View source for Biography:Richard Prosser

{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2016}}
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|name        = Richard Prosser
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'''Richard Ivor Prosser''' (born 15 January 1967) is a New Zealand politician and a former member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. He is a former member of New Zealand First party and was first selected as a list MP at the 2011 election.

==Early life==
Prosser was born in West Auckland and spent his early life in the Waikato.<ref name="NZ First bio">{{cite web|title=Candidates |url= http://www.nzfirst.org.nz/index-candidates.html |publisher=NZ First|accessdate=27 November 2011}}</ref>  He later moved to Otago and took up wine making.<ref name=mayor/> He is a former columnist for ''Investigate'' magazine.<ref name=victory/>

==Political career==
{{NZ parlbox
 |term       = 50th
 |end        = 2014
 |electorate = List
 |party      = New Zealand First
 |list       = 4
}}
{{NZ parlbox
 |term       = 51st
 |end        = 2017
 |electorate = List
 |party      = New Zealand First
 |list       = 3
}}
Prosser stood for the Democrats for Social Credit in the 2005 election in the Otago electorate. He was ranked fourth on their party list but the party failed to get any MPs elected. Prosser later ran for the Central Otago mayoralty in 2007<ref name=mayor>{{cite news|title=Winemaker latest hopeful for Central Otago mayor |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/54756/Winemaker-latest-hopeful-for-Central-Otago-mayor |accessdate=30 November 2011 |work=The Southland Times |date=6 August 2007}}</ref> and came last in the election contested by three applicants.<ref>{{cite web|title=Central Otago District Mayor|url= http://www.elections2010.co.nz/2007/elections/central-otago-district-mayor |publisher=Local elections|accessdate=30 November 2011}}</ref> He also contested the 2007 local elections for a position as Central Otago District councillor in the Earnscleugh-Manuherikia Ward, but came third of three contenders.<ref>{{cite web|title=Central Otago District Council - Earnscleugh-Manuherikia Ward |url= http://www.elections2010.co.nz/2007/elections/central-otago-district-council-earnscleugh-manuherikia-ward |publisher=Local Elections |accessdate=30 November 2011}}</ref>

Prosser founded the South Island Party in 2008.<ref name=victory>{{cite news|last=Cheng |first=Derek |title= Triumphant Peters claims victory |url= http://www.odt.co.nz/election-2011/latest-news/188318/triumphant-peters-claims-victory |accessdate=30 November 2011|work=Otago Daily Times|date=26 November 2011}}</ref><ref name="2007 press release">{{cite news |last=Prosser |first=Richard |title=Candidate calls for Southern Assembly|url= http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0707/S00284.htm |accessdate=30 November 2011 |work=Scoop |date=24 July 2007}}</ref>  However the party chose not to register for the 2008 parliamentary elections;<ref>{{cite web |title=Broadcasting allocation 2008 - final allocation decision |url=http://www.elections.org.nz/news/broadcasting-allocation-2008-initial-allocation-decision.html |publisher=New Zealand Electoral Commission |date=10 October 2008 |accessdate=10 October 2008}}</ref> instead, they decided that a more effective course of action would be to merge itself into the non-partisan South Island First, a lobby group advocating greater [[Social:Self-determination|self-determination]] for the South Island.<ref>Reply by Richard Prosser to the editorial "[http://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/editorial/132274/greater-auckland 'Greater' Auckland]", in the ''Otago Daily Times'' (19 October 2010). Retrieved 2 November 2010.</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Price |first=Mark |url=http://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/magazine/190220/independent-thinking?page=0%2C0 |title=Independent thinking (page 1) &#124; Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News |publisher=Odt.co.nz |date=10 December 2011 |accessdate=14 February 2013}}</ref>

Prosser joined New Zealand First in 2010 after attending a party meeting and was later elected to the party's board of directors.<ref name="New kids">{{cite news|last=Dickison|first=Michael|title=Election 2011: New kids on the block |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10769475 |accessdate=30 November 2011|work=New Zealand Herald |date=29 November 2011}}</ref>

