19 Facts About Warren Freer

Warren Wilfred Freer was a New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party.

Warren Freer represented the Mount Albert electorate from 1947 to 1981.

Warren Freer is internationally known as the first Western politician to ever visit the People's Republic of China after its creation in 1949.

On his 13th birthday, Warren Freer received a present from Savage, a copy of Edward Bellamy's novel Looking Backward, which he "devoured and cherished".

Warren Freer initially worked as a shop assistant at Milne and Choice, a large Queen Street department store, but moved to journalism.

On 9 May 1941, Warren Freer married Sylvia Prudence Squire at the Epsom Methodist Church in Auckland, and the couple went on to have two children.

Warren Freer stood unsuccessfully in the 1946 election for the "hopeless" Eden electorate.

Warren Freer was then asked to stand for the Mount Albert electorate in a 1947 by-election, which he won.

Warren Freer chose not to seek re-election at the 1981 election, and was succeeded by Helen Clark.

Warren Freer cast his own vote in the next ballot for the 66 year old Anderton, thinking that at 36 he had plenty of time to make it in to cabinet.

Retrospectively, Warren Freer regretted the decision as Labour spent the following four terms in opposition.

In March 1959 Warren Freer was quoted in the tabloid newspaper New Zealand Truth as having stated "See Phil, and Phil will fix it" to Henry Judd, an emigre importer, insinuating Warren Freer was informing Judd that the Minister of Industries and Commerce Phil Holloway could grant him an ease-of-passage remedy for controlled imports.

Warren Freer was ranked third in cabinet and served as acting Prime Minister three times, and was "appalled" by the amount of paper Kirk was given to read, with "international secrets" that he could read in that week's Time.

Warren Freer stood as a candidate for the deputy leadership of the New Zealand Labour Party in 1974 after Kirk's death only to prevent Arthur Faulkner winning on the first ballot, hoping that either Bob Tizard or Colin Moyle would win the subsequent ballot.

Warren Freer was replaced in the safe Mount Albert seat by Helen Clark who beat six other contenders including electorate chairman Keith Elliot, former MP Malcolm Douglas and future MP Jack Elder for the nomination.

In 1982, Warren Freer was appointed a justice of the peace.

In 1996, Warren Freer moved to Noosa on the Sunshine Coast in Australia.

Warren Freer was survived by his two sons from his first marriage, and by his second wife.

In 1953, Warren Freer was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal, and in 1977 he received the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.