Stuart Smith (politician)
{{Short description|New Zealand politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Stuart Smith
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MP|size=100%}}
| image = SMITH, Stuart - Kaikoura (cropped).png
| imagesize =
| caption = Smith in 2023
| birth_name = Stuart Tayler Smith
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1963}}
| birth_place =
| residence =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| order =
| term_start = 4 March 2025
| term_end =
| predecessor = Scott Simpson
| successor =
| primeminister = Christopher Luxon
| constituency_MP3 = Kaikōura
| term_start3 = 20 September 2014
| parliament3 = New Zealand
| predecessor3 = Colin King
| majority3 = 12,570
| party = National
| religion =
| profession =
| spouse = Julie Smith
| children =
| website = {{url|http://www.stuartsmith.co.nz/|stuartsmith.co.nz}}
| footnotes =
| office = Chief Government Whip in the New Zealand House of Representatives
}}
Stuart Tayler Smith (born 1963){{cite web |url= https://www.parliament.nz/media/6305/roll-of-members-of-the-new-zealand-house-of-representatives-1854-onwards.pdf |title=Roll of members of the New Zealand House of Representatives, 1854 onwards |date=24 May 2019 |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |access-date=3 September 2020}} is a New Zealand National Party politician. He was first elected as a Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the Kaikōura electorate, representing the National Party, in the 2014 general election. As of 2025, he is Senior Whip of the National Party and Chief Government Whip.
Before his political career, he was a Marlborough grape grower and chairman of the New Zealand Winegrowers Association.
Early life and career
Smith was born on a South Canterbury farm near Methven. His father was a shearer and later owned his own farm. Smith began his career working on the family farm and purchased a half-share in his wife's family's Marlborough vineyard in 1994. Later, they began making and selling their own wine.{{Cite web |title=Smith, Stuart: Address in Reply - New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/51HansS_20141022_00000951/smith-stuart-address-in-reply |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=www.parliament.nz |language=en}} Their winery, Fairhall Downes Estate, was sold in 2015.{{Cite web |last=Winter |first=Chloe |date=2015-01-11 |title=MP sells interest in vineyard estate |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/business/64857284/mp-sells-interest-in-vineyard-estate |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=Stuff |language=en}}
Smith was on the board of the New Zealand Winegrowers Association, including for six years as chair from 2006 until 2012. Smith's time as chair coincided with a downturn in the New Zealand wine industry.{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Catherine |date=20 December 2010 |title=Hangover time as wine bubble bursts |page=A13 |work=The Press}} Smith opposed measures proposed to support the industry, such as its consolidation into cooperative models similar to Fonterra and Zespri, stating that more formal cooperation would not improve strained relationships between grape growers and winemakers.{{Cite news |last=Heather |first=Ben |date=28 August 2010 |title=Sour grapes: wine industry's bitter harvest |page=C22 |work=The Press}}
Political career
It was reported during Smith's tenure as chair of the Winegrowers Association that he was considering running for Parliament in the Kaikōura electorate.{{Cite news |date=14 August 2012 |title=Right time to go says wine boss |page=3 |work=Marlborough Express}} In 2013, Smith challenged incumbent MP Colin King for National's nomination to contest the electorate. He won the nomination and, in the 2014 general election, was elected with a majority of 12,570 votes.{{cite web |date=18 April 2016 |title=Kaikōura: electoral profile |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/electorate-profiles/electorate-profiles-data/document/DBHOH_Lib_EP_Kaikōura_Electoral_Profile/kaikōura-electoral-profile |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023123648/https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/historical-electorate-profiles/electorate-profiles-data/document/DBHOH_Lib_EP_Kaik%c5%8dura_Electoral_Profile/kaik%c5%8dura-electoral-profile |archive-date=23 October 2020 |access-date=14 August 2016 |publisher=New Zealand Parliament}} Smith has held the Kaikōura seat ever since, returning to Parliament in each of the 2017,{{cite web |title=Kaikōura – Official Result |url=https://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2017/electorate-details-20.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117212626/http://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2017/electorate-details-20.html |archive-date=17 January 2020 |access-date=23 October 2020 |publisher=Electoral Commission}} 2020,{{cite web |date=6 November 2020 |title=Kaikōura – Official Result |url=https://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2020/electorate-details-17.html |access-date=7 January 2021 |publisher=Electoral Commission}} and 2023{{cite web |date=3 November 2023 |title=Kaikōura - Official Result |url=https://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/electorate-details-17.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231123163447/https://archive.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/electorate-details-17.html |archive-date=23 November 2023 |access-date=10 December 2023 |publisher=Electoral Commission}}{{Cite news |last=Hart |first=Maia |date=14 October 2023 |title=Stuart Smith to represent Kaikōura electorate for a fourth term |language=en |work=Stuff |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/133120516/stuart-smith-to-represent-kaikura-electorate-for-a-fourth-term |url-status=live |access-date=14 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231114210914/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/133120516/stuart-smith-to-represent-kaikura-electorate-for-a-fourth-term |archive-date=14 November 2023}} elections.{{NZ parlbox header|align=left}}
