34 Facts About Mick Connelly

Mick Connelly was steeped in unionism and politics from a young age.

Mick Connelly's father Michael Connelly was a prominent trade unionist, foundation Labour Party member, city councillor and member of the Legislative Council.

Mick Connelly's mother was the president of the Dunedin women's branch of the Labour Party and wrote articles for several socialist publications.

Mick Connelly was politically active himself from a very early age.

Mick Connelly had to halt his studies and had to take a job as a telegraph boy in order to support himself.

Mick Connelly married Margaret Kennedy in 1941, with whom he had six children.

Mick Connelly served in a military administration capacity in New Zealand and the Pacific until 1946.

Mick Connelly moved to Christchurch taking up a position as an investigating officer with Inland Revenue.

Mick Connelly took active roles in Labour Party organisation and stood for Parliament in St Albans in 1954 but was unsuccessful.

Mick 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.

Mick Connelly was the Member of Parliament for Riccarton from the 1956 by-election to 1969 election, then Wigram from 1969 to 1978, then Yaldhurst from 1978 to 1984, when he retired.

Mick Connelly was described as New Zealand's last old-fashioned "tubthumping" political campaigner.

Mick Connelly conducted much of his electioneering by street-corner orations from the bed of a truck in which he travelled his electorate.

Mick Connelly was noted as a forthright man but won a reputation for fairness.

Former parliamentary colleague Michael Bassett said Mick Connelly appreciated people being straight with him but he never bore grudges.

The wide respect with which Mick Connelly garnered led him to become a powerbroker within the Labour caucus according to Bassett.

Mick Connelly did not believe in handouts, but in promoting export-led economic development, which would give ordinary people a fair go.

Mick Connelly was Minister of Police, Minister of Customs, Minister of Statistics and Minister of Works and Development.

Mick Connelly had a strained relationship with Norman Kirk which stemmed from his support for Arnold Nordmeyer during Kirk's leadership challenge in 1965.

Mick Connelly was Minister in charge of Earthquake and War Damage Commission and Associate Finance Minister.

In opposition after the defeat of the Third Labour Government Mick Connelly initially retained a frontbench seat and held a series of portfolios.

When David Lange replaced Bill Rowling Mick Connelly retained the Defence portfolio but was relegated to the backbenches and retired, reluctantly, at the 1984 election.

At the 1982 Labour conference Mick 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.

Mick Connelly later became chairman of the National Water and Soil Conservation Authority.

Mick Connelly advocated for retaining high quality land for farming, surrounding Christchurch with a Green Belt and the creation of a satellite town at Rolleston.

Mick Connelly was involved in the establishment of the Canterbury Savings Bank and was its inaugural president.

Mick Connelly served on a host of community bodies, including the councils of both the University of Canterbury and the then Lincoln College.

Mick Connelly was interested in a wide range of sports, especially cricket and racing.

In 1977, Mick Connelly was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.

Mick Connelly was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services in the 1984 Queen's Birthday Honours.

Mick 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.

Mick Connelly regretted this was no longer the case in politics.

Mick Connelly 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 1990.

Mick Connelly was survived by his wife, four sons, two daughters and multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren.