Mark out, Tabuteau new NZ First deputy
NZ First deputy leader Ron Mark has been rolled by his caucus colleague Fletcher Tabuteau.
Tabuteau, 43, has been with the party since the beginning and his Tauranga businessman uncle, Tom Gear, is a very close friend of party leader Winston Peters.
‘‘New Zealand First extends its immense gratitude for the service of Ron Mark as deputy leader. The party recognises Ron is an integral member of the team and we look forward to him playing a key role in the current government,’’ Peters said.
Tabuteau said he was ‘‘excited’’ and put his name forward because ‘‘as a party we need to send a signal about the future and this is kind of the next step forward for NZ First’’. ‘‘There’s young blood in NZ First and we’re ready to step up so we’ve got options going forward,’’ he said.
The role of deputy was one Tabuteau had ‘‘aspired to’’ after a 25-year commitment to the party so far. He acknowledged Mark’s commitment and role in the party but wouldn’t say whether anyone else was nominated for deputy or how many votes he received.
Mark said he was ‘‘privileged’’ to hold the job for as long as he did and there had been a democratic process to elect the new deputy.
‘‘We’re in a different time, we’re in Government now, we’ve got a slightly different caucus and the caucus by majority decided it was time for someone else to lead that’s fine.
‘‘I’ve got the dream job as it is, let’s face it,’’ he said.
Mark rose to be NZ First’s deputy in 2015 after he challenged Tracey Martin.