Stan Rodger

He began his career in the public service in Dunedin working at the Ministry of Works and Development. He became involved with the Public Service Association (PSA) and became vice-president. From 1970 to 1973, he was President of the PSA.[1]

In 1963 he put himself forward to replace Phil Connolly the retiring MP for Dunedin Central, but lost out to Brian MacDonell. Aged only 22 at the time Rodger was informed by Arnold Nordmeyer that his age was against him, however Connolly would subsequently give Rodger encouragement to pursue politics.[2]

Rodger stood unsuccessfully for the Labour Party in the 1963 election for Waitaki and in the 1966 election for Otago. In 1965, 1968 and 1971, he stood as a Labour candidate for the Wellington Hospital Board without success. In 1968 he also stood for a seat on the Wellington City Council, but was likewise unsuccessful.[3] In 1973, he stood for vice-president of the Labour Party and was seen as the front-runner for the position, however surprisingly finished only third behind the winner Eddie Isbey and Jonathan Hunt.[4]

He represented the electorate of Dunedin North in Parliament from 1978 to 1990, when he retired and was replaced by Pete Hodgson. From 1980 to 1984 he was Labour's junior whip.[5]

He was the Minister of Labour, State Services and State Owned Enterprises in the Fourth Labour Government.[6] His political opponents gave him the tag of "Side-line Stan". As Minister of State Services Rodger was responsible for overseeing the introduction and implementation of the controversial State Sector Act 1988 which reshaped and partially privatized the Public service in New Zealand. The reform was deeply unpopular, so much so that the PSA stripped Rodger of his life membership (however they restored it in 2004).[1]

In the 1991 New Year Honours, Rodger was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, for public services.[7]

In December 1990, after exiting parliament, he took up a position at University of Otago as the assistant registrar to the Secretary of the School of Dentistry.[8] In 2000, Rodger was appointed chair of the review team tasked with conducting a ministerial review of the Education Review Office.[9] In 2004 he was appointed deputy chairman of Transpower New Zealand.[10]