Paul Swain

Swain was born in Palmerston North on 20 December 1951. He attended St. Patrick's College in Wellington. He has obtained a BA from Victoria University of Wellington.[1] Swain has two daughters and a son with his wife Toni Reeves-Swain, and two sons from an earlier marriage.[2]

Before entering politics, he worked for the Ministry of Social Development from 1975 to 1976 before becoming a bus driver for the Wellington City Council in 1976. He then changed professions again working as a teacher from 1978 to 1982. In 1987 he became a research officer for the New Zealand Federation of Labour (later Council of Trade Unions) until 1990 when he was elected to parliament.[2]

He was the employee coordinator for the Wellington YMCA from 1982 to 1986 and was also chairman of the Wellington Regional Employment and ACCESS Council.[2] At the 1986 local elections he stood for the Wellington Regional Council on the Labour Party ticket. He polled well but did not win a seat.[3]

He was MP for the seat of Eastern Hutt from the 1990 election until the 1996 election, when the electorate boundaries were changed and it became Rimutaka. He won Rimutaka in 1996[4] and held the seat until the 2008 election, which he did not contest, retiring from national politics.[5]

In November 1990 he was appointed as Labour's spokesperson for Forestry by Labour leader Mike Moore.[6]

In the 2009 New Year Honours, Swain was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order, for services as a Member of Parliament.[8]

In 2009, he was employed by the Crown as their lead negotiator for a settlement of historical grievances with Ngāti Porou.[9]

In 2016, he became chairman of the New Zealand Fire Service; now Fire and Emergency Service New Zealand.[10]

In July 2019 Swain announced that he would not be standing for re-election to the Wellington Regional Council, on which he has been a councillor since 2010.[11]

• Who's Who in the New Zealand Parliament 1993. Wellington: Parliamentary Service. 1993.