Bruce Gregory (politician)

Bruce Craig Gregory (22 April 1937 – 29 October 2015) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.

Early life and career

Gregory was born in Kaingaroa in Northland to parents Vivian Lauder Gregory (Ngāi Tahu) and Tai Te Maru (Te Rarawa). He was educated at Pukepoto Native School, Kaitaia College and the University of Otago. He graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery and practised medicine in Thames and Kaitaia. Notably, he was the first Māori general practitioner to work in Kaitaia.^[1]

He maintained an interest throughout his life in Māori art and musical instruments.^[1]

Political career

New Zealand Parliament

Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1980–1981	39th	Northern Maori			Labour
1981–1984	40th	Northern Maori			Labour
1984–1987	41st	Northern Maori			Labour
1987–1990	42nd	Northern Maori			Labour
1990–1993	43rd	Northern Maori			Labour

Gregory was selected as the Labour Party candidate for the Northern Maori electorate in a 1980 by-election, caused by the resignation of the previous incumbent, Matiu Rata.^[2] Rata contested the by-election for the Mana Motuhake party but, ultimately, Gregory was successful. He was successful in each subsequent general election until 1993, when Tau Henare won Northern Maori for New Zealand First.

In 1983 he was appointed as Labour's spokesperson for Arts & Culture in the Lange shadow Cabinet.^[3] He was not appointed a minister in the Fourth Labour Government. In 1990 he became Labour's spokesperson for Lands in the Moore shadow Cabinet.^[4]

In 1990, Gregory was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.^[5]

Upon his defeat at the 1993 general election, Gregory returned to Kaitaia and continued his work in Māori health.^[1]

Death

Gregory died on 29 October 2015.^[6]

Notes

1. "Dr Gregory – a medical man with a passion". NZ Herald. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
2. "Labour Going For the Doctor". The New Zealand Herald. 5 May 1980. p. 1.
3. "Labour leader allocates responsibilities". The Press. 17 March 1983. p. 3.
4. "All Labour's 29 MPs get areas of responsibility". Otago Daily Times. 28 November 1990. p. 4.
5. Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 163. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
6. "Obituaries – Dr Bruce Gregory". New Zealand Parliament. Hansard. Retrieved 3 November 2015.

References

• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.

New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Matiu Rata	Member of Parliament for Northern Maori 1980–1993	Succeeded by Tau Henare