{{short description|New Zealand politician}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Kevin Hague | honorific_suffix = | image = Kevin Hague.jpg | caption = Hague in 2008 | constituency_MP = Green Party List | parliament = New Zealand | predecessor = | successor = Barry Coates | term_start = 2008 | term_end = 2016 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|03|18|df=yes}} | birth_place = Aldershot, Hampshire, England | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = | party = Green Party | relations = | children = One | alma_mater = | occupation = Chief Executive of the Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society of New Zealand<br />Former Member of Parliament | profession = | signature = | website = | footnotes = | committees = }} '''Kevin Grant Hague''' (born 18 March 1960) is a New Zealand public servant, activist and a former politician. Since 2025 he has been chief of staff for the Green Party.
Hague was a Member of Parliament for the Green Party from 2008 to 2016. Previously he had been a human rights and gay rights advocate, the executive director of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation, and the chief executive of the West Coast District Health Board. His retirement from Parliament coincided with his appointment as chief executive of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand, a role he held until 2022.
==Early life and family== Hague was born in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, on 18 March 1960, and moved to New Zealand in 1973 with his family when he was 13 years old.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last=Reid |first=Neil |date=27 March 2011 |title=Arresting times |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/4810616/Arresting-times |access-date=25 April 2022 |work=Sunday Star Times}}</ref><ref name="Naturalisation">{{cite web |year=2010 |title=Kevin Grant Hague in the New Zealand, naturalisations, 1843–1981 |url=https://www.ancestry.com.au/discoveryui-content/shoebox?page=1&tab=0 |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 April 2022 |publisher=Ancestry.com Operations}}</ref> His father, Charles, was a building inspector and his mother, Margaret, was an accounting assistant; he has two siblings.<ref name="Davison 2012 n314">{{cite web |last=Davison |first=Isaac |date=29 June 2012 |title=Dogged haul to the spotlight for Green MP |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/dogged-haul-to-the-spotlight-for-green-mp/F33J4KIF6DHU7T4SJ3I7VAVP6U/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=The New Zealand Herald }}</ref><ref name="Legacy.com 2022 q677">{{cite web |date=25 April 2022 |title=Charles HAGUE Obituary (1932 |url=https://deaths.waikatotimes.co.nz/nz/obituaries/waikato-times-nz/name/charles-hague-obituary?id=41717421 |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Legacy.com}}</ref> The family settled in Hamilton and Hague attended Hamilton Boys' High School, where he was on the student council and led a successful campaign to reinstate a school house system.<ref name="Davison 2012 n314" /> He became a naturalised New Zealand citizen in 1978.<ref name="Naturalisation" />
Hague studied mathematics and physics at the University of Auckland and was president of the Auckland University Students' Association in 1980.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Scoop News 2009 i742">{{cite web |date=14 October 2009 |title=Scoop's Meet The New MPs Project: Kevin Hague |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0910/S00134.htm?from-mobile=bottom-link-01 |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Scoop News}}</ref> During this time, he was a member of the Young Nationals but later became interested in progressive Scandinavian politics.<ref name="Davison 2012 n314" />
Hague met his partner, Ian, in 1984 while protesting an upcoming New Zealand rugby union tour of South Africa, which was later cancelled.<ref name="Davison 2012 n314" /><ref name="Herald online 2013 g935">{{cite web |author= |date=17 April 2013 |title=Debate: What the MPs said |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mps-debate-same-sex-marriage-bill/JPTR5LOUPSOI46P2MWV6CTSJIU/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=The New Zealand Herald }}</ref><ref name="gaynz" /> He previously lived on Waiheke Island for ten years, where he ran a bookshop, and now lives in Greymouth.<ref name="Roosevelt ideas for modern times 2009 p277">{{cite news |last=Firth |first=Minka |date=10 September 2009 |title=Roosevelt's ideas for modern times |work=Gulf News |pages=18–19}}</ref>
==Career and activism== [[File:Kevin Hague 2008 Green Party campaign closing.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Hague during the 2008 election campaign]] Hague has been an activist for a number of causes. In the 1980s he was heavily involved in the campaign against sporting contacts with apartheid South Africa.<ref name="gaynz">{{Cite web|url=http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/34/article_5965.php|title=GayNZ.com Green Party candidate Kevin Hague|website=www.gaynz.com|access-date=7 July 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111050052/http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/34/article_5965.php|archive-date=11 January 2009}}</ref> During protests against the 1981 Springbok tour, Hague was arrested five times, including after participating in a pitch invasion that caused the cancellation of a July match to be played in Hamilton, and he was concussed by police while protesting the September match in Auckland.<ref name=":0" />
