Tim Macindoe

Early life

Macindoe was born in Auckland New Zealand where he was a boarder at King's College and later attended Otago University, where he studied for a BA (Hons) in History. Macindoe has been heavily involved with New Zealand education, most recently as the Deputy Principal at St. Peter's School. Macindoe has also held roles in retail, agriculture and as a prison tutor.

In 2009, Macindoe completed his second degree; an LLB from the University of Waikato.

Political career

In 1996 Macindoe unsuccessfully stood for United New Zealand both as its 11th-ranked list candidate and in the Karapiro electorate. He also unsuccessfully stood for the National Party in 1999, 2002, and 2005, for which he was ranked 52nd, 39th, and 62nd respectively.

Macindoe has held numerous roles within the New Zealand National Party, including Chairman of the Hamilton West electorate and four years as deputy chair of National's Central North Island regional organisation. In 2005 he organised a petition which forced the abandonment of a proposal by the New Zealand Labour Party to site an unsecured home for youth offenders opposite Melville High School.

Member of Parliament

In the 2008 election, Macindoe won the Hamilton West electorate by a margin of 1,618 votes, defeating incumbent Labour MP Martin Gallagher.

Within Parliament Macindoe is the Deputy Chair of the Regulations Review Select Committee, and is a member of the Social Services Select Committee. He is the Co-Chair of the Caucus Education Committee, and a member of several other caucus committees, including the BlueGreens, Treaty of Waitangi Issues, Arts and Culture, and Law and Order.

In the New Zealand general election, 2011, Macindoe again won Hamilton West, defeating Labour Party list MP Sue Moroney by a margin of 4,049 votes.

Following the February 2013 reshuffle by John Key, Macindoe was selected as the new Junior Whip, being joined by Third Whip Jami-Lee Ross and Chief Whip Louise Upston

On 2 May 2017, Prime Minister Bill English announced that Macindoe and Scott Simpson would be become Ministers outside of cabinet. Macindoe currently serves as Minister of Customs, Associate Minister of Education and Associate Minister of Transport.

Political views

Macindoe opposed the Crimes (Abolition of Force as a Justification for Child Discipline) Amendment Bill and supported the "no" vote in the corporal punishment referendum, 2009.

He also opposed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, which legalized same-sex marriage in New Zealand. In Parliament, Macindoe cited his committed Christian beliefs in supporting his position, arguing that same-sex relationships could "never be regarded as true marriage" because they were "intrinsically different", and that "the nature of marriage should not be interfered with". However, despite his opposition, the bill was passed by Parliament and took effect in 2013.

Personal life

He is married to Anne Macindoe, and they have two children. Outside Parliament, Macindoe is a parishioner at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Forest Lake; and he co-chairs the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Regional Orchestra Steering Committee.

Macindoe has served on the boards of two local schools, as a broadcaster for Community Radio Hamilton, and on the Melville Community Action Group in 2005. He is a strong supporter of the Hamilton Hydrotherapy Pool Trust, even having his hair dyed blue in a successful fundraiser for the project in 2008. His sporting interests include golf, cricket and rugby and supporting his children's sporting activities.