Ewen McQueen - Politics

Politics

Ewen McQueen has been a member of the New Zealand National Party since 2007. He was a member of the party's 2010/11 candidate college and sought selection as the National candidate in the North Shore electorate for the 2011 general election, losing to Maggie Barry. He also unsuccessfully sought selection for the Epsom seat.

Prior to joining the National Party McQueen joined the Christian Heritage Party in 1992, and stood as a Christian Heritage candidate on five occasions. Four of his campaigns were in the Auckland electorates of Eden, Epsom and Mt Roskill, but his most successful election campaign was in the Taranaki-King Country by-election in 1998, in which he placed fifth. He also served as his party's deputy leader and finance spokesperson until 1999.

McQueen narrowly missed election to parliament as a Christian Heritage candidate in the New Zealand general election, 1996.

In August 2003, McQueen was elected as the new leader of Christian Heritage, and replaced the retiring Graham Capill.

McQueen became a Christian when aged eighteen, and said that his belief gave "hope, meaning, direction and strength." He stated a belief that he was "called to politics" in the same way that others might be called "to be a pastor or evangelist or such like." He opposed civil unions, saying that they were similar to marriage.

In October 2006, McQueen announced the closure of Christian Heritage New Zealand, blaming its demise on Graham Capill's criminal convictions, although he hoped to be involved with a new conservative Christian political party .