Ron Bailey (politician)

The Honourable Ron Bailey QSO
21st Minister of Railways
In office 10 September 1974 – 12 December 1975
Prime Minister	Bill Rowling
Preceded by	Tom McGuigan
Succeeded by	Colin McLachlan
Personal details
Born	15 December 1926 Napier, New Zealand
Died	16 April 2015 Auckland, New Zealand
Political party	Labour

Ronald "Ron" Leslie Bailey QSO (15 December 1926 – 16 April 2015) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.

Early life

Bailey was born in Napier in 1926. He grew up in various public works camps and attended four different primary schools in the central North Island. He received his secondary education at Wairoa District High School (now Wairoa College) and Gisborne High School. His first jobs were as a clerk and a carpenter. He became a union organiser in 1956.^[1]

Political career

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1960–1963	33rd	Heretaunga		Labour
1963–1966	34th	Heretaunga		Labour
1966–1969	35th	Heretaunga		Labour
1969–1972	36th	Heretaunga		Labour
1972–1975	37th	Heretaunga		Labour
1975–1978	38th	Heretaunga		Labour
1978–1981	39th	Heretaunga		Labour

Plaque from his period as Minister of Railways at Hamilton Railway Station, Waikato

When Phil Holloway retired from the Heretaunga electorate,^[1] Bailey won the Labour Party nomination and the subsequent election.^[2] He served seven terms and retired in 1981, when he was succeeded by Bill Jeffries.^[3]

Bailey was Labour's junior whip from 1966 to 1972.^[4] He was Chairman of Committees from 16 February 1973 until 10 September 1974.^[5]

He was the Minister of Railways^[6] in the Third Labour Government and Minister of Electricity from 10 September 1974 to 12 December 1975, when National came to power.^[7]

Bailey was not a minister in the Fourth Labour Government, but was the convenor of the Backbone Club formed to support Roger Douglas against Jim Anderton.^[8]

After politics

Bailey struggled to find permanent work when he left parliament. He worked as a real estate agent for a while but found it hard to persuade people to take on high debt. For a while, he and his wife manufactured artisan chocolate at their home. He then became a review officer for the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) and went to retirement when he was 66.^[1] In the 1987 Queen's Birthday Honours, Bailey was made a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.^[9]

Private life

Bailey was married to Shirley for 29 years, when she died. They had one daughter and one son. His second wife was Barbara; she was the electorate secretary for Roger Douglas. They first met during the election campaign for the Mangere by-election in 1977.^[1] They later moved to Auckland and he died there on 16 April 2015, survived by his second wife.^[10]

Notes

1. Fitzsimons, Tom (9 June 2015). "Veteran Labour MP Ron Bailey became vocal Rogernomics supporter". The Dominion Post. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
2. Wilson 1985, p. 181.
3. Wilson 1985, pp. 181, 208.
4. Wilson 1985, p. 281.
5. Wilson 1985, p. 252.
6. New Zealand Railways - The First 125 Years. By David Leitch and Bob Stott. Appendix two - Ministers of Railways 1895 - 1988. ISBN 0-7900-0000-8
7. Wilson 1985, pp. 93–94.
8. Bassett, Michael (2008). Working with David: Inside the Lange Cabinet. Auckland: Hodder Moa. p. 586 (Note 2). ISBN 978-1-86971-094-1.
9. New Zealand list: The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 50950. p. 33. 13 June 1987. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
10. "Ronald Bailey obituary". New Zealand Herald. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.

References

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