Darroch Ball

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Darroch Ball

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| order2 = President of New Zealand First

| status2 = Acting

| term_start2 = 20 December 2020

| term_end2 = 20 June 2021

| leader2 = Winston Peters

| predecessor2 = Kristin Campbell-Smith

| successor2 = Julian Paul

| constituency_MP3 = New Zealand First party list

| term_start3 = 20 September 2014

| term_end3 = 17 October 2020

| parliament3 = New Zealand

| predecessor3 =

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1982}}

| birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand

| residence =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| profession = Soldier, teacher

| party = New Zealand First

| spouse =

| children = 2

| alma_mater = University of Auckland

| website =

| footnotes =

}}

Darroch Leicester Ball (born 1982) is a New Zealand politician of the New Zealand First party.

Ball was elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives at the 2014 general election and served as a Member of Parliament until his party's defeat in the 2020 general election. He was the party's interim president from December 2020 to July 2021 and is currently chief of staff to the New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters.

Early life

Ball was born and raised in Auckland. He is of Tongan descent through his mother.{{Cite web |date=25 December 2023 |title=Meet the Backbenchers: Darroch Ball |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/meet-the-backbenchers-darroch-ball/UC27WB6LV3IBK4Y3YKLTPLU3YA/ |access-date=24 December 2023 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}} He attended Liston College (1996–2000) in Henderson and became a father aged 19.{{Cite web |date=25 December 2023 |title=NZ First's man of mystery: Darroch Ball |url= https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/nz-firsts-man-of-mystery-darroch-ball/GKI7LXCHMEUXMFEYZYAT66S6RQ/ |access-date=24 December 2023 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}} He raised his two children as a single parent.{{Cite web |last=Pamatatau |first=Richard |date=29 September 2017 |title=Richard Pamatatau: Will they make room at the cabinet table for Pacific talent? |url= https://e-tangata.co.nz/comment-and-analysis/richard-pamatatau-will-they-make-room-at-the-cabinet-table-for-pacific-talent/ |access-date=24 December 2023 |website=E-Tangata |language=en-NZ}}

Ball graduated with a bachelor's degree majoring in biological science from the University of Auckland in 2005. He was an logistics officer in the New Zealand Army for seven years and trained as a teacher in 2013.{{cite web |author=Matthew Grocott |date=22 September 2014 |title=MP Ball needs introducing |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/10528505/MP-Ball-needs-introducing |accessdate=22 September 2014 |publisher=Manawatu Standard}} He taught science at Waiopehu College in 2014 before his election to Parliament.{{cite news |last1=Bennett |first1=Adam |date=21 September 2014 |title=Election results 2014: Winston Peters blames Labour and Greens for rout |work=The New Zealand Herald |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11328808 |accessdate=21 September 2014}} He was previously on the board of trustees of Linton Camp School.{{cite web |title=The Board of Trustees |url=http://lintoncamp.ultranet.school.nz/WebSpace/56/ |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215746/http://lintoncamp.ultranet.school.nz/WebSpace/56/ |archivedate=3 March 2016 |accessdate=20 September 2014 |publisher=Linton Camp School}}

Member of Parliament

{{NZ parlbox|term=51st|start={{NZ election link year|2014}}|end=2017|list=10|party=New Zealand First|electorate=List}}

{{NZ parlbox|term=52nd|start={{NZ election link year|2017}}|end=2020|list=5|party=New Zealand First|electorate=List}}

Ball joined New Zealand First at age 30. He was the NZ First electorate committee vice-chairman in Palmerston North while studying at Massey University and launched a campus branch of New Zealand First in September 2013.{{cite news |date=21 September 2013 |title=Uni more than 'beer and skittles' |work=Manawatu Standard |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/9192849/Uni-more-than-beer-and-skittles |accessdate=21 September 2014}} The next month, he was elected the party's vice-president for the North Island.{{cite press release |date=20 October 2013 |title=New Zealand First selects new President |url=http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/new-zealand-first-selects-new-president/5/171370 |publisher=New Zealand First |agency=Voxy.co.nz |accessdate=21 September 2014}} He stood in the Palmerston North electorate in the 2014 election and was elected from the New Zealand First list, where he was ranked 10th.

