial team. He was selected as a standby goalie for the New Zealand team that won Gold at the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
. He was also a member of the New Zealand Stock Car Racing Team from 1968–1971, and held seven New Zealand titles in Dragster racing during 1972–1975.
Clarkson was awarded the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(CNZM) for his services to Philanthropy, Industrial Properties and the Sports Stadium in the New Years Honours for 2003
Member of Parliament
| Parl. | Electorate | List Pos. | Party |
| 48th 48th New Zealand Parliament The 48th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Its composition was determined at a general election held on 17 September 2005. The new parliament met for the first time on 7 November 2005... |
Tauranga Tauranga (New Zealand electorate) Tauranga is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Tauranga is Simon Bridges of the National Party, who won the seat in the 2008 New Zealand general election, after the previous MP, Bob Clarkson of... |
49 | National New Zealand National Party The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:... |
In the 2005 election
New Zealand general election, 2005
The 2005 New Zealand general election held on 17 September 2005 determined the composition of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. No party won a majority in the unicameral House of Representatives, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the...
, Clarkson was recruited as the National candidate for the Tauranga
Tauranga (New Zealand electorate)
Tauranga is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Tauranga is Simon Bridges of the National Party, who won the seat in the 2008 New Zealand general election, after the previous MP, Bob Clarkson of...
seat. He challenged Winston Peters
Winston Peters
Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being...
, leader of the New Zealand First
New Zealand First
New Zealand First is a political party in New Zealand that was founded in 1993, following party founder Winston Peters' resignation from the National Party in 1992...
party, who held the seat for twenty-one years. The contest was of national significance as party must have 5% of the vote or an electorate seat to qualify for proportional representation in parliament. A loss by Peters would have deprived New Zealand First of its electorate seat, leaving it vulnerable to a decline in its vote.
Clarkson won the seat by 730 votes, a 2.02% majority over Winston Peters.
As a member of parliament, Clarkson was the National Party's associate spokesperson for Building and Construction and Housing.
Sexual harassment: "left testicle"
During the campaign sexual harassment allegations were made against Clarkson by a former employee. Clarkson claimed the allegations were the result of a misunderstanding arising from a mention of his left testicle to a colleague. It was claimed Clarkson repeatedly made jokes, such as "I bet my left testicle the all blacks will win" to female employees. Mr Clarkson, in the heat of the controversy, grabbed and talked about his crotch to a female reporter.Campaign overspending petition
Winston PetersWinston Peters
Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being...
filed a petition in the High Court of New Zealand
High Court of New Zealand
The High Court of New Zealand is a superior court of New Zealand. It was established in 1841 and known as the Supreme Court of New Zealand until 1980....
alleging that Clarkson had over-spent on campaigning than is allowed under the New Zealand Electoral Act. The Act prescribes a campaign spending limit of $20,000 per local candidate. Peters alleged that Clarkson had spent more than $100,000. However the High Court found that Clarkson had only spent $18,159. The court ordered Peters to pay $40,000 in legal costs to Bob Clarkson.
Controversy over minority groups
In several interviews, Clarkson has made a number of comments which caused offense to MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and homosexual groups. He was reported as saying that Muslim women wearing burqas, who did not want to fit in should "go back to Islam or Iraq" and that burqas should not be worn in banks or courts. Clarkson also made reference the number of gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
and lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MPs) in the New Zealand Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
and was quoted as saying "We've got a problem there they are employing more of those than average people."
The National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
MP caused further controversy after comparing homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
to nose picking saying that "If you walk up and down the street picking your nose, you're a bit different, aren't you? You're going to offend somebody."
Clarkson was also reported as saying he had nothing against gays and lesbians unless they tried to "ram it down" his throat.
While visiting a prominent all-male school in his electorate, he caused a negative reaction towards himself, and his party, by again referring to homosexuality as being "rammed down his throat". He also stated that "males needed to take back their rightful place as leaders" and made strong sexist comments towards an audience he expected would support him.
Folole Muliaga
Mr Clarkson during a parliamentary debate on an electricity regulation to protect vulnerable customers yelled out "pay your bill" several times while the case of Folole MuliagaFolole Muliaga
Folole Muliaga was a Samoan schoolteacher living in Manukau, New Zealand. She was terminally ill with obesity-related heart and lung disease and using a home oxygen machine. She died less than three hours after the electricity supply from state-owned Mercury Energy was disconnected to her house...
was being discussed. Mrs Muliaga died after her electricity was cut because she could not afford to pay the overdue bill. When asked to apologise in parliament after offence was taken by another member to the interjection, Mr Clarkson left the House after refusing to apologise. Clarkson said: "Sorry that's his problem. Mr Clarkson was reprimanded for the comments after John Key said the comments were "distasteful."