Defence Review 2009
Hugh Templeton
Hugh Templeton was born in Southland. He was educated at the University of Otago, and then as a Rhodes Scholar at Balliol College, Oxford University.
From 1954 to 1969 Hugh served with the New Zealand Department of External Affairs, first in London, and then in Wellington, before going as the last Deputy High Commissioner of Western Samoa to prepare specially for independence and then to New York to assist secure Samoa's post independence aid programmes, under Guy Powles. From 1965 - 1969 Hugh served in Wellington working on Asian and European and Defence affairs, before being elected to Parliament.
Hugh Templeton was elected as MP for Awarua in Southland in 1969. However, he lost this seat in the 1972 election. From 1972 - 1975 he was executive assistant to the Leaders of the Opposition, Jack Marshall and then Robert Muldoon. He was re-elected to Parliament in 1975 for the Wellington seat of Karori (later renamed Ohariu).
Hugh was appointed to various positions in communications and economic portfolios during the Muldoon National Government of 1975 - 1984. He was Minister of Revenue (1977 - 1982) and Minister for Trade and Industry (1981 - 1984) with responsibility for ANZCER (Australia - New Zealand Closer Economic Relations free trade agreement).
