Peter Brown (New Zealand Politician) - Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament

Brown was nearly elected to parliament as a New Zealand First candidate for the Kaimai electorate in the 1993 election, and entered parliament as a list MP with the 1996 election. He was re-elected as a list MP at the 1999, 2002 and 2005 elections, until his party's defeat in the New Zealand general election, 2008.

After 2004, Brown served as his party's spokesman on the issues of accident insurance, energy, labour, transport, and statistics. He promoted the cause of voluntary euthanasia, including proposing the Death With Dignity bill which was defeated in a conscience vote in Parliament in 2003.

As a spokesman on migration, Brown suggested in April 2008 there were too many Asian immigrants in New Zealand, and was described as "absolutely being racist" by Ethnic Affairs Minister Chris Carter, and of using "racial stereotyping of the worst sort" by Alasdair Thompson, chief executive of the Employers and Manufacturers Association. Immigration Minister Clayton Cosgrove pointed out Mr Brown's comments were ironic, given that he was a "native born British chap". His views were also criticised by fellow NZ First MP Dail Jones.

In the 2008 general election New Zealand First lost all its parliamentary seats, winning no electorates and polling below the 5% threshold. At a subsequent post-election meeting, Brown stepped down as New Zealand First Deputy Leader in late February 2009.