Lindsay Tisch

Summary

William Lindsay Tisch QSO JP (born 9 October 1947), known as Lindsay Tisch, is a former New Zealand National Party politician.

Lindsay Tisch
Tisch in 2018
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Karapiro
In office
19992002
Preceded byJohn Luxton
Succeeded byconstituency abolished
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Piako
In office
20022008
Preceded byJack Luxton (in 1978)
Succeeded byconstituency abolished
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Waikato
In office
2008–2017
Preceded byRob Storey (in 1996)
Succeeded byTim van de Molen
Personal details
Born
William Lindsay Tisch

(1947-10-09) 9 October 1947 (age 76)
Auckland, New Zealand
SpouseLeonie Tisch

Early life edit

Tisch was born in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1947. When he was a child, his family moved to Matamata.[1] He obtained a diploma in agriculture from Lincoln College.[2] He has worked as a farmer and a rural valuer, and was a management consultant. He was a director of Landcorp (1991–1997) and is a member of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand and the New Zealand Institute of Property Management.[2]

Tisch is a Justice of the Peace, a trustee of the Pohlen Hospital Foundation based in Matamata, and a member of Matamata Lions Clubs.[2]

Member of Parliament edit

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
1999–2002 46th Karapiro None National
2002–2005 47th Piako None National
2005–2008 48th Piako 24 National
2008–2011 49th Waikato 19 National
2011–2014 50th Waikato 24 National
2014–2017 51st Waikato 26 National

He joined the National Party in 1966, and has held a number of senior roles in its organisational wing. In 1994 he served briefly as the party's president and was the party's campaign manager for the 1996 election.[2] He was a member of Parliament from 1999 to 2017, when he retired.[3]

Tisch was selected to replace John Luxton as National's candidate in the electorate of Karapiro in the 1999 election. He defeated the Labour candidate by 5,000 votes. The name of the electorate was changed back to Piako for the 2002 election and the 2005 election; Tisch was comfortably re-elected each time. The name referred to a little-known river past Morrinsville, and Tisch was successful in lobbying to have the electorate renamed after the Waikato River.[1]

In the 2008 election, Tisch was re-elected in the recreated Waikato seat with a majority of 12,850 over Jacinda Ardern. He was further re-elected in the 2011 election and 2014 election, after which he retired.[3]

In 2009, it was revealed Tisch was using a front company to maximise his accommodation allowance paid by the taxpayer. Tisch was claiming $410 a week which was paid to his property investment company, Heritage 653 Limited.[4]

Tisch was never a minister but held senior parliamentary roles in the National Party and in the House of Representatives. He was the National Party junior whip (2002–2005) and senior whip (2005–2006) before taking on roles as Deputy Speaker of the House (2008–2011) and Assistant Speaker of the House (2011–2017). Under former leaders Bill English and Don Brash, Tisch was briefly National Party spokesperson for small business (2002–2005), civil defence and emergency services (2003–2004), and internal affairs (2003–2005).[5]

Political views edit

Tisch held conservative views and opposed same-sex marriage law reform. In 2004, Tisch voted against the Civil Union Act 2004, a bill making it legal for those in same-sex as well as heterosexual relationships to enter into a civil-union.[6] In 2005, Tisch voted for Gordon Copeland's Marriage (Gender Clarification) Amendment Bill, a bill which would have amended the Marriage Act to define marriage as only between a man and woman.[7] In 2012 and 2013, Tisch voted against the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry in New Zealand.[8]

Honours edit

Tisch was one of the 3,632 recipients of the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal,[9] which he received for services to the public.[2]

In the 2018 New Year Honours, Tisch was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for services as a Member of Parliament.[10] In the 2020 New Year Honours, his wife, Leonie, was awarded the Queen's Service Medal, for services to health and the community.[11]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Akuhata, Karla (14 August 2010). "The boundaries of Lindsay Tisch". Waikato Times. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Lindsay Tisch". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  3. ^ a b "MP Lindsay Tisch not to seek re-election". stuff.co.nz. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  4. ^ "Senior MP becomes own landlord to claim maximum allowance". The New Zealand Herald. 26 November 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  5. ^ "Tisch, Lindsay – New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  6. ^ "Civil Unions Act". Archived from the original on 20 January 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  7. ^ "Marriage (Gender Clarification) Amendment Bill – First Reading". New Zealand Parliament. 7 December 2005. Archived from the original on 29 February 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  8. ^ "Region's MPs split on gay marriage". Waikato Times. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Other Distinctive New Zealand Honours". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  10. ^ "New Year honours list 2018". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 30 December 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  11. ^ "New Year honours list 2020". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
Party political offices
Preceded by President of the National Party
1994
Succeeded by
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Karapiro
1999–2002
Constituencies abolished
Vacant
Constituency abolished in 1978, recreated in 2002
Title last held by
Jack Luxton
Member of Parliament for Piako
2002–2008
Vacant
Constituency abolished in 1996, recreated in 2008
Title last held by
Rob Storey
Member of Parliament for Waikato
2008–2017
Succeeded by