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Darien Fenton (born 25 February 1954) is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament.

Personal life and early career

Fenton's grandfather, Fred Frost, was a Labour MP for New Plymouth from 1938 – 1943.

Fenton grew up in a Palmerston North state house. Fenton had a history of intravenous drug abuse, and was described as injecting "methadone and whatever else." A fellow patient at Whangarei Base Hospital's methadone programme described her as "one of the worst people I have met."

The New Zealand Herald's Kevin Taylor described Fenton as having the "most varied CV of any newcomer to Parliament", being active in the trade union movement. She held the offices of National Secretary of the Service & Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota (SFWU), and vice president of the Council of Trade Unions. She is also the Vice President of the Labour Party Union Affiliates Council.

Member of Parliament

Fenton stood as a list candidate for the Labour Party in the 2005 election, being ranked 43rd, and was elected to Parliament.

In 2006, her Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill, which extended the minimum wage to contractors, was drawn from the member's ballot. The bill was sent to select committee, but the committee could not reach agreement on whether it should be passed. It was subsequently voted down by the National coalition government after the 2008 election.

In the 2008 election she stood unsuccessfully against National Party leader John Key in Helensville. Due to her place of 33 on the Labour list, she was returned to parliament.

In 2009 Fenton's Employment Relations (Statutory Minimum Redundancy Entitlements) Amendment Bill was drawn from the member's ballot. It was defeated at its first reading in May 2010.

In 2011, there was public backlash when she commented on Sir Peter Leitch (known as The Mad Butcher for his chain of butchery shops) after he publicly stated he supported Prime Minister John Key. Fenton state she would not "never go near him again" and would refuse to buy anything from his stores. Fenton later apologised for her comments on the Labour Party blog.

References

1. ^ Wishart, Ian (2008-08-29). "Labour MP's Class A drug addiction battle". TGIF Edition. Vol. 1, no. 4. p. 1. ISSN 1172-4153.
2. Taylor, Kevin (24 September 2005). "New MPs: Darien Fenton". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
3. "Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
4. "Report of the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee on the Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill" (PDF). New Zealand Parliament. 2007-09-20. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
5. "Fenton: National Votes Down $15 Minimum Wage". guide2.co.nz. 2009-05-28. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
6. "Employment Relations (Statutory Minimum Redundancy Entitlements) Amendment Bill". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
7. "Labour's redundancy bill defeated". TVNZ. 2010-05-05. Retrieved 2010-05-06.
8. "Editorial: MP's silly gripe throwback to tribal politics". New Zealand Herald. 2011-10-01. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
9. Fenton, Darien (2011-09-29). "Beer and apology". Red Alert.

External links

• Official website
• Biography at New Zealand Parliament
• Darien Fenton on Facebook
• Darien Fenton on Twitter

Template:Persondata

• Living people
• New Zealand Labour Party MPs
• 1954 births
• New Zealand list MPs