Hague is openly gay and in 1988 began work as a research officer for the New Zealand AIDS Foundation, which provides education on HIV/AIDS issues and advocacy and support for those with HIV and AIDS. He edited Terry Stewart's 1996 book ''Invisible families: a New Zealand resource for parents of lesbian and gay children''.{{sfn|Stewart|1996}}
From 1998 to 2003 he was the AIDS Foundation's executive director.<ref name="gaynz" /> As director, Hague criticised the 1999 government decision, promoted by immigration minister Tuariki Delamere, to ban HIV-positive migrants from entering New Zealand, saying it would be un-humanitarian.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Maling |first=Nick |date=12 November 1999 |title=Govt aims to save lives, money with HIV ban |work=The Dominion |pages=7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Espiner |first=Guyon |date=13 April 1999 |title=Delamere seeks to bar HIV migrants, considers tourists |work=The Evening Post |pages=1}}</ref> The ban was eventually lifted in 2021.<ref name="1News 2021 r076">{{cite news |date=29 October 2021 |title=Migrants no longer automatically excluded due to HIV status |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2021/10/29/migrants-no-longer-automatically-excluded-due-to-hiv-status/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122061219/https://www.1news.co.nz/2021/10/29/migrants-no-longer-automatically-excluded-due-to-hiv-status/ |archive-date=22 January 2022 |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=1News }}</ref>
Hague served on the National Health Committee from 2001 to 2005 and chaired the Public Health Advisory Committee (a subcommittee of the NHC) from 2002 to 2004.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=New appointments to key quality committee {{!}} Beehive.govt.nz |url=https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-appointments-key-quality-committee |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=www.beehive.govt.nz |language=en}}</ref> He left the AIDS Foundation in September 2003 to become general manager for planning and funding at the West Coast District Health Board and became the board's chief executive in 2005.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 July 2003 |title=New manager |work=The Press |page=A4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Madgwick |first=Paul |date=2 August 2005 |title=Coast DHB has new head |work=The Press |page=A4}}</ref> In 2007, he was appointed to the government's health quality improvement committee.<ref name=":1" />
==Member of Parliament== {{NZ parlbox header}} {{NZ parlbox|term=49th|start= {{NZ election link year|2008}}|end=2011|electorate=List|list=7|party=Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand}} {{NZ parlbox |term = 50th |start = {{NZ election link year|2011}} |end = 2014 |electorate = List |party = Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand |list = 3 }} {{NZ parlbox |term = 51st |start = {{NZ election link year|2014}} |end = 2016 |electorate = List |party = Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand |list = 3 }} {{End}} Hague was selected as the Green Party candidate for the West Coast-Tasman electorate ahead of the 2008 general election. ''Dominion-Post'' journalist Vernon Small described him as one of the Greens' "impressive new candidates."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Small |first=Vernon |date=2 June 2008 |title=Greens' fears of old enemy colour views of red versus blue |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/blogs/opinion/469533/i-Greens-fears-of-old-enemy-colour-views-i?videoId=6333317151112 |work=The Dominion Post |page=B4}}</ref> Hague's candidacy followed several years of political activity with the Greens and unsuccessful attempts from both Labour and National to recruit him to stand for their parties.<ref name="Home » PrideNZ.com e574">{{cite web |title=Kevin Hague profile [AI Text] » PrideNZ.com |url=https://www.pridenz.com/ait_kevin_hague_profile.html |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Home » PrideNZ.com}}</ref> He finished third in the electorate contest but was elected to Parliament as a list MP for the Green Party, ranked 7 on the party list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://2008.electionresults.govt.nz/electorate-60.html |title=Election Results – West Coast-Tasman |date=November 2008 |publisher=New Zealand Ministry of Justice, Chief Electoral Office |access-date=9 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211164951/http://2008.electionresults.govt.nz/electorate-60.html |archive-date=11 December 2008 }}</ref> He re-contested West Coast-Tasman in the 2011 and 2014 elections and was returned to Parliament as a list MP each time, being placed third on the Green Party list.
