title: John Robertson (New Zealand politician, born 1951)
text: # John Robertson (New Zealand politician, born 1951)
  
  John Struan Robertson QSO (born 6 December 1951 in Auckland) is a former New Zealand politician and later a New Zealand government-appointed Commissioner (2013).
  
  ## Member of Parliament
  
  Robertson was an MP from 1990 to 1996, representing first the National Party and then United New Zealand. He was first elected to Parliament in the 1990 general election as MP for Papakura, replacing Merv Wellington. He was re-elected in the 1993 general election.
  
  In 1995, he was one of seven centrist MPs who established United New Zealand. Robertson's Papakura electorate was disestablished before the 1996 election; he stood instead for Hunua where he finished second to National's Warren Kyd. United New Zealand did not poll high enough to be entitled to any list MPs, so Robertson left Parliament.
  
  ## Local government career
  
  ### Mayor of Papakura
  
  Robertson was later elected Mayor of Papakura and served from 2004 to 2007.
  
  ### Kaipara District Council Commission
  
  In August 2012, the elected councillors of Kaipara District Council were replaced with a four-member commission as a result of serious governance and financial failures. Robertson was appointed as the chair of the commission. While Local Government Minister David Carter initially said that this commission was expected to remain until October 2015, it was not removed until October 2016.
  
  ### Mayor of Waitomo
  
  Robertson contested and won the Waitomo district mayoralty in the 2019 local elections, defeating incumbent Brian Hanna.
  
  ## Honours
  
  In the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours, Robertson was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services and services to local body affairs.
  
  