Rob Storey

This article is about the New Zealand politician. For the fictional character, see Rob Storey (Home and Away). For other uses, see Robert Storey.

William Robson Storey QSO (16 July 1936 – 2 August 2019), generally known as Rob Storey, was a New Zealand politician.

The Honourable Rob Storey QSO
16th Minister of Transport
In office 2 November 1990 – 29 November 1993
Preceded by	Bill Jeffries
Succeeded by	Maurice Williamson
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Waikato
In office 1984–1996
Preceded by	Simon Upton
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	William Robson Storey (1936-07-16)16 July 1936
Died	2 August 2019(2019-08-02) (aged 83) Te Awamutu, New Zealand
Political party	National
Spouse	Lorraine Storey (m. c. 1960)
Occupation	Farmer

Early life and career

Before entering politics, Storey was a farmer at Waiterimu in the Waikato, and was the president of Federated Farmers from 1981 to 1984. He was educated at Wesley College, Auckland.

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament

Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1984–1987	41st	Waikato			National
1987–1990	42nd	Waikato			National
1990–1993	43rd	Waikato			National
1993–1996	44th	Waikato			National

Storey was elected MP for Waikato in the 1984 election, representing the National Party. He retained that seat until his retirement at the 1996 election.

Storey was appointed a minister in the first term of the Fourth National Government. Between 1990 and 1993, he held office principally as Minister of Transport and also served as Minister of Statistics (until October 1991), Minister for the Environment (from October 1991), Minister of Lands, Minister of Survey and Land Information and Minister in Charge of the Valuation Department.^[1] He was not reappointed a minister after the 1993 election and retired three years later. One of his achievements as Minister of Transport was overseeing the merger of the Ministry of Transport's traffic enforcement fleet into the New Zealand Police in 1993.^[2] Under Storey, compulsory bicycle helmet wearing legislation was introduced on 1 January 1994.^[3]

Honours

In the 2007 New Year Honours, Storey was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.^[4] His wife, Lorraine, had received the same honour, for community service, in the 1997 New Year Honours.^[5]

Death

Storey died in Te Awamutu on 2 August 2019, after 59 years of marriage.^[6] His wife, Lorraine, died in Hamilton on 6 January 2024.^[7]

References

1. Wood, G. A. (1996) [1987]. Ministers and Members in the New Zealand Parliament (2nd ed.). Dunedin: University of Otago Press. pp. 1–84. ISBN 1-877133-00-0.
2. "Councils keen to police roads". The New Zealand Herald. 22 May 2002. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
3. "Rebecca Oaten, aka The Helmet Lady, and her crusade for compulsory bike helmets". Stuff. 13 March 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
4. "New Year honours list 2007". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 30 December 2006. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
5. "New Year honours list 1997". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 1996. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
6. "Rob Storey obituary". The New Zealand Herald. 5 August 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
7. "Lorraine Storey obituary". The New Zealand Herald. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.

The First 50 Years: A History of the New Zealand National Party by Barry Gustafson (1986, Reed Methuen, Auckland) ISBN 0-474-00177-6

New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Simon Upton	Member of Parliament for Waikato 1984–1996	Vacant Constituency abolished, recreated in 2008 Title next held by Lindsay Tisch
Political offices
Preceded by Peter Tapsell	Minister for Land Information 1990–1993	Succeeded by Denis Marshall