During his eight years in Parliament, Hague was the Green Party's health spokesperson and sat on the health committee. He also held responsibility for biosecurity, conservation, rural affairs, rainbow issues, and sport.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 March 2024 |title=Hague, Kevin – New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/former-members-of-parliament/hague-kevin/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=www.parliament.nz |language=en}}</ref> He successfully campaigned against Meridian Energy's plans to dam the Mōkihinui River between 2009 and 2012, and advocated for reform of the Accident Compensation Corporation in 2012.<ref name="Davison 2012 n314" />
Hague had not supported the introduction of civil unions in 2004 because he did not think they provided equality for gay couples with heterosexual couples.<ref name="Home » PrideNZ.com e574" /> He promoted gay rights in Parliament, speaking in favour of the revocation of the gay panic defence in 2009<ref name="New Zealand Parliament u627">{{cite web |title=Hague, Kevin: Crimes (Provocation Repeal) Amendment Bill |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/49HansS_20090818_00001254/hague-kevin-crimes-provocation-repeal-amendment-bill |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=New Zealand Parliament}}</ref> and drafting legislation to legalise same-sex marriage and to improve adoption law, including for gay adoptions, in 2012.<ref name="ZB 2012 q736">{{cite web |date=15 June 2012 |title=Gay marriage bill has double chance for selection |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gay-marriage-bill-has-double-chance-for-selection/52ISAAUX6KO23CQKDOT3URGM6I/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=The New Zealand Herald }}</ref><ref name="Trevett 2012 t642">{{cite web |last=Trevett |first=Claire |date=14 October 2012 |title=MP seeks big adoption changes |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mp-seeks-big-adoption-changes/6MF422EK5W6AQPWK2LH4LMLIEA/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=The New Zealand Herald }}</ref> He organised political support for Louisa Wall's Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, which legalised same-sex marriage in New Zealand in 2013.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10830418|work=The New Zealand Herald |title=Gay marriage bill passes first step|date=30 August 2012}}</ref> Hague said once the bill had passed its third reading, in April 2013, there would be a number of "incredibly emotional" weddings between gay couples.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.3news.co.nz/Marriage-equality-will-be-emotional-says-Hague/tabid/1607/articleID/294273/Default.aspx | work= 3 News NZ | title= Marriage equality will be 'emotional' | date= 15 April 2013 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Later, he said he had accepted he "was wrong" about civil unions, believing that marriage equality would not have been possible without civil unions as a stepping stone.<ref name="Home » PrideNZ.com e574" />
Green Party co-leader Russel Norman indicated he would vacate that role in 2015. Hague contested the resulting leadership contest against first-term MP James Shaw. He was seen by commentators as the "safe choice" as the most experienced candidate with the strongest record in Parliament, but lost to Shaw in a 69–56 vote on 30 May 2015.<ref>{{cite news |date=30 May 2015 |title=James Shaw elected new Green Party male Co-leader |url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1505/S00595/james-shaw-elected-new-green-party-male-co-leader.htm |accessdate=8 January 2018 |work=Scoop.co.nz}}</ref><ref name="Green choice">{{cite news |author=Davidson, Isaac |date=28 May 2015 |title=Greens' co-leadership race: Sensible or flash – the Green choice |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11455774 |accessdate=28 December 2015 |work=The New Zealand Herald}}</ref> Hague would later say that losing was "a blow."<ref name="RNZ 2016 o987">{{cite web |date=5 September 2016 |title=Green MP Kevin Hague resigns from Parliament |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/312597/green-mp-kevin-hague-resigns-from-parliament |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=RNZ }}</ref> He announced on 5 September 2016 that he would resign from Parliament to become the chief executive of Forest & Bird.<ref name="RNZ 2016 o987" /> He was replaced by Barry Coates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/83930082/greens-leadership-kevin-hague-hopeful-quits|title=Green MP quits|date=5 September 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11704046|title=Kevin Hague quits Greens for Forest and Bird|date=5 September 2016|access-date=5 September 2016|via=New Zealand Herald }}</ref>
== Later career == Hague was chief executive of the conservation group Forest & Bird for six years from 2016 to 2022. He was succeeded by Nicola Toki.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 January 2022 |title=Appointment announced to replace Hague |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/appointment-announced-replace-hague |access-date=11 May 2023 |website=Otago Daily Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |last2= |first2= |last3= |first3= |last4= |title=Forest & Bird Welcomes Nicola Toki As New Chief Executive |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2204/S00344/forest-bird-welcomes-nicola-toki-as-new-chief-executive.htm |access-date=11 May 2023 |website=www.scoop.co.nz}}</ref>
