Doug Graham

Graham was born in Auckland, and attended Southwell School and Auckland Grammar School. In 1965 he obtained an LLB from the University of Auckland and became a lawyer, establishing his own practice in 1968. From 1973 to 1983, he lectured in legal ethics at the University of Auckland. He was chairman of the board of the Auckland Regional Orchestra from 1982 to 1983.{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=316}}

His great-grandfather Robert Graham was a member of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th New Zealand parliaments, from 1855 to 1868. In 2008, his brother Kennedy Graham was elected to parliament representing the Green Party.{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4523886a6160.html|title=Ex-Nat's brother No 9 for Greens|last=Small|first=Vernon|date=13 May 2008|work=The Dominion Post|accessdate=25 August 2008}}{{cite web |url=http://2008.electionresults.govt.nz/ |title=New Zealand Election Results |accessdate=2008-11-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120701105222/http://2008.electionresults.govt.nz/ |archivedate=1 July 2012 |df=dmy-all }} His son, Carrick, is a public relations consultant.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11311647|title=PR body to decide on Dirty Politics ethics|author=John Drinnan|publisher=The New Zealand Herald|date=20 August 2014}}

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In the lead up to the 1981 election Graham unsuccessfully challenged Allan Highet for the National nomination for the suburban Auckland electorate of Remuera.{{Cite news |title=Race on for Remuera Selection |date=9 August 1980 |work=The New Zealand Herald |page= }} Three years later Highet retired and Graham was elected to Parliament in the 1984 election as his replacement.{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=316}} After entering parliament National leader Sir Robert Muldoon designated Graham spokesperson for the Arts, Insurance and EQC.{{Cite news |title=Line-up For Opposition |date=28 July 1984 | work =The New Zealand Herald |page=5 }} When Muldoon was replaced by his deputy Jim McLay Graham was appointed Shadow Minister for Disarmament and was later allocated the Revenue portfolio as well.{{cite news |author=Garnier, Tony |title=Muldoon main loser in Nat line-up |date=11 February 1986 |work=The Evening Post |page=3 }} He initially retained those roles after McLay was ousted by Jim Bolger, but substituted the Revenue portfolio for Broadcasting in September 1987 but in a major reshuffle in February 1990 he changed back from Broadcasting to Revenue and was also appointed Shadow Minister for Constitutional Issues.{{Cite news |title=National Party's new parliamentary line-up |date=12 February 1990 |work=The New Zealand Herald |page=5 }}

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When the National Party won the 1990 election, Graham was appointed to Cabinet, becoming Minister of Justice, Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control, and Minister of Cultural Affairs. In 1993, he became Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, perhaps his most prominent role. He was widely praised by both Pākehā and Māori for his work on numerous Treaty settlements, although opponents of the process have voiced criticisms of his policies. Later, Graham also became Attorney-General and Minister for Courts. In the 1996 election, when the Remuera seat was abolished, Graham became a list MP. He was ranked sixth on National's party list, a relatively high placing.

On 21 May 1998 Graham was appointed to the Privy Council and became the Right Honourable Douglas Graham.[http://www.dia.govt.nz/MSOS118/On-Line/NZGazette.nsf/6cee7698a9bbc7cfcc256d510059ed0b/95eed1350fc35903cc256d2500572b68!OpenDocument "Appointments to the Privy Council"] (28 May 1998) 74 New Zealand Gazette 1613 at 1644.

He retired from politics at the 1999 election. In the 1999 New Year Honours, Graham was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services as a Minister of the Crown and Member of Parliament.{{cite web |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-1999 |title=New Year honours list 1999 |date=31 December 1998 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |accessdate=31 August 2019}}

On 24 February 2012 he was convicted, along with fellow former Justice Minister Bill Jeffries and two other men, of breaching the Securities Act by making untrue statements to investors in his capacity as a director of Lombard Finance.{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/6474192/Former-Cabinet-ministers-guilty-of-making-false-statements |title=Former Cabinet ministers guilty of making false statements |work=Stuff.co.nz |date=24 February 2012 |accessdate=24 February 2012}} Justice Robert Dobson wrote, "I am satisfied that the accused genuinely believed in the accuracy and adequacy of the ... documents", but that the offences were ones of strict liability so there was no need for "any form of mental intent to distribute documents that were false or misleading".{{cite news |title=Rulings have raised the bar for directors |first=Brian |last=Gaynor |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10790987 |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=10 March 2012 |accessdate=11 March 2012}} Graham was sentenced to 300 hours' community service and ordered to pay $100,000 in reparation. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against conviction and increased his sentence to six months' home detention and 200 hours' community work,{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8867989/Court-increases-Lombard-sentences |title=Court increases Lombard sentences |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=2 July 2013 |accessdate=14 November 2013}} but the Supreme Court restored the original sentence.{{cite news |title=Lombard directors' home detention too harsh - Supreme Court |first=Kurt |last=Mayer |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11250923 |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=7 May 2014 |accessdate=11 January 2016}} Retired Court of Appeal judge Sir Edmund Thomas described the convictions as a "grievous miscarriage of justice", saying of the crucial piece of evidence that "you would never ever convict a dog on the basis of the schedule".{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9373553/Lombard-conviction-miscarriage-of-justice |title=Lombard conviction 'miscarriage of justice'|publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=7 November 2013 |accessdate=14 November 2013}} There have been calls for his knighthood to be revoked,"[http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/6663532/Lombard-fallout-Graham-urged-to-give-up-Sir Lombard fallout: Graham urged to give up Sir]". Business Day. 30 March 2012. but Prime Minister John Key announced on 1 November 2013 that Graham would keep his knighthood.{{cite news |last=Small |first=Vernon |title=Sir Douglas Graham to keep knighthood |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9351347/Sir-Douglas-Graham-to-keep-knighthood |accessdate=1 November 2013 |work=Stuff.co.nz |date=1 November 2013}}

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• {{cite book |last=Gustafson |first=Barry |author-link=Barry Gustafson |title=The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party |year=1986 |publisher=Reed Methuen |location=Auckland |isbn=0-474-00177-6 }}

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{{s-bef | before= Allan Highet}}

{{s-ttl | title= Member of Parliament for Remuera| years=1984–1996}}

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{{S-bef | before = Bill Jeffries}}

{{S-ttl | title = Minister of Justice |years=1990–1999}}

{{S-aft | after = Tony Ryall}}

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{{s-ttl | title = Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations | years=1993–1999}}

{{s-aft | after = Margaret Wilson|rows=2}}

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{{s-bef | before = Paul East}}

{{s-ttl | title = Attorney-General | years=1997–1999}}

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Category:1942 births

Category:Attorneys-general of New Zealand

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand

Category:20th-century New Zealand lawyers

Category:New Zealand National Party MPs

Category:University of Auckland alumni

Category:Academic staff of the University of Auckland

Category:People educated at Auckland Grammar School

Category:New Zealand list MPs

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Category:Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit

Category:New Zealand MPs for Auckland electorates

Category:New Zealand members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom

Category:New Zealand politicians convicted of crimes

Category:Ministers of justice of New Zealand