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 MP in the New Zealand Parliament from 2008 to 2011. He returned to Parliament for a short time in 2013.

Early Life and Career

Aaron Gilmore was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 26 August 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, Aaron worked for the government. He started at the Ministry of Transport in 1995. The next year, he joined the Department of Treasury. There, he advised on selling state-owned businesses. In 1997, he worked with Minister Tony Ryall on these sales.

In 1999, Aaron left government work. He joined a company called Ernst and Young. He helped utility companies with international projects. He later worked for Cameron and Partners. In 2004, he returned to Ernst and Young in Christchurch. Before becoming a politician, he was a Corporate Development Manager at General Cable.

Time in Parliament

First Term as an MP (2008–2011)

In late 2007, the National Party chose Aaron 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. Even though he came second in Christchurch East, he helped National get many votes there.

During his first term, there were some mistakes in his public information. His online CV on the Parliament website said he was a member of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute. He was only a provisional member, not a full one. There were also other small errors in his online profile.

In the 2011 election election, he ran for Christchurch East again. He was also number 53 on the party list. He again came second in the local race. Initially, it looked like he would return to Parliament through the party list. However, after all the votes were counted, National lost a seat. This meant Aaron Gilmore did not return to Parliament at that time.

Second Term as an MP (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. So, he became an MP again in February 2013.

Before returning to Parliament, Aaron worked for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). In May 2013, some emails from this time were made public. These emails showed strong comments he made during an argument with a Treasury Manager. The Ministry described these emails as "not appropriate." Aaron had previously said on TV that there were no complaints about his time at MBIE.

Leaving Parliament

Aaron Gilmore announced he would leave Parliament on 12 May 2013. This decision followed a public incident at a restaurant in Hanmer Springs. During the incident, it was reported that he acted inappropriately and tried to use his position to influence staff. He resigned after pressure from senior politicians. He also admitted that he had not been fully truthful with Prime Minister John Key about the incident.

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

After Politics

After leaving Parliament, Aaron Gilmore started a private property investment company. It was first called The Mighty Rocket Group, then later St Pauls Asset Management. His company has faced some business challenges and financial disagreements.

In 2022, Aaron Gilmore ran for the Wellington City Council. He wanted to represent the Eastern Ward. However, he did not win a seat on the council. He came ninth out of ten candidates in the preliminary results.