Cameron Brewer

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Cameron Brewer

| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MP|size=100%}}

| image = BREWER, Cameron - Upper Harbour (cropped).png

| alt = Cameron Brewer in 2023

| caption = Brewer in 2023

| nominee =

| party_election =

| party = New Zealand National Party

| parliament = New Zealand

| majority = 11,192

| predecessor = Vanushi Walters

| successor =

| constituency_MP = Upper Harbour

| term_start = 14 October 2023

| term_end =

| office2 = Ōrākei Ward Councillor

| majority2 =

| predecessor2 = Office established

| successor2 = Desley Simpson

| term_start2 = 9 October 2010

| term_end2 = 8 October 2016

| birth_name = Cameron Eric Brewer

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|03|08|df=y}}

| birth_place = Hāwera, New Zealand

| death_date =

| birthname =

| citizenship =

| nationality = New Zealand

| spouse =

| partner =

| relations =

| children = 3

| parents =

| residence =

| alma_mater = Massey University (BA)

| occupation = Member of Parliament

| profession =

| cabinet =

| committees =

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}}

Cameron Eric Brewer (born 8 March 1973) is a New Zealand politician and former journalist.

A member of the National Party, Brewer has been a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for Upper Harbour since 2023. He was previously the Ōrākei Ward representative on Auckland Council from 2010 to 2016.

Early life and career

Born in Hāwera on 8 March 1973, Brewer attended Wanganui Collegiate School and Massey University where he completed a Bachelor of Arts in history and sociology in 1994. He was president of the students' association of Western Institute of Technology, where he studied journalism and edited the student publication.{{cite web |title=Local Elections 2010 results |url=http://www.elections2010.co.nz/2010/candidates/cameron-brewer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212064618/http://www.elections2010.co.nz/2010/candidates/cameron-brewer |archive-date=12 February 2013 |website=elections2010.co.nz}}

In early 1996 he founded and edited Dunedin-based community newspaper Inside Otago before selling it in late 1998. He moved to Wellington and worked as a writer and researcher for the National Party and as a press secretary first to the Leader of the Opposition, Jenny Shipley, and later to the leader of ACT New Zealand, Rodney Hide. From 2002 to 2004 Brewer was communications advisor to the Mayor of Auckland City, John Banks.{{cite web |last=Fitzgerald |first=Mary |date=6 October 2016 |title=Cameron Brewer leaves office with a message for fellow councillors |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/east-bays-courier/84943040/cameron-brewer-leaves-office-with-a-message-for-fellow-councillors |access-date=28 May 2025 |website=Stuff}}{{cite web |title=Cameron Brewer To Stand In Orakei Ward |url=http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/cameron-brewer-stand-orakei-ward/5/55161 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404033658/http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/cameron-brewer-stand-orakei-ward/5/55161 |archive-date=4 April 2023 |access-date=24 April 2023 |website=Voxy.co.nz}}

Between 2005 and 2010 he was the chief executive of the Newmarket Business Association.

Auckland Council

{{Auckland Council|affiliation=Independent|ward=Ōrākei|start=2010|end=2013}}

{{Auckland Council|affiliation=Independent|ward=Ōrākei|start=2013|end=2016}}

{{end}}In the 2010 Auckland Council elections Brewer was elected from the Ōrākei ward as an Independent with a 7,000 vote margin over Citizens & Ratepayers (C&R) deputy leader Doug Armstrong. Brewer's decision to contest the election as a right-wing independent was labelled as a "betrayal" by C&R members while the result was considered a humiliation for C&R in its "traditional heartland".{{cite web | last=Orsman | first=Bernard | title=Brewer's stance dubbed 'betrayal' | website=The New Zealand Herald | date=14 July 2010 | url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/brewers-stance-dubbed-betrayal/SGVMQYDYRPGI7Y6BRPV74ZHNNE/ | access-date=24 April 2023 | archive-date=18 October 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018204620/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-government/news/article.cfm?c_id=144&objectid=10658850 | url-status=live }}{{cite web | last=Orsman | first=Bernard | title=Left, right and centre – it's a council for all | website=The New Zealand Herald | date=10 October 2010 | url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/left-right-and-centre-its-a-council-for-all/FZDIHIYDEEKFAK5EOAYNDSN5N4/ | access-date=24 April 2023 | archive-date=18 October 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018213323/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10679675 | url-status=live }}{{cite web | last=Orsman | first=Bernard | title=Orakei: Challenger splits centre-right in Tory heartland | website=The New Zealand Herald | date=22 August 2010 | url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/orakei-challenger-splits-centre-right-in-tory-heartland/XVVJXHHSVZBT5RRWTC5BRQT7UM/ | access-date=24 April 2023 | archive-date=24 April 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424184325/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/orakei-challenger-splits-centre-right-in-tory-heartland/XVVJXHHSVZBT5RRWTC5BRQT7UM/ | url-status=live }}

