Political Career
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||||
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | |
| 1972–1975 | 37th | Rangiora | Labour | |
| 1978–1981 | 39th | West Coast | Labour | |
| 1981–1984 | 40th | West Coast | Labour | |
| 1984–1987 | 41st | West Coast | Labour | |
| 1987–1990 | 42nd | West Coast | Labour | |
Burke was first elected to Parliament as the Labour MP for Rangiora in the 1972 elections. In the 1975 elections, however, he lost his seat, and remained outside Parliament for three years. In the 1978 elections, Burke was elected as the Labour MP for the West Coast electorate.
When Labour won the 1984 elections, Burke became Minister of Immigration and Minister of Employment. He held these roles until the 1987 elections, when he was chosen to replace the outgoing Gerard Wall as Speaker. At 45 he was the second youngest Speaker in the history of the Parliament of New Zealand.
He served in this role for three years, losing the Speakership and his seat when Labour lost the 1990 elections.
He was first elected councillor of the Canterbury Regional Council in 1998 and was chairman from 2004. On 24 October 2007, following the local body elections, he was elected Chairman for a further term. On 24 September 2009, Burke lost a motion of no confidence and was replaced as Chairman. In 2010 the New Zealand Government fired Burke, and the remaining Regional Councillors of Environment Canterbury, two years after the previous Local Body Elections. They were replaced by Government-appointed Commissioners and elections for Environment Canterbury are to be held in 2013. The reason cited for the sacking was due to poor direction, "woeful" performance and governance and an overall collapse of confidence in the organisation.
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