Allan Peachey

Peachey completed a Master's degree in history at the University of Canterbury in 1972, supervised by W. David McIntyre.{{Cite thesis |last=Peachey |first=A. F. |title=Air power and problems of sovereignty in the South Pacific, 1935-41 |date=1972 |degree=Master's |publisher=University of Canterbury |url=https://hdl.handle.net/10092/6530 |doi=10.26021/4486}}{{Cite news |title=Peachey, Allan - New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/former-members-of-parliament/peachey-allan/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250114134730/https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/former-members-of-parliament/peachey-allan/ |archive-date=2025-01-14 |access-date=2025-01-23 |language=en}} Before his election to Parliament, Peachey was employed as the principal of Rangitoto College, the largest secondary school in New Zealand. He had previously been the president of the Secondary Principals Association of New Zealand, and was an outspoken commentator on educational issues. An example of such commentary is his book What's Up with Our Schools?, which was released in 2005. {{Citation needed|date=November 2011}}

{{NZ parlbox header}}

{{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|2005}}|end=2008|term=48th|electorate={{NZ electorate link|Tāmaki}}|list=30|party=New Zealand National Party}}

{{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|2008}}|end=2011|term=49th|electorate=Tāmaki|list=34|party=New Zealand National Party}}

{{NZ parlbox footer}}

Peachey was selected as a list candidate for the National Party in the 2002 elections, and was viewed by many as one of the party's brighter prospects.{{Citation needed|date=August 2010}} His ranking on the party's list (eighteenth, above several sitting MPs) was thought sufficient to guarantee him entry to Parliament, but the National Party's overall performance was poor enough that he narrowly missed out.

Peachey stood for election again in the 2005 elections. He was ranked at thirty on National's party list, but was also selected as the National candidate for Tamaki, traditionally regarded as a safe National seat. This selection caused a certain amount of controversy, as the seat already had a sitting National MP. That MP, Clem Simich, was persuaded to withdraw, and was rewarded with a high list placing and the National Party candidacy in the electorate of Mangere. Peachey won the Tamaki electorate seat, receiving 20,956 votes of a total 36,946. The immediate runner-up in his electorate was Leila Boyle, a Labour Party candidate who received 11,446 votes. {{Citation needed|date=November 2011}}

Controversy arose when Peachey e-mailed Selwyn College co-principal Carol White declining an invitation to the school's prizegiving stating at the bottom: "Yes, I do have a knife in your back, so be careful."[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10358451] "MP Peachey sent 'knife in back' email", The New Zealand Herald, 5 December 2005 Peachey quickly issued an apology.[http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411424/635829 Peachey apologises for knife comment] by Radio New Zealand, published on TVNZ, 5 December 2005

Although Peachey initially planned to seek re-election in the 2011 election, having been renominated for Tāmaki electorate and been ranked 48th on the party list, he subsequently announced his withdrawal "to focus on his treatment and recovery from his recent ill health". He had not previously disclosed the nature or extent of his ill health. His sudden withdrawal shortly before the elections forced the National Party to arrange a new candidate selection process.{{cite web |url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1110/S00063/allan-peachey-announces-retirement.htm |title=Allan Peachey Announces Retirement |publisher=Press Release: National Party (via Scoop.co.nz) |date=5 October 2011}}

Allan Peachey died on 6 November 2011, 20 days before the {{NZ election link|2011}} and what would have been the end of his parliamentary term, after a battle with cancer.{{cite web|title=National MP dies|url=http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/11438598/national-mp-dies/|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110064026/http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/11438598/national-mp-dies|archivedate=10 November 2011}}[http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/5919786/Tamaki-MP-Allan-Peachey-dies Tamaki MP Allan Peachey dies] stuff.co.nz, 7 November 2011

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060613185747/http://www.allanpeachey.co.nz/ Allan Peachey's official site].
• [http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/MPP/MPs/MPs/c/7/9/48MP127451-Peachey-Allan.htm Parliamentary website]

{{s-start}}

{{s-par | nz}}

{{s-bef | before = Clem Simich }}

{{s-ttl | title = Member of Parliament for Tāmaki | years = 2005–2011}}

{{s-aft | after = Simon O'Connor }}

{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peachey, Allan}}

Category:1949 births

Category:2011 deaths

Category:New Zealand National Party MPs

Category:Deaths from cancer in New Zealand

Category:Place of birth missing

Category:Place of death missing

Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives

Category:New Zealand MPs for Auckland electorates

Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 2002 New Zealand general election

Category:21st-century New Zealand politicians

Category:Heads of schools in New Zealand

Category:University of Canterbury alumni