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by | Mar 19, 2018 | Nelumbo

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Jamie Arthur Arbuckle[1] (born 1978 or 1979) is a New Zealand politician.

Arbuckle has been a Marlborough district councillor since the 2010 local elections. In the 2023 New Zealand general election, he was also elected as a Member of Parliament in the New Zealand House of Representatives for the New Zealand First party; he continues to also be a district councillor.

Early life and family

Born in 1978 or 1979,[2] Arbuckle grew up in Rapaura on an apple and cherry orchard.[3] He did not know his father.[4] Despite "not [being] academic" at school, Arbuckle went on to earn a diploma in management from Nelson Polytechnic (now the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology).[2]

In 2009 Arbuckle applied to the Marlborough Farmers' Market to set up a stall selling asparagus, but questions were raised about whether he grew it himself, and his application was subsequently turned down. Arbuckle then led a group of stallholders to set up a competing market in Redwoodtown.[2]

He is married to Sally, and they have four children.[3] He trains racehorses as a hobby.[2]

Political career

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2023–present 54th List 6 NZ First

At the 2010 local elections, Arbuckle was elected to the Marlborough District Council. He was re-elected in the 2013 elections and again in the 2016 elections where he won the highest number of votes in the Blenheim Ward each time.[5] At the 2010, 2013 and 2019 elections he also ran for mayor as well as the council but was defeated, placing second on each occasion.[6] His wife Sally also stood for Marlborough District Council in 2019 but was unsuccessful.[7][8] Both of them were elected in the 2022 local elections.[9] He served as chair of the economic, finance and community committee at the council.[10]

Arbuckle entered national politics when he was selected by the New Zealand First party to contest the Kaikōura electorate at the 2017 election where he finished third.[11] He stood again in the seat at the 2020 election, finishing fourth.[12] After this loss he joined the New Zealand First board.[13] Selected to run a third time in Kaikōura at the 2023 general election, he was ranked 6th on the 2023 party list.[14] Arbuckle finished in third place in the Kaikōura electorate, with 4,347 votes, but entered Parliament as one of eight New Zealand First list MPs.[15][16]

Arbuckle sits on the finance and expenditure committee and is deputy chair of the justice committee. He is also the New Zealand First whip.[17]

Arbuckle refused to resign his position as councillor in order to avoid causing a by-election; he intends to remain on council until October 2024 when a by-election would not longer be necessary to fill any vacancy he creates.[18][19] When he was elected to parliament, he said he would return his council remuneration until his eventual resignation, but later changed his mind and on 6 May 2024 said he would keep it.[20] The next day he changed his mind after being criticised for "double dipping" and said he would donate the council salary to charity.[21]

References

  1. ^ "Members Sworn". New Zealand Parliament. 5 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Heide, Maike van der (11 October 2010). "Stallholder 'the voice of the people'". Stuff. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Jamie Arbuckle". Stuff. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Arbuckle, Jamie – Maiden Statements". New Zealand Parliament. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  5. ^ McPhee, Elena (8 October 2016). "Jamie Arbuckle the top pick in Marlborough's Blenheim Ward – again". Stuff. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  6. ^ Ranford, Chloe (28 October 2019). "'Always the bridesmaid' Jamie Arbuckle makes general election vow". Stuff. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  7. ^ Ranford, Chloe (4 August 2019). "Husband and wife to stand in elections". Marlborough Express. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  8. ^ Heiford, Dean (15 October 2019). "2019 Council Election : Marlborough District Council". Marlborough District Council. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  9. ^ Hart, Maia (14 October 2022). "Final election declaration sees two changes to preliminary result in Marlborough". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  10. ^ Allen, Ian (22 August 2023). "Jamie Arbuckle not fifth on NZ First list. His picture is just fifth down". Stuff. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Official Count Results – Kaikōura (2017)". Electoral Commission. 7 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  12. ^ "Official Count Results – Kaikōura (2020)". Electoral Commission. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  13. ^ Reporter, Maia Hart Local Democracy (28 May 2023). "Councillor Jamie Arbuckle throws hat back in the ring for New Zealand First". Stuff. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Election 2023: New Zealand First releases party list". Radio New Zealand. 16 September 2023.
  15. ^ "2023 General Election: Successful candidates". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  16. ^ "Official count – Overall Results". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 7 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  17. ^ "Arbuckle, Jamie – New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  18. ^ Reporter, Maia Hart Local Democracy (14 October 2023). "Stuart Smith to represent Kaikōura electorate for a fourth term". Stuff. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  19. ^ Kirkby-McLeod, Libby (27 October 2023). "Councillors elected as MPs looking for ways to avoid by-elections". RNZ. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  20. ^ Hart, Maia (6 May 2024). "MP Jamie Arbuckle to keep two jobs". RNZ. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  21. ^ "NZ First MP Jamie Arbuckle to donate council salary to charity". NZ Herald. 6 May 2024. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
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