Michael Woodhouse

The Honourable
Michael Woodhouse
MP
Personal details
Nationality New Zealand
Political party National
Website www.michaelwoodhouse.co.nz

Michael Allan Woodhouse (born c.1965) is a National member of the New Zealand Parliament.

Early years

Woodhouse was born and raised in South Dunedin, the fifth of nine children. He attended St Patrick's, St Edmund's and St Pauls High School, now Kavanagh College, which he left at the end of sixth form in 1982.

He worked for the National Bank of New Zealand in Dunedin and Wellington until 1987 when he embarked on a rugby sojourn to Scotland and England, playing for Dunfermline 1987/88 and Broughton Park in Manchester 1988/89. He returned to Dunedin where he studied Commerce and Accounting at Otago University, which he graduated from in 1993.

He worked at Taylor Mclachlan Accountants in Dunedin, Dunedin Hospital and ACC. Recently in 2005 he earned a masters in Health at the University of New South Wales in Australia.

Prior to his political career, Woodhouse was the CEO of Mercy Hospital in Dunedin from 2001 to 2008.

Woodhouse was convicted for drink-driving when he was 21 years old.[1]

Member of Parliament

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate List Party
2008–2011 49th List 49 National
2011–2014 50th List 31 National
2014–present 51st List 20 National

Woodhouse stood in Dunedin North in 2008 and, though he received 30.64% (9972) of the votes he was defeated by incumbent electorate Pete Hodgson who received 52.62% of the vote. He was still however elected to parliament through National's party list. In the 2011 election, Woodhouse reduced the majority from 7,155 in 2008[2] to 3,489 against David Clark.[3] National also lost the party vote by 420 votes. Clark beat Woodhouse with an increased majority in the 2014 election.[4]

A member of the Health and Transport & Industrial Relations Select Committees in the 49th Parliament, Woodhouse was elected as the National Party's senior whip on 20 December 2011.[5] He is the head of the Parliamentarians for Arthritis group and is active in the Parliamentary Sports Trust as a rugby player and referee.

In a reshuffle in January 2013, Woodhouse was made a minister outside cabinet and was given the Immigration, Veteran's Affairs and associate transport portfolios.

During his time in Parliament, Woodhouse voted against the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry in New Zealand.[6]

He is currently ranked 17th on the National Party list, and has the Immigration, Inland Revenue, and Workplace Relations and Safety ministerial portfolios. [7] [8]

In August 2015, Michael Woodhouse caused controversy when he released a list of 57 high risk industries for his Health an Safety Reform Bill. This list was mocked by the Opposition because worm farming and mini golf were deemed "high risk", while dairy and cattle farming were not. Labour leader, Andrew Little, stated the new classifications were "overly complicated, ill thought out and rushed through to appease National Party backers, putting the lives of New Zealanders at risk".[9] While Labour's spokesperson for Labour issues, Iain Lees-Galloway, said Woodhouse "can’t worm his way out of this. He will be forever ridiculed as the Minister who made killer worm farms safer but failed to protect people working in some of New Zealand's most dangerous industries".[10]

Personal life

Woodhouse is an avid rugby fan, having played for Otago in his youth. He has a wife Amanda and three children.[11]

An avid rugby follower, Woodhouse played age group rugby for Otago and South Island rep teams and premier rugby for Dunedin and Western Suburbs in Wellington. He also refereed 84 premier and approximately 20 representative colts and 'B' provincial matches. He also was a premier grade referee.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Shadwell, Talia (30 October 2014). "Police minister's drink-drive confession". The Dominion Post. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "Official Count Results - Dunedin North". Electionresults.govt.nz. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  3. ↑ New Zealand Electoral Commission. "Official Count Results - Dunedin North". Electionresults.govt.nz. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
  4. ↑ "Agony and ecstasy for Dunedin party faithful". Otago Daily Times. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  5. ↑ National's whips Woodhouse and Upston stuff.co.nz, 20 December 2011
  6. ↑ "Two Canty MPs vote against gay marriage bill". The Press. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "Ministerial List". DPMC. 14 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "Hon Michael Woodhouse". national.org.nz. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  9. ↑ Rutherford, Hamish (20 August 2015). "Government deems mini-golf and worm farming more risky than cattle farming". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  10. ↑ http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1510/S00205/woodhouse-wrote-own-worm-farm-risk-list.htm
  11. ↑ "HON MICHAEL WOODHOUSE List MP in Dunedin". Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  12. ↑ "Hon Michael Woodhouse - Biography". New Zealand National Party. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
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