Ross Jansen
{{Short description|New Zealand local-body politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Sir Ross Jansen
|honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KBE|JP|size=100%}}
|image = File:BRYCESTREET.jpg
|caption = Jansen opens the Bryce Street PlaceMakers, Hamilton, in 1982
|order = 28th Mayor of Hamilton
|term_start = October 1977
|term_end = November 1989
|predecessor = Bruce Beetham
|successor = Margaret Evans
|birth_name = Ross Malcolm Jansen
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|09|06|df=y}}
|birth_place = Carterton, New Zealand
|death_date = {{Death date and age|2010|12|15|1932|09|06|df=y}}
|death_place = Orewa, New Zealand
|spouse = Rhyl Robinson
|children = 6
|profession = Lawyer
}}
Sir Ross Malcolm Jansen {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KBE|JP|size=85%}} (6 September 1932 – 15 December 2010) was a New Zealand local-body politician. He served as mayor of Hamilton from 1977 to 1989. He was an expert in local government, held a variety of positions, was academically acknowledged, and received a number of honours.
Biography
Jansen was born on 6 September 1932 in Carterton, the son of Frank Egbert Jansen and Pearl Elizabeth Jansen, and was educated at Featherston District High School, Marton District High School, and Horowhenua College.{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=Alister |last2=Coddington |first2=Deborah |authorlink1=Alister Taylor |authorlink2=Deborah Coddington |title=Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand |year=1994 |publisher=New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa |location=Auckland |isbn=0-908578-34-2 |page=201}} He then studied at Victoria University College, from where he graduated with a LLB in 1957.{{cite web |url=http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/university13.html |title=NZ university graduates 1870–1961: I–K |date= |website= |accessdate=25 January 2016}} He became a barrister and solicitor. In 1957, Jansen married Beatrice Rhyl Robinson, and the couple went on to have six children.
Jansen was a Hamilton City Councillor from 1965 to 1974 and deputy mayor from 1971 to 1974. In the {{NZ election link|1972}}, he stood in the new {{NZ electorate link|Hamilton East}} electorate for the National Party, but was defeated by Labour's Rufus Rogers.{{cite news |title=Candidates for by-election |work=The Times |date=23 April 1976 |page=2 }}
At a 1976 by-election he stood for Mayor of Hamilton but was unsuccessful, losing to Social Credit leader Bruce Beetham.{{cite news |title=Beetham stretches majority |work=The Times |date=5 May 1976 |page=1 }} At the next election he stood again (Beetham did not stand for another term) and was elected mayor of Hamilton in 1977, holding office until he was defeated in 1989.
Jansen served as deputy chairman of the Waikato United Council from 1980 to 1986 and chairman from 1986 to 1989. In 1984 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Waikato. He subsequently completed a DPhil in 1993 at the same institution about New Zealand local government reform in the 1980s.{{cite web |url=http://waikato.summon.serialssolutions.com/#!/search?bookMark=ePnHCXMw42JgAfZbU9kY-DXyqvyinPw0LYyNgQnDkpPBEJhvFaBL9hTARbVCOvxCWQXIRtdihcw8BWDTRwHYGTYo5maQdXMNcfbQhe6niYeOacQbmZhbmIKmL9Wwy8OmbuKNzMyBVRCxCkHbj_DbCAC3-UWn |title=Catalogue search |date= |website= |publisher=University of Waikato |accessdate=25 January 2016}}
Jansen was president of the Municipal Association of New Zealand from 1984 to 1987, and was the first president of the New Zealand Local Government Association.
He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the city of Hamilton and local government, in the 1986 New Year Honours,{{London Gazette |issue=50362 |date=31 December 1985 |page=30 |supp=2}} and promoted to Knight Commander of the same order in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours.{{London Gazette |issue=51774 |date=17 June 1989 |page=32 |supp=3}} In 1990 he was awarded life membership of the New Zealand Local Government Association, and received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. From 1990 to 1993 he was chairperson of the Waikato Regional Council. He was appointed chairman of the Local Government Commission from 1998 to 2001.
Jansen died at his home in Orewa, north of Auckland, on 15 December 2010.{{cite web | url=http://notices.nzherald.co.nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/obituary.aspx?n=ross-malcolm-jansen&pid=147143118 | title=Obituary: Sir Ross Malcolm Jansen |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=16 December 2010 | accessdate=16 December 2010}}
References
{{Reflist|refs=
|url = http://www.lgc.govt.nz/lgcwebsite.nsf/75ce03015d89e23bcc256ddb001171ec/2845c579841fd7a4cc25733e001abac0!opendocument
|title = Biographies of Chairpersons
|publisher = Local Government Commission
|accessdate = 14 December 2010
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100601232249/http://www.lgc.govt.nz/lgcwebsite.nsf/75ce03015d89e23bcc256ddb001171ec/2845c579841fd7a4cc25733e001abac0!OpenDocument
|archivedate = 1 June 2010
|df = dmy-all
}}
|url = http://www.lgnz.co.nz/about-us/life-members/index.html
|publisher = Local Government New Zealand
|title = Life Members
|accessdate = 14 December 2010
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20101121232325/http://lgnz.co.nz/about-us/life-members/index.html
|archivedate = 21 November 2010
|df = dmy-all
}}
|url=http://calendar.waikato.ac.nz/officershonoursstaff/doctors.html
|title=Honorary Doctors of the University of Waikato
|publisher=University of Waikato
|accessdate=14 December 2010}}
}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- [https://heritage.hamiltonlibraries.co.nz/objects/1201/opening-of-the-whitiora-bridge 1978 photo at Whitiora Bridge opening]
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Bruce Beetham}}
{{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Hamilton|years=1977–1989}}
{{s-aft|after=Margaret Evans}}
{{end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jansen, Ross Malcolm}}
Category:Mayors of Hamilton, New Zealand
Category:People from Carterton, New Zealand
Category:University of Waikato alumni
Category:New Zealand Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Victoria University of Wellington alumni
Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 1972 New Zealand general election
Category:People educated at Horowhenua College