{{NZ parlbox
|term=51st
|start={{NZ election link year|2014}}
|end=2017
|list=62
|party=New Zealand National Party
|electorate=Kaikōura
}}
{{NZ parlbox
|term=52nd
|start={{NZ election link year|2017}}
|end=2020
|list=47
|party=New Zealand National Party
|electorate=Kaikōura
}}
{{NZ parlbox
|term=53rd
|start={{NZ election link year|2020}}
|end=2023
|list=32
|party=New Zealand National Party
|electorate=Kaikōura
}}
{{NZ parlbox
|term=54th
|start={{NZ election link year|2023}}
|end=present
|list=56
|party=New Zealand National Party
|electorate=Kaikōura
}}
{{End}}In his first term, the last of the Fifth National Government, Smith was the deputy chair of the primary production committee (from 2014 to 2017) and the social services committee (in 2017). From 2017 to 2023, the National Party was the official opposition. Smith held party spokesperson roles in the civil defence, Earthquake Commission, immigration, viticulture, climate change, and energy and resources portfolios.{{Cite web |title=Smith, Stuart – New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/smith-stuart/ |access-date=4 March 2025 |website=Parliament.nz}}
Two members bills promoted by Smith were debated in Parliament in 2020 and 2023. Smith's Insurance (Prompt Settlement of Claims for Uninhabitable Residential Property) Bill proposed imposing a six-month time limit for insurers to make decisions and notify claimants on claims relating to earthquake damaged buildings.{{Cite web |last=Zaki |first=Anan |date=2018-01-22 |title=Kaikōura MP proposes bill to speed up quake claims |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/100798437/kaikura-mp-proposes-bill-to-speed-up-quake-claims |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=Stuff |language=en}} The bill, first lodged in 2018, was progressed to select committee consideration in July 2020 but Smith later withdrew it after the committee found the government was already undertaking work to address the issue.{{Cite web |last=Llewellyn |first=Ian |title=Uninhabitable home insurance law change dropped |url=https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/policy/uninhabitable-home-insurance-law-change-dropped |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=businessdesk.co.nz |language=en}} In 2023, the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Cellar Door Tasting) Amendment Bill was introduced. This bill proposed regulatory reforms related to cellar door operations at wineries and was passed at its first reading in a 105–9 vote.{{Cite web |title=Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Cellar Door Tasting) Amendment Bill — First Reading - New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20230801_20230802_08 |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=www.parliament.nz |language=en}}
In the 54th New Zealand Parliament, Smith chaired the finance and expenditure committee from December 2023 to February 2025.{{Cite web |last=Hart |first=Maia |date=2023-12-07 |title=Councillor Jamie Arbuckle surprised to land deputy chair role on select committee |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/133412070/councillor-jamie-arbuckle-surprised-to-land-deputy-chair-role-on-select-committee |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=Stuff |language=en}} In March 2025 he became Senior Whip of the National Party and Chief Government Whip.
Political views
Smith voted in favour of decriminalising abortion and legalising euthanasia.{{cite web |date=13 November 2019 |title=End of Life Choice Bill — Third Reading |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20191113_20191113_16 |accessdate=12 December 2023 |publisher=New Zealand Parliament}}{{cite web |date=18 March 2020 |title=Abortion Legislation Bill — Third Reading |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20200318_20200318_24 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200720222000/https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20200318_20200318_24 |archive-date=20 July 2020 |accessdate=12 December 2023 |website= |publisher=New Zealand Parliament}}
Personal life
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{subject bar|auto=y|d=y|Politics|New Zealand}}
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{{s-par | nz}}
{{s-bef | before = Colin King}}
{{s-ttl | title = Member of Parliament for Kaikōura | years = 2014–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{end}}
{{NZ National Party}}
{{Current members of the New Zealand House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Stuart}}
Category:New Zealand National Party MPs
Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives
Category:New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates
Category:Candidates in the 2014 New Zealand general election
Category:Candidates in the 2017 New Zealand general election
Category:Candidates in the 2020 New Zealand general election
Category:Candidates in the 2023 New Zealand general election