Prosser stood for New Zealand First at the 2011 election and was ranked fourth on their party list.<ref name="electionsnz-final">{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.org.nz/elections/2011-general-election-and-referendum/party-lists.html |title=Party lists for the 2011 General Election |publisher=Elections New Zealand |accessdate=14 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204010618/http://www.elections.org.nz/elections/2011-general-election-and-referendum/party-lists.html |archivedate=4 February 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> He ran unsuccessfully as a candidate for the Waimakariri electorate, getting 538 votes, but was selected from the party list and sat in the 50th Parliament. At the time, he was one of two New Zealand First MPs from the greater Christchurch area; the other being Denis O'Rourke.<ref name="Two NZ First MPs">{{cite news |last=Moore |first=Martin |title=Two NZ First MPs for Christchurch|url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/election-2011/6042405/Two-NZ-First-MPs-for-Christchurch|accessdate=26 November 2011|work=The Press|date=26 November 2011}}</ref>

Prosser attracted controversy after being elected to Parliament when it was publicised that in an edition of the Investigate magazine, he had previously been advocating for banning the [[Religion:Burqa|burqa]] in New Zealand.<ref name="New NZ First MP">{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Cullen |title=New NZ First MP: Ban the Burqa|url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10771554|accessdate=12 February 2012|work=Star Canterbury|date=7 December 2011}}</ref><ref name="Winston won't say if he supports burqa-ban MP">{{cite news |last=Donnell |first=Hayden |title=Winston won't say if supports burqa-ban MP |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-first-party/news/article.cfm?o_id=277&objectid=10771825 |accessdate=12 February 2012 |work=The New Zealand Herald  |date=8 December 2012}}</ref><ref name="NZ First newbie won't be shy">{{cite news |last= |first= |title=NZ First newbie won't be shy |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6081956/NZ-First-parliament-newbie-won-t-be-shy |accessdate=12 February 2012 |work=Fairfax NZ News}}</ref><ref name="Eyes Right burqa">{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=194916157263765&id=156837667738281 |title=Eyes Right When in Rome |publisher=Richard Prosser |accessdate=12 February 2012}}</ref>

In 2013, Prosser voted against the [[Social:Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013|Marriage Amendment Bill]], which aims to permit same sex marriage in New Zealand, with all of his fellow New Zealand First MPs.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marriage equality bill: How MPs voted|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10830383|accessdate=29 September 2014|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=29 August 2012}}</ref>

==Writing career==

Prosser has written the 'Eyes Right' column in the ''Investigate'' magazine for ten years.<ref name="Columnist to stand for NZ First">{{cite web|url=http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/columnist-stand-nz-first/5/103551 |title=Columnist to Stand for NZ First |publisher=Voxy.co.nz |date=6 October 2011 |accessdate=14 February 2013}}</ref> In his columns, he suggested various political ideas including compulsory conscription in New Zealand.<ref name="Eyes Right conscription">{{cite web |url= https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=194912243930823&id=156837667738281 |title=Eyes Right Richard... |publisher=Facebook |date=7 December 2011 |accessdate=14 February 2013}}</ref>

Prosser released the book ''Uncommon Dissent'' in January 2012 outlining his political opinions, in which he refers to himself as a "Kiwi Nationalist".<ref name="Ban the burqa MP's book goes further">{{cite press release |url= http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1201/S00156/ban-the-burqa-mps-book-goes-further.htm |title=‘Ban the Burqa’ MP’s Book Goes Further &#124; Scoop News |publisher=Investigate Magazine |date=31 January 2012 |accessdate=14 February 2013}}</ref> His claims in the book that "New Zealand society, Western society in general, has been hijacked by a conspiracy of Silly Little Girls" attracted heavy criticism from the Wellington Young Feminists Collective and the feminist blog Hand Mirror.<ref name="Feminists plan pigtail protest over Prosser book">{{cite web |url= http://www.investigatemagazine.co.nz/Investigate/?p=2312 |title=InvestigateDaily – Feminists plan pigtail protest over Prosser book |publisher=Investigatemagazine.co.nz |date= 1 February 2012 |accessdate=14 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Julie |url=http://thehandmirror.blogspot.co.nz/2012/01/mcp-watch-richard-prosser-mp.html |title=The Hand Mirror: MCP Watch: Richard Prosser MP |publisher=Thehandmirror.blogspot.co.nz |date=31 January 2012 |accessdate=14 February 2013}}</ref>

