Richard Francis Walls QSO JP (9 October 1937 – 30 October 2011) was a New Zealand politician and businessman.
Richard Walls | |
|---|---|
 Walls c. 1980 | |
| 52nd Mayor of Dunedin | |
| In office 14 October 1989 – 14 October 1995 | |
| Preceded by | Cliff Skeggs |
| Succeeded by | Sukhi Turner |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Dunedin North | |
| In office 29 November 1975 – 25 November 1978 | |
| Preceded by | Ethel McMillan |
| Succeeded by | Stan Rodger |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Richard Francis Walls 9 October 1937 Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Died | 30 October 2011 (aged 74) Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Political party | National |
| Spouse | June Walls |
| Children | 3 |
Member of Parliament
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975–78 | 38th | Dunedin North | National | ||
Walls was a Member of Parliament for Dunedin North from 1975 to 1978.[1] A member of the National Party, he won the normally safe Labour seat as part of Robert Muldoon's landslide victory of 1975. He was the first National MP to represent a significant portion of Dunedin, a long-standing Labour stronghold, in 21 years. Walls was defeated after only one term by Labour's Stan Rodger; to date, he is the last National MP to represent Dunedin.
Following his defeat, Walls attempted to re-enter parliament by seeking the National nomination for the Auckland seat of East Coast Bays in a 1980 by-election. He made the initial five person shortlist, but after being hospitalised suddenly, he was too ill to travel to Auckland for the selection meeting.[2][3]
Local-body politics
Walls was first elected onto Dunedin City Council in 1980.[4] Prior to that he served on the St. Kilda Borough Council (1962–1965) and on the Otago Harbour Board (1965–1974; Chairman 1971–1973). He was Mayor of Dunedin for two terms from 1989 to 1995, when he was defeated by Sukhi Turner.[4] He was re-elected to the Dunedin City Council as a councillor in 1998. He remained a city councillor until 2010 and was chair of the Finance and Strategy Committee from 2007 to 2010.[5][6] In the 2010 Dunedin local elections, he stood in the Central ward, but was unsuccessful.[7]
Outside politics
In 2010 Walls was chairman of Dunedin International Airport Limited; a fellow of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand (FInstD) and a fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management (FNZIM). He was a justice of the peace and was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services in the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honours.[5][8]
He died suddenly in his Dunedin home on 30 October 2011 at the age of 74, and is survived by his wife June and three children.[9]
References
- The Cyclopedia of Otago-Southland 1998