{{short description|New Zealand politician}} {{For|other people of that name|Michael Connelly (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | name = Mick Connelly | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CMG|QSO|size=100%}} | image = Mick Connelly MP.jpg | alt = | caption = Connelly in 1969 | order1 = 27th Minister of Works | prime_minister1 = Bill Rowling | term_start1 = 13 March 1975 | term_end1 = 12 December 1975 | predecessor1 = Hugh Watt | successor1 = Bill Young | order2 = 12th Minister of Statistics | prime_minister2 = Bill Rowling | term_start2 = 10 September 1974 | term_end2 = 12 December 1975 | predecessor2 = Bill Rowling | successor2 = Peter Wilkinson | order3 = 21st Minister of Police | prime_minister3 = Norman Kirk<br>Bill Rowling | term_start3 = 8 December 1972 | term_end3 = 12 December 1975 | predecessor3 = Percy Allen | successor3 = Allan McCready | order4 = 44th Minister of Customs | prime_minister4 = Norman Kirk<br>Bill Rowling | term_start4 = 8 December 1972 | term_end4 = 13 March 1975 | predecessor4 = George Gair | successor4 = Roger Douglas | office5 = Member of the New Zealand Parliament | term_start5 = 27 October 1956 | term_end5 = 14 July 1984 | constituency5 = {{NZ electorate link|Riccarton}} (1956–1969)<br />{{NZ electorate link|Wigram}} (1969–1978)<br />{{NZ electorate link|Yaldhurst}} (1978–1984) | predecessor5 = Angus McLagan | successor5 = Margaret Austin | birth_date = 21 February 1916 | birth_place = Wellington, New Zealand | death_date = 27 August 2003 | death_place = Christchurch, New Zealand | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | party = Labour | spouse = Margaret Kennedy | partner = <!--For those with a domestic partner and not married--> | relations = Michael Connelly <small>(father)</small> | children = 6 | alma_mater = University of Otago | occupation = | profession = | signature = Mick Connelly signature.jpg <!--Military service--> | nickname = | allegiance = | branch = | service_years = | rank = | unit = | commands = | battles = | awards = }} '''Michael Aynsley Connelly''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CMG|QSO}} (21 February 1916 – 27 August 2003) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party, and a Cabinet Minister from 1972 to 1975 in the Third Labour Government.
==Biography== ===Early life=== Connelly was born in Wellington on 21 February 1916. His primary schooling was in Greymouth and later he attended Christian Brothers' High School in Dunedin. He was steeped in unionism and politics from a young age. His father Michael Connelly was a prominent trade unionist, foundation Labour Party member, city councillor and member of the Legislative Council. His mother was the president of the Dunedin women's branch of the Labour Party and wrote articles for several socialist publications. He was politically active himself from a very early age. As a 12-year-old schoolboy, he walked Dunedin streets delivering pamphlets for the Labour Party.<ref name="Obit">{{cite news |author=Crean, Mike |work=The Press |page=17 |title=Politician with old street style |date=6 September 2003 }}</ref>
When aged only 16 he won a scholarship to the University of Otago where he studied commerce. During the Great Depression his scholarship expired. He had to halt his studies and had to take a job as a telegraph boy in order to support himself. He married Margaret Kennedy in 1941, with whom he had six children. During World War II he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1942. He served in a military administration capacity in New Zealand and the Pacific until 1946. After the war ended he resumed his study and graduated Bachelor of Commerce and became a chartered accountant. He then worked for several government departments. He moved to Christchurch taking up a position as an investigating officer with Inland Revenue.<ref name="Obit"/>
===Political career=== {{NZ parlbox header|nolist=true|align=left}} {{NZ parlbox|start={{By-election link year|Riccarton|1956}}|end=1957|term=31st|electorate={{NZ electorate link|Riccarton}}|party=New Zealand Labour Party}} {{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|1957}}|end=1960|term=32nd|electorate=Riccarton|party=New Zealand Labour Party}} {{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|1960}}|end=1963|term=33rd|electorate=Riccarton|party=New Zealand Labour Party}} {{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|1963}}|end=1966|term=34th|electorate=Riccarton|party=New Zealand Labour Party}} {{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|1966}}|end=1969|term=35th|electorate=Riccarton|party=New Zealand Labour Party}} {{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|1969}}|end=1972|term=36th|electorate={{NZ electorate link|Wigram}}|party=New Zealand Labour Party}} {{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|1972}}|end=1975|term=37th|electorate=Wigram|party=New Zealand Labour Party}} {{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|1975}}|end=1978|term=38th|electorate=Wigram|party=New Zealand Labour Party}} {{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|1978}}|end=1981|term=39th|electorate={{NZ electorate link|Yaldhurst}}|party=New Zealand Labour Party}} {{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|1981}}|end=1984|term=40th|electorate=Yaldhurst|party=New Zealand Labour Party}} {{End}} Connelly took active roles in Labour Party organisation and stood for Parliament in {{NZ electorate link|St Albans}} in {{NZ election link year|1954}} but was unsuccessful.