Keith Locke
| Parl. | Electorate | List Pos. | Party |
| 46th | List | 7 | Greens |
| 47th | List | 7 | Greens |
| 48th | List | 5 | Greens |
Keith Locke (born 1944) is a New Zealand MP representing the Green Party. He was first elected to parliament in the 1999 election at number 7 on the Green Party list. He was returned to Parliament in the 2002 election again at number 7 on the Green Party list and in the 2005 election at number 5.
As of 2005 he is the Green Party spokesperson on Auckland Transport, Civil Defence, Customs, Defence and Disarmament, Ethnic Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Immigration, Overseas Development Assistance, Pacific Island Affairs, Police, Security and Intelligence, Sports, Fitness and Leisure, State Services, Trade and Veteran Affairs.
Vernon Small, deputy political editor of the New Zealand Herald, dubbed him Backbencher of the Year in 2002. [1]
Family and background
He was born and grew up in Christchurch, to Communist Party of New Zealand members Jack and Elsie Locke. Jack Locke was the Christchurch branch chairman for decades, and Elsie Locke was also a children's novelist and historian. [2]
Political history
Politically active all his life, he joined the Socialist Action League in 1970. By 1972 he was the both the National Secretary of the SAL and chairman of "Socialists for Labour". Because of his far-left affiliations, the Labour Party attempted to expel Locke in 1974. By 1985 Locke had left the SAL but was still involved in various socialist movements such as the World Peace Council.
In 1989 Jim Anderton broke away from the Labour Party to form the NewLabour Party. Locke as well as several other former SAL members were given roles in the NLP's first National Council.
In December 1991 the NLP merged with the Greens, Mana Motuhake and the Democrats to form the Alliance Party. However, by 1997 the Greens had decided that they would have better electoral success if they left and ran their own candidates. Even though they were not Green Party members, he and Sue Bradford left the Alliance and joined the Greens. Locke was made their foreign affairs spokesperson and in the 1999 election was elected to Parliament 7th on the Green Party's MMP list.
Locke is a supporter of New Zealand becoming a republic. In 2001, Locke put forward the Head of state (Referenda) Bill, which if passed would bring about a referendum on the question of whether New Zealand should become a republic.
Political viewpoints
Keith Locke, Green party spokesperson for police has expressed some opposition to the taser trial which commenced on Friday the 1st of September for a twelve month period[3][4][5].
Controversy
His political enemies have referred to him during question period as "Pol Pot" or "the Honourable Member for Cambodia" due to supportive articles he wrote about the Khmer Rouge regime and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan which were tabled in the house. Locke has claimed he mistakenly supported the Khmer Rouge because he "...thought the Khmer Rouge were an adjunct of the Vietnamese communist forces" [6]. While he opposed the 2001 war in Afghanistan to remove the Taliban, he has offered no explanation for his support of the Soviet invasion in 1980. [7]
During the 2005 election he contested the Epsom electorate in Auckland and at a public meeting he promised to run through the streets of Epsom naked if the electorate was won by ACT New Zealand's leader Rodney Hide. Hide won the seat. "I'll do it. I have to," Locke was reported as saying. "I was so confident, but I have turned out to be wrong and I have got to do it." [8] Locke's promise made headlines in media around the world. However, rather than being naked, on Sunday 25 September 2005 Locke walked down Broadway (the main shopping street of the area) wearing shoes, socks, a Calvin Klein G-string, and body paint. [9]
References
- ^ Politics review: Oh, what a year it's been, Vernon Small, New Zealand Herald, 21.12.2002
- ^ Obituary Elsie Locke, Murray Horton
- ^ Tasers on the streets from this Friday, Derek Cheng, New Zealand Herald, 30th August, 2006
- ^ Police demonstrate Taser ahead of controversial trial, Chris Ormond, New Zealand herald, 29th August 2006
- ^ Police too eager to use taser, Keith Locke, Green Party website 10th September 2006
- ^ People in glass houses should not throw (Pol) Pots, Keith Locke, 22nd June 2005
- ^ Parliamentary Debate: Terrorist Attacks---Retaliation against Afghanistan, New Zealand Hansard, September 18, 2001
- ^ Locke really regretting nude run promise, Claire Harvey, New Zealand Herald, 19.09.05
- ^ World News Quick Take: Politician almost bares all
External links
- Keith Locke bio (Green Party website)
- Keith Locke bio (NZ Parliament website)
- Head of State: Website supporting Keith Locke's Head of state (Referenda) Bill.