16 Facts About Rick Barker

Richard John Barker was born on 27 October 1951 and is a New Zealand politician.

Rick Barker is a member of the Labour Party, and was a middle-ranking Cabinet minister in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand.

Rick Barker was born in the town of Greymouth, on New Zealand's West Coast.

Rick Barker attended Greymouth High School and then the University of Otago.

Rick Barker eventually became National Secretary of the Service Workers' Union.

Rick Barker became a member of the Labour Party in 1973, served for a time as the Industrial Representative on the party's National Council and was junior vice-president of the party.

Rick Barker's selection was a surprise as Weir won the floor vote of local members, but the selection panel chose Barker.

Rick Barker was re-elected in 1996,1999, and 2002 for the reconfigured seat of Tukituki.

In 2008 Rick Barker tried unsuccessfully to regain the seat of Tukituki and for the second time was returned to parliament as a Labour list MP.

Rick Barker stood in one of the safest National seats, Taranaki-King Country, in 2011 and was not high enough on the Labour list to remain an MP.

In 2002 Labour was re-elected for a second term and Rick Barker was appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Customs, Minister for Courts, Associate Minister of Justice, and Associate Minister of Social Services and Employment.

In 2005, Rick Barker was re-appointed to Cabinet as the Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister for Courts, Minister of Civil Defence and Minister of Veterans' Affairs.

Rick Barker which is a title he was granted for the rest of his life after his term of office.

Rick Barker was elected to the Hawke's Bay Regional Council in 2013, representing the Hastings constituency.

In June 2018, Rick Barker was appointed chairperson of the West Coast District Health Board by the Minister of Health, David Clark.

Rick Barker is married to Patsy and has three children.