Robin Duff
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Robin Duff (1947 – 16 February 2015) was a New Zealand teacher, education leader and gay rights activist. He was the first openly gay secondary school teacher and parliamentary candidate in New Zealand.
Biography
Born and raised in Hastings, Duff was educated at Hastings Boys' High School.{{cite web |url=http://www.pridenz.com/robin_duff_profile.html |title=Robin Duff profile |date=7 April 2013 |website= |publisher=PrideNZ |accessdate=15 March 2015}} He then studied at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, and became a secondary school teacher.{{cite news | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/66248553/Robin-Duff-has-died | title=Robin Duff has died | date=16 February 2015 | work=The Press | accessdate=15 March 2015 | first=Jody | last=O'Callaghan}} He began teaching at Burnside High School in 1973 and was New Zealand's first openly gay secondary school teacher. His pupils included future prime minister John Key and media commentator Russell Brown.
While at university, Duff became involved in gay activism, forming the University of Canterbury Gay Activists Society with Lindsay Taylor,{{cite web |url=http://www.queerhistory.net.nz/Part2.html |title=A chronicle of homosexuality in New Zealand – part 2 |date=11 July 2002 |website= |publisher=Queer History New Zealand |accessdate=15 March 2015}} and helping to launch Gay Liberation Christchurch, both in 1972. He also joined the Values Party and stood unsuccessfully as a candidate for Christchurch Central at the 1975 and 1978 general elections, becoming the first openly gay parliamentary candidate in New Zealand.{{cite web |url=http://www.globalgreens.org/history/chronology/1975 |title=Global Green Party history chronology – 1975 |date= |website= |publisher=Global Greens |accessdate=15 March 2015}}{{cite web |url=https://home.greens.org.nz/history-green-party |title=History of the Green Party |date= |website= |publisher=Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand |accessdate=15 March 2015}}
Duff was also active in the Post Primary Teachers' Association, serving as its junior vice-president between 2005 and 2007, president from 2007 to 2009 and 2011 to 2013, and senior vice-president between 2009 and 2011 and from 2013 until his death in Christchurch in 2015.{{cite news | url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1502/S00337/sad-farewell-to-ppta-activist-robin-duff.htm | title=Sad farewell to PPTA activist Robin Duff | date=16 February 2015 | work=Scoop Independent News | accessdate=15 March 2015}}
References
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Category:People from Hastings, New Zealand
Category:University of Canterbury alumni
Category:New Zealand schoolteachers
Category:New Zealand trade unionists
Category:New Zealand gay politicians
Category:New Zealand LGBTQ rights activists
Category:Values Party politicians
Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 1975 New Zealand general election
Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 1978 New Zealand general election