Pat Hunt

{{Short description|New Zealand politician (1931–2023)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Pat Hunt | image = | alt = | caption = | constituency_MP1 = [[Pakuranga (New Zealand electorate)|Pakuranga]] | parliament1 = New Zealand | term_start1 = 25 November 1978 | term_end1 = 14 July 1984 | predecessor1 = [[Gavin Downie]] | successor1 = [[Neil Morrison]] | birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|1|19|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Auckland]], New Zealand | death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|07|24|1931|1|19|df=y}} | death_place = Auckland, New Zealand | birth_name = Thomas de Vere Hunt | party = [[New Zealand National Party|National]] | other_party = [[ACT New Zealand|ACT]] | spouse = | relatives = | children = | alma_mater = [[University of Auckland]] | profession = [[Electrical engineer]] }} '''Thomas de Vere Hunt''' (19 January 1931 – 24 July 2023), generally known as '''Pat Hunt''', was a New Zealand politician of the [[New Zealand National Party|National Party]].

==Biography== Thomas de Vere Hunt was born in [[Auckland]] on 19 January 1931.<ref name=Gustafson /> He gained his education at [[Mount Albert Grammar School]] and the [[University of Auckland]], from where he graduated with a [[Bachelor of Engineering]] degree in electrical engineering in 1959.<ref name=Gustafson>{{cite book |last = Gustafson |first = Barry |authorlink = Barry Gustafson |title = The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party |year = 1986 |publisher = Reed Methuen |location = Auckland |isbn = 0-474-00177-6 |page = 322}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/university12.html |title=NZ university graduates 1870–1961: Hi–Hy |website=Shadows of Time |access-date=4 August 2023}}</ref>

{{NZ parlbox header|nolist=true|align=left}} {{NZ parlbox |start = {{NZ election link year|1978}} |end = 1981 |term = 39th |electorate = {{NZ electorate link|Pakuranga}} |party = New Zealand National Party }} {{NZ parlbox |start = {{NZ election link year|1981}} |end = 1984 |term = 40th |electorate = Pakuranga |party = New Zealand National Party }} {{End}} In {{NZ election link year|1978}}, Hunt replaced [[Gavin Downie]] as the National candidate for [[Pakuranga (New Zealand electorate)|Pakuranga]], in a controversial challenge to a sitting MP. Downie stood as an Independent and the previous substantial majority was reduced, but Hunt was elected in 1978.<ref name=Gustafson /><ref name="Wilson">{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= Jim | author-link=Jim Wilson (librarian) |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-date= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher= V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc=154283103 |page=206}}</ref> Hunt narrowly held onto the electorate in {{NZ election link year|1981}} when he was challenged by [[Neil Morrison]] of the [[Social Credit Party (New Zealand)|Social Credit Party]].<ref name=Gustafson /> Morrison defeated Hunt at the {{NZ election link|1984}}.<ref name=Wilson />

During the 1984 election campaign, Hunt coined the unflattering term "[[Škoda Auto|Skoda]] brigade and [[Crimplene]] suit contingent" for Social Credit supporters. The Skoda company were angered by the remark and it became an epitaph to Hunt who later tried to be selected as a National candidate again, though his attempts were rebuffed. Hunt later joined [[ACT New Zealand]] instead where he found himself together with Morrison who had also joined the party. When appearing together at the inaugural ACT conference in 1994, Morrison acknowledged that many Social Creditors liked crimplene and one of his branch members drove a Skoda.<ref name="Old rivals">{{Cite news |first=Bevan |last=Rapson |title=Old rivals agree days of Skoda are over |date=7 November 1994 |work=The New Zealand Herald |page=2 }}</ref>

In 1990, Hunt was awarded the [[New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal]].<ref>{{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=194}}</ref>

Hunt died in Auckland on 24 July 2023, at the age of 92.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.legacy.com/nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/name/thomas-hunt-obituary?id=52550917 |title=Thomas Hunt obituary |date=27 July 2023 |work=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=3 August 2023}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-par | nz}} {{s-bef | before = [[Gavin Downie]] }} {{s-ttl | title = [[Pakuranga (New Zealand electorate)|Member of Parliament for Pakuranga]] | years = 1978–1984}} {{s-aft | after = [[Neil Morrison]] }} {{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunt, Pat}} [[Category:1931 births]] [[Category:2023 deaths]] [[Category:New Zealand National Party MPs]] [[Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives]] [[Category:New Zealand MPs for Auckland electorates]] [[Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 1984 New Zealand general election]] [[Category:ACT New Zealand politicians]] [[Category:People educated at Mount Albert Grammar School]] [[Category:University of Auckland alumni]] [[Category:Politicians from Auckland]]