<ref name="Obit"/> Connelly was then elected a member of the Christchurch City Council from 1956 on which he served one term until he was defeated in 1959.<ref name="Councillors">{{cite web|url=http://www1.ccc.govt.nz/handbook/councillorsofthecityofchristchurch.asp |title=Councillors of the City of Christchurch |publisher=Christchurch City Council |access-date=17 August 2010 |location=Christchurch |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720010657/http://www1.ccc.govt.nz/handbook/councillorsofthecityofchristchurch.asp |archive-date=20 July 2011 }}</ref>
He was the Member of Parliament for {{NZ electorate link|Riccarton}} from the {{By-election link|Riccarton|1956}} to {{NZ election link|1969}}, then {{NZ electorate link|Wigram}} from {{NZ election link year|1969}} to {{NZ election link year|1978}}, then {{NZ electorate link|Yaldhurst}} from {{NZ election link year|1978}} to {{NZ election link year|1984}}, when he retired. Connelly was described as New Zealand's last old-fashioned "tubthumping" political campaigner. He conducted much of his electioneering by street-corner orations from the bed of a truck in which he travelled his electorate.<ref name="Obit"/>
Connelly was noted as a forthright man but also won a reputation for fairness. Former parliamentary colleague Michael Bassett said Connelly appreciated people being straight with him but he never bore grudges. The wide respect with which Connelly garnered led him to become a powerbroker within the Labour caucus according to Bassett. His political philosophy tended towards the conservative, sharing many views with National Party MPs. A son said "he had pulled himself up by his bootstraps and he expected others to do the same. He did not believe in handouts, but in promoting export-led economic development, which would give ordinary people a fair go."<ref name="Obit"/>
From 1972 to 1975 he was a Cabinet Minister in the Third Labour Government. He was Minister of Police, Minister of Customs, Minister of Statistics (1974–75) and Minister of Works and Development (in 1975).{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=92f}} Connelly had a strained relationship with Norman Kirk which stemmed from his support for Arnold Nordmeyer during Kirk's leadership challenge in 1965. It peaked when Kirk announced his seating arrangement in the house when Connelly asked why he had been moved to the second row to which Kirk replied "Because it would have looked too bad to put you in the back row".{{sfn|Hayward|1981|p=38}} Eventually their relationship improved after chief whip Henry May revealed to Kirk that Connelly had only nominated Nordmeyer because he had insisted he do so.{{sfn|Logan|2008|p=416}}
He was also Minister in charge of Earthquake and War Damage Commission and Associate Finance Minister. As a minister he exhorted greater consultation with trade unions, to avoid strikes and other industrial strife which he found distasteful.<ref name="Obit"/> Warren Freer's only criticism of him was his handwriting; "if he wrote you a note it took ages to decipher it".{{sfn|Freer|2004|p=172}}
In opposition after the defeat of the Third Labour Government Connelly initially retained a frontbench seat and held a series of portfolios. From 1975 to 1978 he was Shadow Minister of Social Welfare, from 1978 to 1979 he was Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs and was Shadow Minister of Defence from 1979 to 1984.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Surprises Among Party Spokesmen |date=30 January 1976 |work=The New Zealand Herald |page=10 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Rowling shuffles his pack |date=9 December 1978 |work=Auckland Star |page=3 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Heads of Labour Posts Named |date=15 December 1979 |work=The New Zealand Herald |page=12 }}</ref> When David Lange replaced Bill Rowling Connelly retained the Defence portfolio but was relegated to the backbenches and retired, reluctantly, at the {{NZ election link|1984}}.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Labour leader allocates responsibilities |date=17 March 1983 | work=The Press |page=3 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Mr Moore Jumps to Third Spot in Labour Line-Up |date=7 April 1983 |work=The New Zealand Herald |page=1 }}</ref> At the 1982 Labour conference Connelly was loudly booed while on the speaking platform when he defended police using batons for defence while speaking against a remit to disband use of riot squads and cease baton use. It was seen as an indignant end to his long political career.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Conference boos former minister |date=11 May 1982 |work=Auckland Star |page=2 }}</ref>