In Ball's first term, New Zealand First was part of the opposition. He was the party spokesperson for civil defence and emergency issues, consumer affairs, research, science and technology, social services and youth affairs, and sat on the social services committee.{{Cite web |date=30 January 2024 |title=Ball, Darroch – New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/former-members-of-parliament/ball-darroch |access-date=24 December 2023 |website=www.parliament.nz |language=en}} He formed a close friendship with fellow New Zealand First MPs, Fletcher Tabuteau and Clayton Mitchell.{{Cite web |last=Rutherford |first=Hamish |date=3 July 2015 |title='We genuinely like each other', says NZ First trio |url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/69959040/we-genuinely-like-each-other-says-nz-first-trio |access-date=25 December 2023 |website=Stuff |language=en}} Ball's members bill, the Youth Employment Training and Education Bill, was debated in Parliament in May 2017; proposing the establishment of a youth employment training and education programme within the Defence Force, it was defeated at its first reading with only the support of New Zealand First, Labour and the Māori Party.{{Cite web |date=30 January 2024 |title=Youth Employment Training and Education Bill 2017 (Member's Bill – Darroch Ball): Bills Digest No 2477 – New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-digests/document/51PLLaw24771/youth-employment-training-and-education-bill-2017-member-s |access-date=25 December 2023 |website=www.parliament.nz |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=30 January 2024 |title=Wednesday, 10 May 2017 – Volume 722 – New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansD_20170510_20170510 |access-date=25 December 2023 |website=www.parliament.nz |language=en}}

In the 2017 general election, Ball contested Palmerston North again. He came third and was re-elected into Parliament on the New Zealand First party list.{{cite web |title=Palmerston North – Official Result|url= https://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2017/electorate-details-39.html |url-status=live |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20200117212754/http://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2017/electorate-details-39.html |archivedate=17 January 2020 |accessdate=5 November 2020 |publisher=Electoral Commission}}{{cite web |title=2017 General Election – Official Result |url=https://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2017/successful-candidates.html |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117212450/http://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2017/successful-candidates.html |archivedate=17 January 2020 |accessdate=5 November 2020 |publisher=Electoral Commission}} He continued as New Zealand First spokesperson for social services and youth affairs and gained responsibility as the spokesperson for social housing, justice, courts and police. He also chaired the transport and infrastructure committee. New Zealand First and Labour formed a coalition government; as justice spokesperson, Ball held conservative positions and was instrumental in denying the Labour Party did not have support for several of its more progressive policies, including potential drug reform and a proposed "three strikes" legislation repeal bill.{{Cite web |date=26 December 2023 |title=Meet the chiefs of staff pulling strings for Luxon, Peters and Seymour in coalition talks |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/audrey-young-meet-the-chiefs-of-staff-in-the-thick-of-political-negotiations/PSG3XKQHWZDZ3EHTJYDOP2R6FY/ |access-date=25 December 2023 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}} He led an attempt to require the Abortion Legislation Bill to succeed in a referendum to be enacted; it failed 19–100.{{Cite web |last=Coughlan |first=Thomas |date=17 March 2020 |title=Attempt to put abortion law changes to a referendum fails crucial Parliamentary vote |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/120365532/attempt-to-put-abortion-law-changes-to-a-referendum-fails-crucial-parliamentary-vote |access-date=1 January 2024 |website=Stuff |language=en}}

Ball introduced the Protection for First Responders and Prison Officers Bill in May 2018. The bill proposed that anyone who intentionally injures a first responder or prison officer commits an offence with a minimum sentence of six months of imprisonment.{{Cite web |title=Protection for First Responders and Prison Officers Bill |url=https://bills.parliament.nz/v/6/9618800c-edb1-48d0-9415-3b6e4815ebf9?Tab=hansard |access-date=25 December 2023 |website=bills.parliament.nz |language=en}} The bill will supported unanimously by members at its first reading but lost support as it progressed through later stages. Following its July 2020 second reading, National and Labour, unhappy with the bill's drafting, returned it to the justice committee for further consideration.{{Cite web |date=30 January 2024 |title=Protection for First Responders and Prison Officers Bill — Referral to Justice Committee – New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20200721_20200722_04 |access-date=25 December 2023 |website=www.parliament.nz |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Devlin |first=Collette |date=22 July 2020 |title=Parliament defers adding prison time for assaults on first responders |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/122218727/parliament-defers-adding-prison-time-for-assaults-on-first-responders |access-date=25 December 2023 |website=Stuff |language=en}} After the 2020 general election, and after it was transferred to National Party MP Mark Mitchell, the bill was reconsidered by the House and discharged.{{Cite web |date=30 January 2024 |title=Protection for First Responders and Prison Officers Bill — Report of Justice Committee – New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20210414_20210414_40 |access-date=25 December 2023 |website=www.parliament.nz |language=en}}

