Hon Roger Sowry

• Minister of Social Services, Work and Income
  [This portfolio includes responsibility for the Department of Social Welfare, Department of Work and Income (including Employment), and Ministry of Housing]
  
• Minister Responsible for Housing Corporation of New Zealand
• Leader of the House
• Minister Responsible for Minority Government Management
• National List MP

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Cabinet Committee Memberships

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

Biography
Hon. Roger Sowry, List Member of Parliament, was appointed Minister of Social Welfare upon the formation of the National-New Zealand First Coalition Government on 10 December 1996.

He brings a number of years experience to the role having chaired the Social Services Select committee from 1993 to 1996.

Mr Sowry was elected to Parliament as the MP for Kapiti in 1990, and was appointed to the position of Junior Whip in 1993.

He then moved into the Senior Whip's role in 1995. He was also a member of National's team which negotiated a coalition agreement after the general election in 1996, to govern with New Zealand First.

Mr Sowry has been a member of the National Party since 1977. Within the party he has been Deputy Divisional Chairman, Wellington Young Nationals 1979-80; Pencarrow Electorate Chairman 1982-86; Divisional Councillor 1985-1996; Deputy Chairman of Wellington Division 1988-90, and Wellington Representative on NZ National Executive 1989-90.

Mr Sowry was born in Palmerston North 2 December 1958. Educated at Tararua College, Pahiatua - where he was head boy in 1976 - he went on to gain an American Field Scholarship to Minnesota, USA, in 1977, and graduated from Victoria University in Wellington with a Diploma in Business Administration.

Prior to his election to Parliament in 1990, Mr Sowry worked in a number of roles for R Hannah & Co.

Mr Sowry has been a member of the Wellington 22 (public speaking) Club for the past 16 years, and with the Kapiti Lions Club since 1988, and was a member of the establishment committee for the Mary Potter Hospice.

He is married to Shirley and they have four children. They all live at Raumati Beach, on the Kapiti Coast.

Mr Sowry has electorate offices in Paraparaumu and Levin.

The Paraparaumu office is run by Electorate Agent Sue Reid, and Mr Sowry can be contacted there most Fridays:
16 Seaview Road Paraparaumu Beach, P O Box 1524, Paraparaumu Beach.
Phone 04 298 2906, Fax 04 298 4845.

Roger Sowry also sits on the following Cabinet Committees:
Education and Employment Policy
Health and Social Policy
Committee for Government Administration.

Media queries:
Marnie Woodd
Press Secretary phone 04 471 9365
or
cellphone 025 440 405