• Source: Brian MacDonell

Brian Peter MacDonell (born 19 May 1935) is a former New Zealand Member of Parliament for Dunedin Central in the South Island.




Early life and career


He was born in Dunedin on 19 May 1935, the son of Roderick MacDonell. He received his education at Christian Brothers High School, since renamed Kavanagh College. He became active with the labour movement in 1950. In 1958, he married Joan Banwell, the daughter of William Banwell. The MacDonells have four sons. MacDonell worked for a bank from 1953 to 1963, and was a national councillor for the New Zealand bank officers union.




Political career



MacDonell first attempted to enter politics at the 1959 local-body elections when he stood unsuccessfully for the Dunedin City Council on the Labour Party ticket. He stood for the council again in 1962 and was likewise unsuccessful.
He represented the Dunedin Central electorate in Parliament for 21 years from 1963 to 1984. He was Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Trade and Industry (1973–1975) and to the Minister of Energy Resources (1974–1975). Following the Royal Commission on Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion, parliament discussed legislation to legalise abortion, and MacDonell supported his pro-life stance by holding a jar with a pickled 12-week-old foetus during the debate. Parliament passed the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977. MacDonell was Shadow Minister of Customs and Shadow Postmaster-General from 1975 to 1983 under Bill Rowling.
The Dunedin Central electorate was abolished in the 1983 electoral redistribution, and the electorate of Dunedin West was established in its place. MacDonell was not selected as the Labour candidate for the new electorate of Dunedin West; instead, the party's president, Jim Anderton, installed his personal friend Clive Matthewson. MacDonell left the party and became an Independent. He worked closely in the house with another Labour MP turned independent, John Kirk, as well as the two Social Credit Party's MPs Bruce Beetham and Gary Knapp. The quartet appointed MacDonell as the groups whip to boost their recognition in parliament. At the 1984 general election he was not successful standing for re-election.
MacDonell was later elected a member of the Dunedin City Council at the 1995 local-body elections representing the South Dunedin ward for three years.




Later activities


As of 2013, MacDonell resided in Tasmania, Australia. He enjoys fishing for recreation.




Honours and awards


In 1977, MacDonell was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, and in 1990 he received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. In the 1993 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.




Notes






References



Bassett, Michael (2008). Working with David: Inside the Lange Cabinet. Auckland: Hodder Moa. ISBN 978-1-86971-094-1.
Traue, James Edward, ed. (1978). Who's Who in New Zealand (11th ed.). Wellington: Reed.
Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840–1984 (4 ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.

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