Aaron Gilmore facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Aaron Gilmore
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for National Party list
In office 8 November 2008 – 26 November 2011
In office 15 February 2013 – 27 May 2013
Preceded by	Lockwood Smith
Succeeded by	Claudette Hauiti
Personal details
Born	(1973-08-26) 26 August 1973 (age 51) Christchurch, New Zealand
Political party	National
Profession	Company manager

Aaron Wayne Gilmore (born 26 August 1973) is a New Zealand former politician. He was a member of the New Zealand National Party. He served as a list Member of Parliament (MP) from 2008 to 2011. He was an MP again for a short time in 2013.

Early Life and Career

Aaron Gilmore was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on August 26, 1973. His parents were shopkeepers. He went to Parkview Primary School and then Shirley Boys' High School. Later, he studied at the University of Canterbury. He earned a Master of Commerce degree in Economics in 1995.

After university, Gilmore started working for the government. In 1995, he was an analyst at the Ministry of Transport. The next year, he joined the Department of Treasury. There, he advised on selling government-owned businesses. In 1997, he worked with Minister Tony Ryall on similar projects.

In 1999, Gilmore left government work. He joined a company called Ernst and Young. He worked on international projects, helping utility companies. He then worked for Cameron and Partners in 2001. In 2004, he returned to Ernst and Young in Christchurch as a senior manager. Before becoming a politician, he worked at General Cable in 2005.

Time as a Member of Parliament

First Term in Parliament (2008–2011)

In 2007, the National Party chose Gilmore to run in the Christchurch East area. This area was usually won by the Labour Party. In August 2008, he was placed at number 56 on the National Party's list of candidates. In the election, he came second in Christchurch East. However, he helped National get many votes in that area.

Gilmore became a "list MP." This means he entered Parliament based on his party's overall votes, not by winning a specific local area.

For a time, his online profile on the Parliament website had some mistakes. It said he was a member of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute, which he was not. It also said he was married when he was not. A spokesperson for Parliament said that MPs provide their own information for the website.

In the 2011 election, Gilmore ran again in Christchurch East. He was number 53 on the party list. He again came second in his local area. At first, it looked like he would return to Parliament as a list MP. But after all the votes were counted, his party lost a seat. So, he did not return to Parliament at that time.

Second Term in Parliament (2013)

In early 2013, another MP, Lockwood Smith, left Parliament. He became New Zealand's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. Aaron Gilmore was next on the National Party's list. This meant he took Smith's place and became an MP again.

Before returning to Parliament, Gilmore worked as a contractor for a government ministry. In May 2013, some emails from this time were made public. These emails showed Gilmore making inappropriate comments during an argument with a manager. He suggested that his return to Parliament might affect the manager's career. The ministry called these comments "inappropriate."

Leaving Parliament

Aaron Gilmore resigned from Parliament on May 12, 2013. This happened after a public incident at a restaurant. It was reported that he acted inappropriately and threatened to involve the Prime Minister. His resignation came after pressure from senior politicians. It was also revealed that he had not been truthful with the Prime Minister.

He gave his final speech in Parliament two days later. His time as an MP officially ended on May 27, 2013. Another politician, Claudette Hauiti, took his place.

After His Time in Parliament

After leaving Parliament, Aaron Gilmore started a property investment company. It was first called The Mighty Rocket Group, then renamed St Pauls Asset Management.

In 2018, a former employee took his company to court over an employment dispute. In December 2021, Gilmore was ordered to pay NZ$11,000 in costs related to a legal issue with his company's landlord. In March 2022, his parents took him to court over an unpaid loan of more than $250,000.

In July 2022, Gilmore ran for a seat on the Wellington City Council. This was for the Eastern Ward in the local government elections. After he announced his plan, his parents publicly said he needed to pay his debts first. According to early results, he did not win a place on the council.