In his first term, Brewer was chair of Auckland Council's Business Advisory Forum, chair of the Planning and Urban Design Panel, and deputy chair of the Economic Development Forum. He was considered a potential candidate for the Mayor of Auckland in 2013, but did not run.{{cite web | last=Orsman | first=Bernard | title=High-profile councillor cagey about bid for top job | website=The New Zealand Herald | date=3 July 2011 | url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/high-profile-councillor-cagey-about-bid-for-top-job/JXSWE5MWBLM37VESFKD3D5MHHQ/ | access-date=24 April 2023 | archive-date=24 April 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424184328/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/high-profile-councillor-cagey-about-bid-for-top-job/JXSWE5MWBLM37VESFKD3D5MHHQ/ | url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/len-brown-destined-rule-roost-bro-town-rv-133924|url-status=dead|title=Len Brown destined to rule the roost in 'Bro-Town'|access-date= 13 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003845/www.nbr.co.nz/article/len-brown-destined-rule-roost-bro-town-rv-133924|archive-date=4 March 2016}} Instead he was re-elected as a councillor unopposed. Brewer was an opponent of mayor Len Brown and criticised him for not declaring gifts. Brewer himself failed to declare gifts and hospitality in 2013.{{cite web |last=Orsman |first=Bernard |date=19 December 2013 |title=Brewer's Gold Coast junket slip |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/cameron-brewer-admits-not-declaring-gold-coast-junket/3VSPP2FVMXSNG4QOTVK5IJXFCY/ |access-date=28 May 2025 |website=NZ Herald}} He did not contest a third term on the council in 2016.{{cite web |author=New Zealand Herald |date=4 August 2016 |title=Auckland councillors bowing out |url=http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11687246 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916081654/http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11687246 |archive-date=16 September 2016 |accessdate=16 October 2016 |website=M.nzherald.co.nz}}

In October 2016 Brewer was elected to the Rodney Local Board in the Kumeu subdivision. He had stood as part of the Rodney First ticket. During the term, he chaired the board's transport, infrastructure and environment committee.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}} He retired from local politics in 2019 to focus on running his communications firm.

Member of Parliament

{{NZ parlbox

|start= {{NZ election link year|2023}}

|end=present

|term=54th

|electorate=Upper Harbour

|list=62

|party=New Zealand National Party

}}

Brewer has been a member of the National Party since 1996. The New Zealand Herald reported in 2022 he had long held ambitions to become a member of Parliament.{{cite web |last=Simich |first=Ricardo |date=26 November 2022 |title=Cameron Brewer says love is key to his return to politics |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/spy-cameron-brewers-new-long-distance-love/WCNVG7YEORCV5JQXKL7C3ZEHYM/ |access-date=28 May 2025 |website=NZ Herald}} He declined to seek National's candidacy in the Tāmaki electorate in 2011 and also ruled out standing for the ACT Party.{{cite web | last=Cheng | first=Derek | title=Act plans for 'aggressive stance' with National | website=The New Zealand Herald | date=4 May 2011 | url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/act-plans-for-aggressive-stance-with-national/VKKXJ4EU55RJD64MWLRATVXV24/ | access-date=24 April 2023 | archive-date=24 April 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424145611/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/act-plans-for-aggressive-stance-with-national/VKKXJ4EU55RJD64MWLRATVXV24/ | url-status=live }}{{cite web | title=National's plum candidacy is ripe for picking | website=The New Zealand Herald | date=14 October 2011 | url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/nationals-plum-candidacy-is-ripe-for-picking/IEV66PR7ALAHUZSWIXN66PZHW4/ | access-date=24 April 2023 | archive-date=24 April 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424145608/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/nationals-plum-candidacy-is-ripe-for-picking/IEV66PR7ALAHUZSWIXN66PZHW4/ | url-status=live }} He also declined to seek the candidacy in Helensville in 2017.{{cite news |last1=Orsman |first1=Bernard |date=8 December 2016 |title=Cameron Brewer considering Helensville seat |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11763268 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220160410/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11763268 |archive-date=20 December 2016 |accessdate=8 December 2016 |work=The New Zealand Herald}}

In April 2023, Brewer was announced as the National Party's candidate in the Upper Harbour electorate for the 2023 general election.{{cite web | url=https://www.national.org.nz/team | title=Our Team | access-date=4 April 2023 | archive-date=4 April 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404023104/https://www.national.org.nz/team | url-status=live }} He defeated first-term incumbent Vanushi Walters, New Zealand's first Sri Lankan-born MP, with a margin of 11,192.{{cite web |date=3 November 2023 |title=Upper Harbour - Official Result |url=https://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/electorate-details-55.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231123104120/https://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/electorate-details-55.html |archive-date=23 November 2023 |access-date=25 November 2023 |publisher=Electoral Commission}} After an election night celebration, Brewer was accused of making an inappropriate comment in his speech, declaring that his win was a victory for "stale, pale, males." He later apologised, saying it was “a poor attempt at humour”.{{Cite web |title=New National MP Cameron Brewer celebrated victory for 'stale, pale males' after defeat of Sri Lankan-born rival |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/502875/new-national-mp-cameron-brewer-celebrated-victory-for-stale-pale-males-after-defeat-of-sri-lankan-born-rival |access-date=28 December 2023 |website=RNZ News}}

In his first term in Parliament, Brewer served as deputy chair of the governance and administration committee and as a member of the justice committee from December 2023 to January 2025. On 29 January 2025, he was appointed as chair of the finance and expenditure committee.{{Cite web |title=Brewer, Cameron |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/brewer-cameron/ |access-date=30 January 2025 |website=New Zealand Parliament}} A private member's bill in his name, the Life Jackets for Children and Young Persons Bill, was introduced in April 2025 and seeks to require all recreational boat users aged 15 and under to wear a life jacket.{{cite web |date=7 November 2017 |title=Life Jackets for Children and Young Persons Bill |url=https://bills.parliament.nz/v/6/2e5a2466-5ed8-4380-1880-08dd77d42c62?Tab=hansard |access-date=28 May 2025 |website=bills.parliament.nz}}