Writing for ''Investigate'' magazine in February 2013, Prosser stated; "If you are a young male, aged between say about 19 and about 35, and you're a Muslim, or you look like a Muslim, or you come from a Muslim country, then you are not welcome to travel on any of the West's airlines".<ref>[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10864924 NZ First MP: Ban Muslims from flights] ''New Zealand Herald'', 12 February 2013.</ref> Prosser further stated that the rights of New Zealanders' were being "denigrated by a sorry pack of misogynist troglodytes from Wogistan, threatening our way of life and security of travel in the name of their stone age religion, its barbaric attitudes towards women, democracy, and individual choice".  Prosser wrote that "Abdul" should not be allowed to fly, and should instead "go ride a camel".<ref>{{cite news|title=Parties coy on Coalition with NZ First after MP's "Wogistan" rant|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/parties-coy-coalition-nz-first-after-mp-s-wogistan-rant-5340177|accessdate=15 February 2013|work=TVNZ}}</ref>  It subsequently emerged that Prosser's column was written after a pocket-knife he was carrying had been confiscated by airport security.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/opinion/8316722/Editorial-The-man-revealed|work=stuff.co.nz | title=Editorial: The man revealed| date=18 February 2013 |accessdate=14 February 2013}}</ref> NZ First leader Winston Peters initially said that he would not apologise for Prosser's conduct, that he had been writing in his capacity as a columnist, as opposed to an MP, that Prosser stood by his statements, and that he had spoken to Prosser about the article as the article "lacked balance".<ref>{{cite news|last=Andrea|first=Vance|title=MP's "Wogistan" rant too extreme |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8293096/MPs-Wogistan-rant-too-extreme |accessdate=15 February 2013}}</ref>

Subsequently, Prosser came under criticism from the Government and Opposition parties for the content of his article.  Prosser stated that his intention had been to draw attention to the issue of passenger profiling at airports, and stated that his writing style was intentionally one of a "shock jock". He initially refused to apologise,<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.3news.co.nz/No-apology-from-Prosser-over-Muslim-statements/tabid/1607/articleID/286531/Default.aspx|work=3 News NZ | title=No apology over Muslim statements| date=12 February 2013 |accessdate=18 February 2013}}</ref> but later admitted his article lacked balance, apologising for the offence that he had caused. He stated he would not continue to write for Investigate magazine.<ref>{{cite news |last=Vernon |first=Small |title="Wogistan" MP should resign - Islamic leader |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8295162/Wogistan-MP-Richard-Prosser-apologises |accessdate=15 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.3news.co.nz/Prosser-apologises-over-anti-Muslim-comments/tabid/423/articleID/286607/Default.aspx |work=3 News NZ | first=Lloyd| last=Burr | title=Prosser says 'sorry'... kind of| date=13 February 2013 |accessdate=18 February 2013}}</ref>

In March 2013 the United Nations' Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination said it "regrets" Prosser's remarks, and "welcomes the strong criticism of such statements by the Minister of Justice and Ethnic Affairs and the Race Relations Commissioner, among others".<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.3news.co.nz/Prossers-anti-Muslim-rant-reaches-UN/tabid/1607/articleID/288878/Default.aspx|work=3 News NZ |title= Prosser's anti-Muslim rant reaches UN| date=4 March 2013}}</ref>

In May 2020 Prosser opined that the COVID-19 pandemic was a global conspiracy intended to transfer greater power to financial and political elites.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.richard-prosser.com/post/the-unpalatable-truth-regarding-jacinda-ardern-and-the-con-vid-19-plandemic |title=The Unpalatable Truth regarding Jacinda Ardern and the Con-vid 19 Plandemic |last=Prosser |first=Richard |date=25 May 2020 |website=Eyes Right |publisher= |access-date=25 May 2020 |quote=}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/MPP/MPs/MPs/1/a/e/50MP202061-Prosser-Richard.htm Biography of Richard Prosser] at the New Zealand Parliament


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