Rt Hon John Key
Prime Minister
31 January 2013 Media Statement

PM Congratulates new Speaker of the House

Prime Minister John Key today congratulated newly-elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon David Carter.

“It’s fitting that David Carter, who has served as an MP since 1994 and who has held a number of ministerial and parliamentary roles, has been elevated to the highest office elected by the House.

“David’s 19 years of experience, and his deep understanding of parliamentary procedure, will serve MPs well, and will stand him in good stead, during his tenure as Speaker.

“He has been a hard-working and high-achieving Minister, and I have greatly valued his contribution for the past four years,” says Mr Key.

David Carter was first elected to Parliament in 1994 as MP for Selwyn. Since 1999 he has been a list MP based in Canterbury. He has held a number of Ministerial portfolios since 1998 and, following the 2008 General Election was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Minister for Biosecurity and Minister of Forestry. He was appointed Minister for Primary Industries following the 2011 General Election, and Minister of Local Government in early 2012.

Mr Carter fills the role vacated by Dr the Rt Hon Lockwood Smith, who has been nominated as New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>