David MacLeod
{{Short description|New Zealand National Party politician (born 1967 or 1968)}}
{{for|the American football player|David McLeod}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix =
|name = David MacLeod
|honorific-suffix =
|image = MACLEOD, David - New Plymouth (cropped).png
|caption = MacLeod in 2023
|constituency_MP1 = {{NZ electorate link|New Plymouth}}
|term_start1 = 14 October 2023
|term_end1 =
|predecessor1 = Glen Bennett
|successor1 =
|parliament1 = New Zealand
|order2 = 3rd Chair of Taranaki Regional Council
|office2 =
|term_start2 = 2007
|term_end2 = 2022
|predecessor2 = David Walter
|successor2 = Charlotte Littlewood
|party = National
|birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|54|2022|10|31}}
|birth_place = Hāwera, New Zealand
|death_date =
|death_place =
|spouse = Leasa
|relations =
|children = 3
|residence =
|profession =
|alma_mater =
|religion =
|website =
}}
David Nigel MacLeod{{cite web |url=https://www.trc.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Elections/2019ExpenseDeclarations-web.pdf |title=Taranaki Regional Council candidate expense declarations |publisher=Taranaki Regional Council}} (born {{birth based on age as of date|54|2022|10|31|noage=1}}){{cite web |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2210/S00241/david-macleod-selected-as-nationals-candidate-in-new-plymouth.htm |title=David MacLeod Selected As National's Candidate In New Plymouth |date=31 October 2022 |publisher=New Zealand National Party |website=Scoop.co.nz}} is a New Zealand businessman and politician. Since 2023, he is the Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for New Plymouth, representing the National Party. He previously served as chair of the Taranaki Regional Council from 2007 to 2022.
Early life and career
MacLeod, of Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāi Tahu, and Ngāti Porou descent, was born in Hāwera and raised on his family's farm in Manaia. He is the seventh of eight children born to Joy Rangimarie TePoi MacLeod and Thomas Nigel MacLeod.{{cite web |date=14 June 2022 |title=Joy MACLEOD Obituary (2022) |url=https://deaths.taranakidailynews.co.nz/nz/obituaries/taranaki-daily-news-nz/name/joy-macleod-obituary?id=41119976 |access-date=11 April 2024 |website=Legacy.com}}{{cite web |date=23 August 2016 |title=Thomas MACLEOD Obituary (2016) |url=https://notices.nzherald.co.nz/nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/name/thomas-macleod-obituary?id=43971241 |access-date=11 April 2024 |website=Legacy.com}}
His maternal grandfather was Ned Ellison, a doctor and health administrator.{{Cite web |date=31 January 2024 |title=Address in Reply |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/HansS_20240131_052200000/macleod-david-brownlee-gerry |access-date=11 April 2024 |website=New Zealand Parliament}} The National Party Member of Parliament for Egmont and Waitotara Venn Young was his godfather.{{Cite web |last=McLean |first=Glenn |date=1 November 2022 |title=David MacLeod confirmed as National Party candidate for New Plymouth |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/130341574/david-macleod-confirmed-as-national-party-candidate-for-new-plymouth |access-date=20 October 2023 |website=Stuff |language=en}} MacLeod is married to Leasa; they share three children.
MacLeod attended Hawera High School and then completed an electrician apprenticeship with Greaves Electrical. He became a partner in the firm in 1991 and became managing director in 1999.{{Cite news |date=4 August 2003 |title=Bright spark powers up electrical firm |work=Daily News |location=New Plymouth |pages=5}}{{Cite news |last=McLeann |first=Glenn |date=28 January 2000 |title=Two candidates for vacant council spot |work=Daily News |location=New Plymouth |pages=4}} Under his leadership, MacLeod expanded the business to include a lines company. He stepped down from management in 2012 and sold the business in 2023.{{Cite news |last=Anthony |first=John |date=19 November 2012 |title=All jobs retained in electrical firm merger |work=Taranaki Daily News |pages=14}}{{cite web |date=29 March 2023 |title=Northpower acquires Linepower |url=https://northpower.com/articles/2023/northpower-acquires-linepower |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601213844/https://northpower.com/articles/2023/northpower-acquires-linepower |archive-date=1 June 2023 |access-date=10 April 2024 |website=Welcome to Northpower}}
Local government and governance career
In 2000, MacLeod was elected to the South Taranaki constituency of the Taranaki Regional Council in a by-election following the death of councillor Ralph Latta.{{Cite news |last=Paltridge |first=Antony |date=20 March 2000 |title=MacLeod wins poll for regional council seat |work=Daily News |location=New Plymouth |pages=4}} He was re-elected in 2001, 2004, and 2007. After the 2007 election, he was unanimously elected as council chair.{{Cite news |last=Maetzig |first=Rob |date=1 November 2007 |title=TRC chairmanship rivals now a team |work=Taranaki Daily News |pages=4}} MacLeod was returned unopposed at the 2010 election and also reappointed as chair.{{Cite news |last=Evans |first=Ryan |date=11 October 2010 |title=Williamson sole new face on TRC |work=Taranaki Daily News |pages=5}}{{Cite news |date=27 October 2010 |title=Easy start for TRC |work=Taranaki Daily News |pages=3}}
