Gerald O'Brien facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gerald O'Brien
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O'Brien in 1965
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| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Island Bay |
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| In office 29 November 1969 – 25 November 1978 |
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| Preceded by | Arnold Nordmeyer |
| Succeeded by | Frank O'Flynn |
| Wellington City Councillor | |
| In office 9 October 1965 – 9 October 1971 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Gerald O'Brien
2 December 1924 Wellington, New Zealand |
| Died | 13 December 2017 (aged 93) Wellington, New Zealand |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse |
Fausta O'Brien
(m. 1956) |
| Profession | Company director |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  RNZAF |
| Years of service | 1942–46 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
John Gerald O’Brien (born December 2, 1924 – died December 13, 2017), known as Gerald O'Brien, was an important New Zealand politician. He was a member of the Labour Party.
Contents
Early Life and Military Service
Gerald O'Brien was born in Wellington, New Zealand, on December 2, 1924. He went to St Patrick's College for his education.
When he was 17, in 1942, he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). He trained to be a radar operator in places like Harewood and Wigram. He served during World War II but did not go overseas.
In 1956, Gerald O'Brien married Fausta Filipidis.
Political Journey
Gerald O'Brien joined the Labour Party. This party is one of the main political groups in New Zealand. In 1946, he became a secretary for the Brooklyn area Labour Party. He later became the chairman for that area.
Serving Wellington City
O'Brien wanted to help his city. He ran for the Wellington City Council several times. In 1965, he was successfully elected as a city councillor. He was re-elected in 1968. As a councillor, he helped manage the city's projects and services.
Member of Parliament
In 1969, Gerald O'Brien was elected to the New Zealand Parliament. He represented the Island Bay area. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1969 to 1978.
As an MP, he was known for his strong views. He did not agree with the Vietnam war. He even used his business to bring goods from Vietnam to New Zealand. This showed his support for the Vietnamese people.
In 1974, O'Brien became the Vice-President of the Labour Party. He helped choose new leaders for the party. He was involved in selecting John Kirk and later David Lange for important roles. In 1976, he became the Shadow Minister of Local Government. This meant he was the Labour Party's main spokesperson on local government issues.
He left Parliament in 1978.
Hidden Artworks
After Gerald O'Brien passed away, his nephew, Lucien Rizos, found something amazing. O'Brien had created a secret world through drawings. He made over 700 unique characters and their imaginary island homes.
He worked on these detailed illustrations for many decades. His nephew scanned all these artworks during the 2020 lockdown. They were put into a book called “Everything.” These special artworks were planned to be shown at the Adam Art Gallery in October 2022.
Later Life
Gerald O'Brien passed away in Wellington on December 13, 2017. He was 93 years old. He was married to Fausta for 61 years.