Hague holds several health sector appointments made by the Sixth Labour Government, which came to power the year after he left Parliament. In 2019, he was appointed a member of the interim board of Te Hiringa Mahara, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission and later became its deputy chair.<ref name="Te Hiringa Mahara—Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission 2020 a230">{{cite web |date=18 December 2020 |title=Governance |url=https://www.mhwc.govt.nz/about-us/our-people/governance/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308193456/https://www.mhwc.govt.nz/about-us/our-people/governance/ |archive-date=8 March 2024 |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Te Hiringa Mahara—Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission}}</ref><ref name="Newshub 2019 c568">{{cite web |date=12 September 2019 |title=Forest & Bird boss among five appointed to mental health commission |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/09/forest-bird-boss-kevin-hague-among-five-appointed-to-new-mental-health-commission.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201002327/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/09/forest-bird-boss-kevin-hague-among-five-appointed-to-new-mental-health-commission.html |archive-date=1 December 2020 |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Newshub }}</ref> In 2022, following an appointment as chair of the West Coast Primary Health Organisation, he was appointed to chair the Takiwā Poutini Partnership.<ref name="Stuff a161">{{cite web |title='Postcode lottery' approach to health to be tackled in pilot scheme |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/300715456/postcode-lottery-approach-to-health-to-be-tackled-in-pilot-scheme |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Stuff }}</ref> He was reappointed to the chair of the Public Health Advisory Committee in November 2022 for a three-year term.<ref name="Ministry of Health NZ 2024 j725">{{cite web |date=26 January 2024 |title=Committee members |url=https://www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/key-health-sector-organisations-and-people/statutory-entities-boards-and-committees/public-health-advisory-committee/committee-members |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929052207/https://www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/key-health-sector-organisations-and-people/statutory-entities-boards-and-committees/public-health-advisory-committee/committee-members |archive-date=29 September 2023 |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Ministry of Health NZ}}</ref>
In July 2022 he became a volunteer Civil Defence and Emergency Management controller for the West Coast.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=7 July 2022 |title=Council chairman objects to former Forest and Bird chief taking on Civil Defence role |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/300632507/council-chairman-objects-to-former-forest-and-bird-chief-taking-on-civil-defence-role |access-date=11 July 2022 |website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref>
In November 2025 Hague was announced as chief of staff for the Green Party.<ref name="w795">{{cite web |last=Mcculloch |first=Craig |date=6 November 2025 |title=Former Green MP Kevin Hague returns as party's new chief of staff |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/578037/former-green-mp-kevin-hague-returns-as-party-s-new-chief-of-staff |access-date=6 November 2025 |website=RNZ}}</ref>
== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book |last=Stewart |first=Terry |title=Invisible Families |date=1996 |publisher=Heartflags Pty Limited |isbn=978-0-9805523-0-0 |editor-last=Hague |editor-first=Kevin}} * {{cite book |last=Yensen |first=Helen |title=Honouring the Treaty |last2=Hague |first2=Kevin |last3=McCreanor |first3=Tim |date=1989 |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-14-012425-5 |publication-place=Auckland, N.Z.; New York, N.Y., USA}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{subject bar|auto=y|d=y|Politics|New Zealand}} *[https://www.greens.org.nz/ourpeople/kevin-hague-mp Green Party] – MP biography for Kevin Hague *[https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/document/51MP2901/hague-kevin New Zealand Parliament] – MP biography for Kevin Hague *[https://twitter.com/KevinHague Kevin Hague's twitter]
{{NZ Green Party caucus}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hague, Kevin}} Category:Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand MPs Category:New Zealand activists Category:LGBTQ members of the Parliament of New Zealand Category:New Zealand gay politicians Category:New Zealand LGBTQ rights activists Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:New Zealand list MPs Category:English emigrants to New Zealand Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Category:People from Greymouth Category:Naturalised citizens of New Zealand Category:New Zealand chief executives in the health care industry Category:Candidates in the 2011 New Zealand general election Category:Candidates in the 2014 New Zealand general election Category:People educated at Hamilton Boys' High School