Member of Parliament
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||||
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party |
| 1996–1999 | 45th | List | 7 | ACT |
| 1999–2002 | 46th | List | 5 | ACT |
| 2002–2005 | 47th | List | 2 | ACT |
| 2005–2008 | 48th | Epsom | 1 | ACT |
| 2008–2011 | 49th | Epsom | 1 | ACT |
Hide first entered Parliament in 1996 as a list MP. He won the party parliamentary leadership role in a closely contested primary after the retirement of Richard Prebble in 2004. He then went on to win the Epsom electorate from sitting National Party MP Richard Worth in 2005 with the campaign message "ACT is back".
Hide had a reputation for strong views, for his media profile, and for his confrontational style. Some commentators dubbed him the "leader of the opposition" when he still sat on the back benches. His supporters often described him as one of the most effective opposition MPs, and praised him for his motivation and commitment.
Read more about this topic: Rodney Hide
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