Preceded by Pete Hodgson Name David Clark Constituency Dunedin North Role New Zealand Politician | Political party Labour Party Party New Zealand Labour Party Website www.davidclark.org.nz | |
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Born 5 January 1973 (age 51) ( 1973-01-05 ) Profiles | ||
mentalhealthmatters david clark
David Scott Clark (born 5 January 1973) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for Dunedin North. He is the Opposition Spokesperson for Health. Previously he has been Opposition Spokesperson for Small Business and Economic Development.
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Early life
Clark grew up in Beachlands, just south of Auckland, and was schooled in Auckland.
Clark undertook university study at the University of Otago and Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen. He completed degrees in German and theology before a PhD on the work of German refugee and existentialist thinker Helmut Herbert Hermann Rex.
Ordained in 1997, Clark is a Presbyterian minister. He was the celebrant at the civil union of MP Grant Robertson. He has also worked as a Treasury analyst and the warden of Selwyn College at the University of Otago.
Before his election to Parliament, Clark served as deputy chair of the Otago Community Trust.
Member of Parliament
After serving as chairman on the Labour Party Dunedin North electorate committee, Clark was selected by the Labour Party to replace the retiring Pete Hodgson in the electorate. He won the seat at the 2011 election securing 12,976 votes (44.25 percent), 3489 more than his closest rival.
Clark’s maiden parliamentary speech focused on his concern about rising inequality and his passion for social justice. In it, he argued that a more equal society will produce better outcomes, both socially and economically.
During his time as revenue spokesperson, he drew attention to difficulties the dated Inland Revenue computer system was creating for the organisation, and the small amounts that multinational companies were contributing to the tax base.
Clark shot to early prominence as the sponsor of the popular ‘Mondayising’ Bill that saw additional public holidays set aside in years when Waitangi Day and Anzac Day fall on a weekend. This was the first Bill to pass against the Government in four years.
Clark completed an Eisenhower Fellowship in 2013, focusing much of his trip on the priority accorded to the values of fairness and freedom in New Zealand and the United States.
Clark stood again for the 2014 election securing 16,315 votes (46.44 percent), 5917 more than his closest rival, and thus increasing his majority.
Personal life
Clark is married to Katrina, and they have three children. His brother, Ben, stood for Labour in the North Shore at the 2011 election, placing second behind Maggie Barry. During his university years Clark was a competitive cyclist and has twice completed the New Zealand Ironman.