13 Facts About Brian MacDonell

Brian Peter MacDonell was born on 19 May 1935 and is a former New Zealand Member of Parliament for Dunedin Central in the South Island.

Brian MacDonell was born in Dunedin on 19 May 1935, the son of Roderick MacDonell.

Brian MacDonell received his education at Christian Brothers High School, since renamed Kavanagh College.

Brian MacDonell became active with the labour movement in 1950.

Brian MacDonell first attempted to enter politics at the 1959 local-body elections when he stood unsuccessfully for the Dunedin City Council on the Labour Party ticket.

Brian MacDonell stood for the council again in 1962 and was likewise unsuccessful.

Brian MacDonell represented the Dunedin Central electorate in Parliament for 21 years from 1963 to 1984.

Brian MacDonell was Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Trade and Industry and to the Minister of Energy Resources.

Brian MacDonell was Shadow Minister of Customs and Shadow Postmaster-General from 1975 to 1983 under Bill Rowling.

Brian MacDonell was not selected as the Labour candidate for the new electorate of Dunedin West; instead, the party's president, Jim Anderton, installed his personal friend Clive Matthewson.

Brian MacDonell worked closely in the house with another Labour MP turned independent, John Kirk, as well as the two Social Credit Party's MPs Bruce Beetham and Gary Knapp.

Brian MacDonell was later elected a member of the Dunedin City Council at the 1995 local-body elections representing the South Dunedin ward for three years.

In 1977, Brian MacDonell was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, and in 1990 he received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.