In the 2020 general election held on 17 October, Ball unsuccessfully contested Palmerston North, coming fifth.{{cite web |title=Palmerston North – Official Result |url=https://electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2020/electorate-details-36.html |accessdate=6 November 2020 |publisher=Electoral Commission}} He and his fellow NZ First MPs lost their seats after the party's vote dropped to 2.6%, below the five percent threshold needed to enter Parliament.{{cite web |title=2020 General Election and Referendums – Official Result |url=https://electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2020/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621001306/https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2020/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 June 2023 |accessdate=6 November 2020 |publisher=Electoral Commission}}{{cite news |last1=Owen |first1=Catrin |date=18 October 2020 |title=Election 2020: Who are the MPs ejected from Parliament? |work=Stuff |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300135635/election-2020-who-are-the-mps-ejected-from-parliament |url-status=live |accessdate=19 October 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019221802/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300135635/election-2020-who-are-the-mps-ejected-from-parliament |archivedate=19 October 2020}}

Later career

Two months after the election, NZ First president Kristin Campbell-Smith resigned, and Ball became the party's interim president, saying he expected to hold the role until the party's 2021 annual general meeting.{{Cite news |date=20 December 2020 |title=President and secretary general resign from NZ First |language=en |work=Stuff |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300189084/president-and-secretary-general-resign-from-nz-first |access-date=20 December 2020}} Julian Paul was elected as the permanent president when the AGM was held in June 2021.{{cite news |last1=Cheng |first1=Derek |date=20 June 2021 |title=Winston Peters announces New Zealand First will be back in 2023 |work=The New Zealand Herald |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/winston-peters-announces-new-zealand-first-will-be-back-in-2023/HYW3IUM7ZVRDH7X7IRCHBZWRBQ/ |url-status=live |access-date=20 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620232443/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/winston-peters-announces-new-zealand-first-will-be-back-in-2023/HYW3IUM7ZVRDH7X7IRCHBZWRBQ/ |archive-date=20 June 2021}}

Ball put himself forward as a candidate in a by-election for a seat on the Palmerston North City Council in February 2021,{{cite news |last1=Rankin |first1=Janine |date=23 December 2020 |title=Former MP stands in a field of 11 for Palmerston North council seat |work=Manawatu Standard |publisher=Stuff |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/123786260/former-mp-stands-in-a-field-of-11-for-palmerston-north-council-seat |accessdate=24 January 2021}} but was unsuccessful, coming third.{{cite web |title=By-election 2021: Final results |url=https://www.pncc.govt.nz/participate-palmy/elections/by-election-2021-final-results/ |publisher=Palmerston North City Council}}

In early January 2021, Ball became the co-leader of the victims advocacy group Sensible Sentencing Trust.{{cite news |date=4 January 2021 |title=Former NZ First MP Darroch Ball new co-leader of Sensible Sentencing Trust |work=Stuff |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300197863/former-nz-first-mp-darroch-ball-new-coleader-of-sensible-sentencing-trust |url-status=live |access-date=4 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103234723/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300197863/former-nz-first-mp-darroch-ball-new-coleader-of-sensible-sentencing-trust |archive-date=3 January 2021}} As leader of the trust, Ball criticised the Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson for attending a function hosted by the Mongrel Mob gang.{{cite news |date=3 May 2021 |title='An insult': Marama Davidson criticised for attending Mongrel Mob event |work=Newstalk ZB |url=https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/darroch-ball-sensible-sentencing-trust-criticises-marama-davidson-for-attending-mongrel-mob-event/ |url-status=live |access-date=6 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502220055/https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/darroch-ball-sensible-sentencing-trust-criticises-marama-davidson-for-attending-mongrel-mob-event/ |archive-date=2 May 2021}} Ball became the sole leader of the trust in 2022 and it shut down under his leadership.{{Citation |title=Jess McVicar on what happened to the Sensible Sentencing Trust | date=29 August 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNV_uJrc30s |access-date=25 December 2023 |language=en}}

During the campaign for the 2023 election which restored Winston Peters and the New Zealand First Party to Parliament, Ball was a continuing presence with Peters, acting as his personal assistant and campaign manager. After the election, Ball became Peters' chief of staff, succeeding Jon Johansson.[https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/audrey-young-meet-the-chiefs-of-staff-in-the-thick-of-political-negotiations/PSG3XKQHWZDZ3EHTJYDOP2R6FY/ Audrey Young, "Audrey Young: Meet the chiefs of staff in the thick of political negotiations for Luxon, Peters and Seymour", Stuff, 9 November 2023](Retrieved 9 November 2023){{Cite web |date=26 December 2023 |title=Audrey Young: Foreign Minister Mark III – Peters surrounded by old work family |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/foreign-minister-winston-peters-sets-intense-pace-for-luxon-ahead-of-australia-visit/BNF4FLLIXNF5DKWUEBY2AMVQPU/ |access-date=25 December 2023 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}}