March

Speaker David Carter

The tradition of Marist Fathers-educated Politicians holding high office continued this week when Hon David Carter MP was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives in Wellington. He is a past pupil of St Bede’s College Christchurch, as is the Leader of the House Hon Gerry Brownlee MP, and both are members of the ruling National party. The Deputy Prime Minister Hon Bill English MP was also Marist educated at Silverstream College Wellington, and Hon Chris Finlayson, Attorney-General and Minister of Treaty Settlements, is an old boy of St Patrick’s Wellington. Hon Peter Dunne, leader of United Future, who also holds a Cabinet post in coalition, attended St Bede’s College.

Other St Bede’s educated Members of Parliament are Hon Clayton Cosgrove, and Hon Damien O’Connor (both Labour) and newcomer Hon Simon O’Connor (National) was educated at Pompallier College. David Carter is not the first Marist Fathers’ alumnus to be Speaker of the House of Representatives, as Dr Sir Gerard Wall held the post from 1985 to 1987 and was educated at St Bede’s College from 1933-1937.