Neil Morrison
Neil Joseph Morrison (11 January 1938 – 19 September 2007) was a New Zealand politician of the Social Credit Party.
Neil Morrison MP | |
|---|---|
| 2nd Leader of the Democratic Party | |
| In office 1986–1988 | |
| Deputy | Gary Knapp |
| Preceded by | Bruce Beetham |
| Succeeded by | Gary Knapp |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Pakuranga | |
| In office 1984 – 1987 | |
| Preceded by | Pat Hunt |
| Succeeded by | Maurice Williamson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 January 1938 New Zealand |
| Died | 19 September 2007 (aged 69) New Zealand |
| Political party | Social Credit |
| Spouse(s) | Gabrielle Morrison |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Mechanic |
Political career
| New Zealand Parliament | ||||
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | |
| 1984–1985 | 41st | Pakuranga | Social Credit | |
| 1985–1987 | Changed allegiance to: | Democrats | ||
He won the Pakuranga seat in the 1984 election by 419 votes, from two-term MP Pat Hunt. Gary Knapp retained East Coast Bays, but the party leader Bruce Beetham lost his Rangitikei seat.
In 1986 Beetham lost the leadership of the party to Morrison. On the night he was elected, the new leader implied in a TV interview that the Social Credit national dividend policy was out of date and would be dropped. This was in response to a question from the interviewer, which he might not have listened to carefully. The next day when Beetham said he was considering resigning because the new leadership was rejecting basic Social Credit philosophy, Morrison publicly retracted his comment and affirmed that the national dividend would remain an important part of Social Credit policy.
In the 1987 election Morrison was defeated by National candidate Maurice Williamson, and Knapp was defeated by another National candidate. See Social Credit Party (New Zealand).
He was a Manukau City Councillor, and about to run for re-election when he died in 2007.
References
- Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
- New Zealand Herald obituary
| New Zealand Parliament | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Pat Hunt |
Member of Parliament for Pakuranga 1984–1987 |
Succeeded by Maurice Williamson |