===Later life=== Connelly later became chairman of the National Water and Soil Conservation Authority. He advocated for retaining high quality land for farming, surrounding Christchurch with a Green Belt and the creation of a satellite town at Rolleston. Connelly was involved in the establishment of the Canterbury Savings Bank and was its inaugural president. He also served on a host of community bodies, including the councils of both the University of Canterbury and the then Lincoln College.<ref name="Obit"/>
He was interested in a wide range of sports, especially cricket and racing.<ref name="Obit"/> In 1977, Connelly was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.<ref name="HBTQ">{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=Alister |last2=Coddington |first2=Deborah |author-link1=Alister Taylor |author-link2=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=105}}</ref> He was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services in the 1984 Queen's Birthday Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=49769 |date=16 June 1984 |page=3 |supp=2}}</ref> In the 1988 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, for public service.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=51367 |date=11 June 1988 |page=33 |supp=3}}</ref> In 1990, he received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.<ref name="HBTQ"/>
For some time, he was the president of the Association of Former Members of the Parliament of New Zealand. Connelly remarked how he used to enjoy political discussions with National Party members over drinks, knowing that nothing said there would be used later in character assassination in the House. He regretted this was no longer the case in politics. He was for many years a close friend of National Party MP Bert Walker and one of his sons, John, stood for National in Yaldhurst in {{NZ election link year|1990}}.<ref name="Obit"/>
Connelly died on 27 August 2003<ref name="Parliament obit" /> aged 87.<ref name="Horton obit">{{cite web|last=Horton|first=Murray|title=MICK CONNELLY & FRANK O'FLYNN |url= http://www.converge.org.nz/abc/pr28-89.html |access-date=21 November 2011}}</ref> He was survived by his wife, four sons, two daughters and multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren.<ref name="Parliament obit">{{cite web |title=Obituaries — Hon Michael Aynsley Connelly |url= http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Debates/Debates/e/3/b/47HansD_20030828_00000001-Obituaries-Hon-Michael-Aynsley-Connelly.htm |publisher=New Zealand Parliament|access-date=21 November 2011}}</ref><ref name="Obit"/>
==Notes== {{reflist}}
==References== {{Commons category|Mick Connelly}} *{{cite book |last=Freer |first=Warren |title=A Lifetime in Politics: the memoirs of Warren Freer |year=2004 |publisher=Victoria University Press |location=Wellington |isbn=0-86473-478-6 }} *{{cite book | last= Hayward |first= Margaret |title= Diary of the Kirk Years |edition= 1 |orig-year= First ed. published 1981 |year= 1981 |publisher=A.H. and A.W. Reed Limited |location= Wellington |isbn= 0-589-01350-5}} *{{cite book |last= Logan |first= Mary |title= Nordy, Arnold Nordmeyer a political biography |edition= 1 |orig-year= First ed. published 2008 |year= 2008 |publisher=Steele Roberts Publishers |location= Wellington |isbn= 978-1-877448-33-1}} *{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= Jim | author-link=Jim Wilson (librarian) |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-year= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher=V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc=154283103}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=George Gair}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister of Customs|years=1972–1975}} {{s-aft | after = Roger Douglas}} {{s-bef|before=Percy Allen}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister of Police|years=1972–1975}} {{s-aft | after = Allan McCready}} {{s-bef|before=Bill Rowling}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister of Statistics|years=1974–1975}} {{s-aft | after = Peter Wilkinson}} {{s-bef|before=Hugh Watt}} {{s-ttl|title=Minister of Works|years=1975}} {{s-aft | after = Bill Young}} {{s-par | nz}} {{s-bef | before=Angus McLagan}} {{s-ttl | title=Member of Parliament for Riccarton|years=1956–1969}} {{s-aft | after=Eric Holland}} {{s-new | constituency | rows = 2}} {{s-ttl | title= Member of Parliament for Wigram| years=1969–1978}} {{s-vac| reason=Constituency abolished, recreated in 1996 | next=Jim Anderton}} |- {{s-ttl | title= Member of Parliament for Yaldhurst| years=1978–1984}} {{s-aft | after = Margaret Austin}} {{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Connelly, Mick}} Category:1916 births Category:People educated at Trinity Catholic College, Dunedin Category:New Zealand Labour Party MPs Category:Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand Category:2003 deaths Category:New Zealand MPs for Christchurch electorates Category:Companions of the Queen's Service Order Category:New Zealand Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Category:20th-century New Zealand politicians Category:Christchurch City Councillors Category:New Zealand military personnel of World War II