Anthony Boyd Williams Ryall CNZM (born 19 November 1964) is a former New Zealand politician. He represented the National Party in the New Zealand Parliament from 1990 to 2014. Between 2008 and 2014 he served as a cabinet minister, holding the posts of Minister of Health, Minister of State Services and Minister of State Owned Enterprises. He served previously in the Shipley Cabinet between 1997 and 1999. He announced in February 2014 that he was to retire from politics at that year's general election. He is chief executive of BestStart Educare, an early childhood education provider.

Tony Ryall
38th Minister of Health
In office
19 November 2008 – 8 October 2014
Prime MinisterJohn Key
Preceded byDavid Cunliffe
Succeeded byJonathan Coleman
Minister for State-Owned Enterprises
In office
April 2011 – 8 October 2014
Prime MinisterJohn Key
Preceded bySimon Power
Succeeded byTodd McClay
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Bay of Plenty
In office
12 October 1996 – 20 August 2014
Preceded byNew electorate
Succeeded byTodd Muller
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for East Cape
In office
27 October 1990 – 6 November 1993
Preceded byAnne Fraser
Succeeded byElectorate abolished
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Eastern Bay of Plenty
In office
6 November 1993 – 12 October 1996
Preceded byNew electorate
Succeeded byElectorate abolished
Personal details
Born (1964-11-19) 19 November 1964 (age 59)
New Zealand
Political partyNational
OccupationCredit analyst

Early life and family edit

He was born in Christchurch and educated in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and graduated Bachelor of Business Studies (Accounting and Finance) from Massey University.[1] Ryall is married with two children.[2]

Professional career edit

Before entering politics, he worked as a credit analyst at a bank.[3] In 1990 he was in the Corporate Credit Recovery section of the Bank of New Zealand. He joined the East Cape branch of the Young Nationals in 1980. In 1987 he was an assistant at the party National Headquarters, and in 1988/89 was Canvassing Coordinator and Treasurer of the Miramar electorate.[4]

Member of Parliament edit

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
1990–1993 43rd East Cape National
1993–1996 44th Eastern Bay of Plenty National
1996–1999 45th Bay of Plenty 29 National
1999–2002 46th Bay of Plenty 9 National
2002–2005 47th Bay of Plenty 8 National
2005–2008 48th Bay of Plenty 6 National
2008–2011 49th Bay of Plenty 6 National
2011–2014 50th Bay of Plenty 5 National

1990–1999 edit

He first won election to Parliament as Member of Parliament for the East Cape electorate in the 1990 election at age 26.[2] Subsequent boundary reorganisations saw him represent the Eastern Bay of Plenty electorate (1993–1996) and the Bay of Plenty electorate (1996–2014).[5]

Ryall served in the Cabinet between 1997 and 1999 variously as Minister for State-Owned Enterprises (8 December 1997 – 10 December 1999), Minister of Local Government ( 31 August 1998 – 31 January 1999), Minister of Youth Affairs (31 August 1998 – 10 December 1999), Associate Minister of Justice (8 December 1997 – 31 January 1999), Minister of Justice (31 January – 10 December 1999), Minister in Charge of the Audit Department (8 December 1997 – 26 August 1998), Minister Responsible for Radio New Zealand (8 December 1997 – 31 January 1999), and Minister Responsible for Housing New Zealand (31 January 1999 – 10 December 1999).[6]

In Opposition: 1999–2008 edit

During the National Party's time in Opposition, he was spokesperson for Housing (1999–2002), Justice (1999–2002), Timberlands and SILNA (1999–2002), Commerce (15 August 2002 – 2 November 2003), Corrections (15 August 2002 – 2 November 2003), Courts (15 August 2002 – 2 November 2003), Police (15 August 2002 – 2 November 2003), Sentencing (15 August 2002 – 2 November 2003), Law and Order (2003 – 26 October 2005), and Immigration (9 August 2004 – 26 October 2005).[6]

In the 2005 general election Ryall won the largest National Party electorate majority in the country: in his Bay of Plenty electorate he gained a majority of approximately 15,800 votes. In the 2008 election he secured the country's second largest majority, behind the Prime Minister's 17,600 majority.[citation needed]

Cabinet Minister in the Fifth National Government: 2008–2014 edit

From November 2008 to his retirement from politics in 2014, he served as the Minister of Health.[2][7][8] Along with the Minister of Finance, Ryall oversaw National's government share offer programme, which yielded $4.7b from the partial sale of three state-owned electricity generators and Air New Zealand. He announced in February 2014 that he was to retire from politics at that year's general election.[9]

Ryall was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services as a Member of Parliament, in the 2015 New Year Honours.[10]

After politics edit

Ryall joined law firm Simpson Grierson in November 2014 as head of its public policy practice.[11] In February 2015, he was appointed a director of the New Zealand subsidiary of Australian nib Health Funds, a health insurance company.[3] He is currently chief executive of BestStart Educare Limited.

References edit

  1. ^ Temple, Philip (1994). Temple's Guide to the 44th New Zealand Parliament. Dunedin: McIndoe Publishers. p. 82. ISBN 0-86868-159-8.
  2. ^ a b c Trevett, Claire (27 February 2014). "Health Minister Tony Ryall announces retirement". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  3. ^ a b "nib appoints Tony Ryall to NZ Board" (Press release). nib New Zealand. Scoop. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  4. ^ Stringer, John (1990). 1990 Parliamentary Candidates. Wellington: New Zealand National Party. p. 15.
  5. ^ "Hon Tony Ryall". New Zealand National Party. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Hon Tony Ryall". New Zealand Parliament. 20 March 2013. Archived from the original on 19 March 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  7. ^ "The Key Government: Those on front line see plenty to like". The New Zealand Herald. 18 November 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Ministerial List for Announcement on 17 November 2008" (PDF). New Zealand Government. 17 November 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
  9. ^ Kirk, Stacey (27 February 2014). "Tony Ryall to retire". Stuff NZ (Fairfax). Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  10. ^ "New Year honours list 2015". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Former MP Tony Ryall joins Simpson Grierson". Stuff.co.nz. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2015.

External links edit

Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Justice
1999
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Health
2008–2014
Succeeded by
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for East Cape
1990–1993
Electorate abolished
New constituency Member of Parliament for Eastern Bay of Plenty
1993–1996
In abeyance
Title last held by
Duncan MacIntyre
Member of Parliament for Bay of Plenty
1996–2014
Succeeded by