Barbara Kuriger

Barbara Joan Kuriger (born 1961)[1] is a New Zealand politician who was elected to the New Zealand parliament at the 2014 general election as a representative of the New Zealand National Party.

Barbara Kuriger

MP
Senior Whip of the National Party
In office
21 March 2018 – 10 November 2020
DeputyMatt Doocey
LeaderSimon Bridges
Todd Muller
Judith Collins
Preceded byJami-Lee Ross
Succeeded byMatt Doocey
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Taranaki-King Country
Assumed office
20 September 2014
Preceded byShane Ardern
Personal details
Born1961 (age 59–60)
Spouse(s)Louis Kuriger
ProfessionFarmer

Farming career

Kuriger is a farmer, shareholder and director of three family-owned farming business. She has also served on the boards of several companies and institutions including DairyNZ, Dairy Training Limited, Primary ITO, New Zealand Young Farmers, Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre, Te Kauta, Venture Taranaki Trust, and the Dairy Women's Network. In 2012, she won the title of Diary Woman of the Year.[2]

Kuriger is a former director of Oxbow Dairies Ltd which was charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty and neglect. Kuriger ceased being a director in 2014, while her husband Louis was still a director until late 2018 during which period the bulk of the charges were laid and offences committed, her son, Tony, pleaded guilty in January 2020 for causing "prolonged and severe pain" to the animals in his care.[3]

Political career
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2014–2017 51st Taranaki-King Country 58 National
2017–2020 52nd Taranaki-King Country 28 National
2020–present 53rd Taranaki-King Country 20 National

In April 2014, Kuriger was selected as National's representative in Taranaki-King Country to replace incumbent Member of Parliament Shane Ardern.[2] During the 2014 New Zealand general election, she won Taranaki-King Country for National by a margin of 16,773 votes.[4]

During the Fifth National Government, Kuriger served as Deputy Chairperson of the Health Committee and as a member of the Primary Production Committee. In Opposition, she served as the National Party's Senior Whip from 2018 to 2020.[5][6]

In 2015, David Cunliffe called out Kuriger for "ignorance" over the funding rorts at Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre while she was on its board.[7]

During the 2017 New Zealand general election, Kuriger retained Taranaki-King Country for National by a margin of 15,259 votes.[8]

During the 2020 New Zealand general election, Kuriger retained Taranaki-King Country for National by a final margin of 3,134 votes..[9]

Other activities

Kuriger currently sits on the board of the New Zealand Rural Games Trust.[10]

References
  1. "Roll of members of the New Zealand House of Representatives, 1854 onwards" (PDF). New Zealand Parliament. 24 May 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  2. "Kuriger National's pick". Taranaki Daily News. Stuff. 7 April 2014. Archived from the original on 2 November 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  3. Kilmister, Sam (28 January 2020). "Politician's son pleads guilty to ill-treating dairy cows; charges against husband dropped". Stuff. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020.
  4. "Official Count Results – Taranaki-King Country". Electoral Commission. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 22 January 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  5. "Current MPs: Barbara Kuriger". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  6. McCulloch, Craig; Scotcher, Katie (10 November 2020). "Shane Reti becomes new deputy leader of the National Party". RNZ. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  7. Lee, Hannah (16 September 2015). "Kuriger must have known about Taratahi 'rorts' – Cunliffe". Taranaki Daily News. Stuff. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  8. "Taranaki-King Country – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 17 January 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  9. "Taranaki-King Country – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  10. "Rural Games to get off the ground in Queenstown". Mountain Scene. Allied Press. 17 June 2014. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
Shane Ardern		 Member of Parliament for Taranaki-King Country
2014–present		 Incumbent
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