As a Taranaki district councillor, MacLeod voted against the creation of a Taranaki Māori constituency in 2011, saying it was his preference to foster relationships between the council and local iwi.{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Jared |date=10 August 2011 |title=Dedicated Maori wards rejected |work=Taranaki Daily News |pages=4}} As chair, MacLeod led on regional co-governance measures including the appointment of iwi representatives to council committees.{{cite news |last=Ashworth |first=Craig |date=8 October 2023 |title=National candidate says local co-governance not a target |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/stratford-press/news/regional-and-local-co-governance-to-stay-says-taranaki-national-candidate/WG4LDJTG2RG43BYQZV2XIYI6IQ/ |access-date=11 April 2024 |work=NZ Herald}} He changed his mind to support the creation of a Māori constituency in 2021, when the proposal was supported by all eight Taranaki iwi, despite holding a personal view that the Māori constituency system is "flawed".{{cite news |date=6 April 2021 |title=Taranaki Regional Council votes to establish Māori ward |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/439912/taranaki-regional-council-votes-to-establish-maori-ward |access-date=11 April 2024 |work=RNZ }}
MacLeod continued on the council, and as chair, until 2022, when he did not run for re-election.{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/129104495/taranaki-regional-council-chairman-and-deputy-stepping-down |title=Taranaki Regional Council chairman and deputy stepping down |date=29 June 2022 |work=Taranaki Daily News |publisher=Stuff |first=Glenn |last=McLean}} After his re-election in 2019, a rival candidate complained to the Auditor-General that council advertising featuring MacLeod's image had given him an unfair advantage.{{Cite web |date=17 October 2019 |title=Taranaki Regional Council chair David MacLeod under fire for 'unfair' ads |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/401179/taranaki-regional-council-chair-david-macleod-under-fire-for-unfair-ads |access-date=20 October 2023 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}} The Auditor-General advised the council that it may wish to reconsider its policy on pre-election advertising.{{Cite news |last=Watson |first=Mike |date=21 January 2020 |title=Regional council told it 'may wish to reconsider' its approach to pre-election advertising after complaint |language=en |work=Stuff |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/118907144/regional-council-warned-to-avoid-perception-of-promoting-candidates-in-preelection-advertising |access-date=20 October 2023}}
While holding local government office, MacLeod served as a director of the council-owned Port Taranaki from 2001 to 2023.{{Cite news |date=14 December 2007 |title=Councillor joins board |work=Taranaki Daily News |pages=3}}{{Cite web |title=Changes to Port Taranaki Board of Directors |url=https://www.porttaranaki.co.nz/news/changes-to-port-taranaki-board-of-directors/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=Port Taranaki |language=en-us}} He was also elected as a member of the Fonterra board in 2011. He was the first Māori director of the co-operative.{{Cite web |last=O'Dowd |first=Sue |date=15 November 2011 |title=Taranaki man Fonterra's first Maori director |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/editors-picks/5973006/Taranaki-man-Fonterras-first-Maori-director |access-date=11 April 2024 |website=www.stuff.co.nz}} He stepped down from the board in 2017, after completing two terms.{{cite web |date=11 September 2017 |title=Fonterra directors retire |url=https://www.fonterra.com/nz/en/our-stories/media/fonterra-directors-retire.html |access-date=11 April 2024 |website=Fonterra}}{{cite news |date=11 September 2017 |title=MacLeod to step down from Fonterra board |url=https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/dairy-news/dairy-general-news/macleod-to-step-down-from-fonterra-board |access-date=11 April 2024 |work=Rural News Group}} MacLeod's election to the board was controversial because although he occupied a farmer-representative position he was not a farmer, and because the Taranaki Regional Council he chaired had recently invested in Fonterra bonds.{{Cite news |last=Stewart |first=Rachel |date=17 October 2011 |title=TRC: Is it gamekeeper and poacher? |work=Taranaki Daily News |pages=8}} He was appointed to the board of Predator Free 2050 in 2016 and became acting chair in 2021, stepping down in 2022 to run for parliament.{{cite web |last= |first= |date=17 March 2022 |title=David MacLeod appointed Chair of Predator Free 2050 Ltd |url=https://pf2050.co.nz/news/david-macleod-appointed-chair-of-predator-free-2050-ltd/ |access-date=11 April 2024 |website=Predator Free 2050 Limited}}{{cite web |last= |first= |date=1 November 2022 |title=David MacLeod steps down as Predator Free 2050 Limited Board chair |url=https://pf2050.co.nz/news/david-macleod-steps-down-as-predator-free-2050-limited-board-chair/ |access-date=11 April 2024 |website=Predator Free 2050 Limited}}
Member of Parliament
{{NZ parlbox header|align=left}}
{{NZ parlbox
|term=54th
|start={{NZ election link year|2023}}
|end=present
|list=67
|party=New Zealand National Party
|electorate={{NZ electorate link|New Plymouth}}
}}
{{End}}
On 31 October 2022, MacLeod was selected as National's candidate for {{NZ electorate link|New Plymouth}} at the 2023 New Zealand general election. When his campaign was announced, MacLeod identified Taranaki roads, increasing the number of immigrants available to the workforce, and the oil and gas industry as areas he was keen to work on when in parliament. During the campaign he ran afoul of signage rules by placing his signs outside the designated timeframe and using incorrect font sizes.{{Cite news |last=McLean |first=Glenn |date=5 June 2023 |title=New Plymouth National candidate's tsunami of billboards must come down after falling foul of new council signage rules |language=en |work=Stuff |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/132234804/new-plymouth-national-candidates-tsunami-of-billboards-must-come-down-after-falling-foul-of-new-council-signage-rules |access-date=20 October 2023}}
