David BENSON-POPE

He's Dunedin through and through:
Born in Dunedin in 1950, David was educated at St Clair School, Tahuna Intermediate and King's High School. He went on to the University of Otago completing a BA with Honours before training as a teacher at Christchurch Teachers College. Teaching brought him back to Dunedin where he went on to become the Head of the Department of Languages and Head of the Department Outdoor Education at Bayfield High School. He is a trustee of the Norman Kirk Memorial Trust. David was elected Member of Parliament for Dunedin South in 1999. He is married to Jan Flood and has teenage twins Samantha and Henry.

Around the table - Ministerial positions held:
David is currently Minister for Social Development and Employment and Minister for the Environment.

David became a Cabinet Minister in February 2004. He was appointed Minister of Fisheries, Associate Justice Minister, Minister Responsible for the Law Commission and Associate Minister for the Environment. In a Cabinet reshuffle in December 2004 he swapped his Justice roles for Education ones, becoming Associate Minister of Education and Minister Responsible for the Education Review Office. He stepped aside from his Associate Education role in May 2005.

David has taken responsibility for a number of high profile pieces of legislation. These include changes to family law through the Care of Children Bill; overseeing the passing of the historic Maori fisheries settlement legislation; bringing certainty to the marine farming industry with Aquaculture Reform Legislation; championing changes to the Resource Management Act; and shepherding the Civil Union Bill through Parliament.

In the big house - Parliamentary service:
Current Chair of the New Zealand/German Parliamentary Friendship Group
Former Senior Government Whip 2002-2004
Former member of the Business Committee
Former member of the Standing Orders Committee
Former member of the Officers of Parliament Committee
Former member of the Parliamentary Service Commission
Former member of the Local Government and Environment Select Committee
Former member of the Education and Science Select Committee
Former member of the Regulations Review Select Committee

It's about community - previous public office:
Dunedin City Councillor 1986 - 2000
Highest polling Councillor in East Ward 1986
Highest polling Councillor in Dunedin 1995
Chair of Dunedin City Council Planning & Environment Committee
Chair of Directors, City Forests Limited
Chair, Dunedin Heritage Fund
Councillor, Otago Polytechnic
Councillor, Dunedin Public Art Gallery

Council action - involved in Dunedin:
Nuclear Free Dunedin; Environmental Work - waste water and water upgrades; non-privatisation issues; street trees; Octagon Redevelopment; George Street improvements; Streetscape improvements in South Dunedin; Prince's Street; the Exchange and Portobello; Railway Station purchase; Anzac Square development; Development on the Esplanade at St Clair; Vauxhall development; Meridan/Filleul Carpark; Bayfield Park development; Lower Stuart Street improvements; St Clair Hot Salt Water Pool; Tahuna Park development; Tertiary Hall of Residence; Caledonian relocation to Logan Park.

A history of politics - previous offices held:
President Students' Association Christchurch Teachers College; National President, Student Teachers Association of New Zealand; Board Member NZ Students' Arts Council; Convenor, Combined State Unions Dunedin; Chair Otago Region Post Primary Teachers Association; Member Policy Council NZLP Foreign Affairs and Local Government; Chair Otago Youth Adventure Trust; Councillor Otago Peninsula Trust; Councillor Dunedin Public Art Gallery Society; and Chair Spirit of Adventure Trust (Otago/Southland)