Hon Brian Donnelly

• Education Review Office
• Associate Minister of Education
• Associate Minister of Pacific Island Affairs
• New Zealand First List MP

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Cabinet Social Policy Committee SOC
Cabinet Strategy Subcommittee on Expenditure Control and Government Administration EXG

Hon. Brian Donnelly was born in Auckland in November 1949 and was educated at Sacred Heart College, Auckland, to which he won a boarding scholarship. He attended Auckland and Massey Universities, gaining a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education, Master of Educational Administration, Diploma in Teaching and Diploma in Second Language Teaching.

He has worked in the education field in 25 years. His teaching career includes teaching in primary, secondary, area and intermediate schools, including Principal of Tauraroa Area School (1982-1990), Deputy Principal of Titikaveka College in Rarotonga (1977-80), and Principal of Whangarei Intermediate School (1990-1996). He has also been a part-time lecturer in Advanced Studies for Teachers and Diploma in Educational Management Papers for Auckland College of Education and has tutored university papers for both Auckland and Massey Universities. In 1978 he was awarded the A.W. & A.H. Reed Book Prize for Pacific History.

He also worked for the Education Review Office for 10 months in 1990.

He has been an active sportsman. In rugby league he represented Auckland, Northland, NZ Universities and NZ Colts, and was a Kiwi trialist on several occasions. He assisted in the introduction of rugby league to the Cook Islands and was responsible for the inaugural inter-school competition in Auckland and has managed both Northland and NZ University teams. He also represented the Cook Islands in rugby union.

Mr. Donnelly entered politics six weeks before the 1993 election, standing for NZ First in the Whangarei electorate. He was the fourth highest polling NZ First candidate in 1993.

He was appointed Minister responsible for the Education Review Office and Associate Minister of Education following the formation of the New Zealand First-National coalition government in December 1996. Mr Donnelly's goals during his time in Parliament are to be an advocate for the people of Northland, for teachers and for children.

Brian Donnelly has been married to Linda for 25 years. Their eldest daughter, Theresa, is a qualified lawyer. Their other two children, Ioane and Erena, are currently students at Kamo High School. Linda is principal of Purua Primary School.

Mr. Donnelly's hobbies include rugby, league, gardening and fishing.