MacLeod was listed low on the party list at 67 out of 74, due to the expectation he would win his electorate; it was a placement that former MP and political editor Claudette Hauiti said should have McLeod "fuming", but which he said was "irrelevant" as it showed the party was confident he would win the electoral seat.{{Cite news |last=Joseph Los'e |date=20 October 2023 |title=Hauiti: If National were new and innovate about their candidates, those three would be listed higher |language=en-NZ |work=NZ Herald |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/national-plays-a-dangerous-game-with-low-list-placings-of-some-core-maori-electorate-candidates/BOO54BGB4BDR7JJZJXZJ3EESJM/ |access-date=20 October 2023}}{{Cite news |last=McLean |first=Glenn |date=21 August 2023 |title=Near bottom party ranking 'irrelevant' for National's New Plymouth candidate |language=en |work=Stuff |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/132785101/near-bottom-party-ranking-irrelevant-for-nationals-new-plymouth-candidate |access-date=20 October 2023}} On election night MacLeod beat incumbent Labour MP Glen Bennett by a margin of 6,991 votes.{{Cite news |last=Lana Andelane |date=15 October 2023 |title=NZ election 2023 live electorate results |language=en |work=Newshub |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/10/nz-election-2023-live-electorate-results.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231124203455/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/10/nz-election-2023-live-electorate-results.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 November 2023 |access-date=20 October 2023}}{{cite web |title=New Plymouth – Official Result |url=https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/electorate-details-29.html |publisher=Electoral Commission |access-date=12 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231210215708/https://electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/electorate-details-29.html |archive-date=10 December 2023 |date=3 November 2023 |url-status=live}}
MacLeod was appointed the chair of the environment committee and a member of the finance and expenditure committee.{{Cite web |date=18 September 2024 |title=MacLeod, David – New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/macleod-david/ |access-date=20 September 2024 |website=www.parliament.nz |language=en}} He was stood down from his committee roles on 21 May 2024 after failing to declare 19 donations totalling $178,394.{{cite news |first=Molly |last=Swift |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/05/national-mp-david-macleod-stood-down-after-failing-to-declare-election-donations.html |title=National MP David MacLeod stood down after failing to declare election donations |date=21 May 2024 |work=Newshub |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240521015552/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/05/national-mp-david-macleod-stood-down-after-failing-to-declare-election-donations.html|archive-date=21 May 2024|url-status=dead}}{{cite news |title=Politics live: National MP David MacLeod stood down after failing to declare donations |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/517356/politics-live-national-mp-david-macleod-stood-down-after-failing-to-declare-donations |access-date=21 May 2024 |work=RNZ |date=21 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240521025558/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/517356/politics-live-national-mp-david-macleod-stood-down-after-failing-to-declare-donations |archive-date=21 May 2024|url-status=live}} On 7 June 2024, the Electoral Commission referred MacLeod to the Police over the undeclared donations. MacLeod maintained that his failure to declare the donations was a genuine mistake and stated that he hope the investigation would make it clear that he did not intend to deceive anyone.{{cite news |last1=Whyte |first1=Anna |last2=McLean |first2=Glenn |title=‘Hasn’t come as a surprise’: National MP David MacLeod referred to police over donations |url=https://www.thepress.co.nz/politics/350303895/national-mp-david-macleod-referred-police-over-donations |access-date=8 June 2024 |work=The Press |date=7 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240608050135/https://www.thepress.co.nz/politics/350303895/national-mp-david-macleod-referred-police-over-donations |archive-date=8 June 2024|url-status=live}} On 29 August 2024, the Police concluded their investigation into MacLeod's donations and declined to take further action.{{cite news |last1=Moir |first1=Jo |title=Police drop investigation into National MP |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/526511/police-drop-investigation-into-national-mp |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=RNZ |date=29 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240830132725/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/526511/police-drop-investigation-into-national-mp |archive-date=30 August 2024|url-status=live}} Following the Police decision, MacLeod was appointed as a member of the regulations review and Māori affairs committees.
References
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External links
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{{NZ National Party}}
{{Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:MacLeod, David}}
Category:Candidates in the 2023 New Zealand general election
Category:New Zealand National Party MPs
Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives
Category:New Zealand National Party politicians