Hon. Douglas Kidd, DCNZM, LLB

Douglas Lorimer Kidd was educated at Victoria University where he graduated LLB in 1964. After being admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor, he joined the Blenheim law firm, Wisheart, Macnab and Partners in 1964 and practised as a partner until 1979. Holding positions on the Marlborough Electorate Executive, as a Dominion Councillor, and as an Electorate Chairman for Marlborough, he was elected MP for Marlborough in 1978. Between 1980 and 1990 he chaired a number of Parliamentary Select Committees and Caucus committees.

In 1990 he was appointed to Cabinet as Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, Fisheries and Associate Minister of Finance, also chairing the Cabinet Expenditure Control Committee. Mr Kidd was made Māori Affairs Minister, retaining the Fisheries portfolio in 1991. He was appointed to the Fisheries, Energy and Labour portfolios and was appointed chair of the Expenditure Control and Revenue Committee following the 1993 General Election, and appointed to the ACC portfolio in 1995. He was made Speaker in 1996 and was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in June 2000.