Right Hon. Don McKinnon
24th Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 2 November 1990 – 5 December 1999
Prime Minister	Jim Bolger (1990 - 1997) Jenny Shipley (1997 - 1999)
Preceded by	Mike Moore
Succeeded by	Phil Goff
12th Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office 2 November 1990 – 16 December 1996
Prime Minister	Jim Bolger
Preceded by	Helen Clark
Succeeded by	Winston Peters
Born	February 27, 1939 (age 68) London,  United Kingdom
Constituency	Albany
Political party	National

Donald Charles McKinnon, PC, (born February 27, 1939) is a former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand. He is currently Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major portfolio in the Cabinet of New Zealand. ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... MCMXC redirects here; for the Enigma album, see MCMXC a. ... December 5 is the 339th day (340th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Right Honourable James Brendan Jim Bolger, ONZ, (born 31 May 1935) was Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. ... The Right Honourable Jennifer Mary Shipley née Robson (born February 4, 1952), Prime Minister of New Zealand from December 1997 to December 1999, was New Zealands first female Prime Minister. ... This page is about the New Zealand politician and Director-General of the World Trade Organization. ... Foreign Minister Phil Goff The Honourable Philip Bruce Goff (born 22 June 1953), generally known as Phil Goff, is the current Minister of Defence of New Zealand. ... The Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand is second most senior officer in the Government of New Zealand, although this seniority does not necessarily translate into power. ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... MCMXC redirects here; for the Enigma album, see MCMXC a. ... -1... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... The Right Honourable James Brendan Jim Bolger, ONZ, (born 31 May 1935) was Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. ... For other persons named Helen Clark, see Helen Clark (disambiguation). ... Winston Raymond Peters (born April 11, 1945) is a New Zealand politician and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, outside cabinet. ... February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full year calendar). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Albany is a northern suburb of North Shore, one of several cities in the Auckland metropolitan area in northern New Zealand. ... The New Zealand National Party (National or the Nats) currently forms the second-largest (in terms of seats) political party represented in the New Zealand Parliament, and thus functions as the core of the parliamentary Opposition. ... A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, especially in a monarchy. ... February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full year calendar). ... The Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand is second most senior officer in the Government of New Zealand, although this seniority does not necessarily translate into power. ... The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major portfolio in the Cabinet of New Zealand. ... The Commonwealth Secretary-General is the head of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the central body which has served the Commonwealth of Nations since its establishment in 1965. ... The Commonwealth of Nations (CN), usually known as The Commonwealth, is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states all of which are former colonies of the United Kingdom, except for Mozambique and the United Kingdom itself. ...

Early life

McKinnon was born in London. His father was Major-General Walter S. McKinnon, CB CBE, a New Zealand Chief of General Staff, and once Chairman of New Zealand Broadcasting. McKinnon's brothers include the twins John McKinnon, the current New Zealand Secretary of Defense and a former Ambassador to China, and Malcolm McKinnon, an editor and academic, Ian McKinnon, Pro-Chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington and a current Wellington City Councillor. He was educated at Nelson College and in Washington, D.C before eventually undertaking study at Lincoln Agricultural College, New Zealand. After leaving university, he became a farm manager, and later a farm management consultant. In 1974, he became a real estate agent. In his spare time, he also worked as a rehabilitation tutor in prisons. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Major General or Major-General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Badge of a Companion of the Order of the Bath (Military Division) The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath)[1] is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. ... Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire (Military division) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority... In the military systems of many countries, the Chief of the General Staff is the professional head of that countrys General Staff. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Wikinews has news related to: New Zealand boarding school closed due to gastro-enteritis outbreak Nelson College is a boys-only state secondary school in Nelson, New Zealand. ... ... Lincoln University is New Zealands second newest university, formed in 1990 when Lincoln College, Canterbury was made independent of the University of Canterbury. ... // In English and Irish Secondary Schools the Form Tutor is similar to an American Home Room Teacher. ...

Member of Parliament

In the elections of 1969 and 1972, McKinnon stood unsuccessfully as the National Party's candidate in the Birkenhead electorate, having previously served on two of the party's electorate committees. In the election of 1978, McKinnon won the newly established seat of Albany, which covered much of the same area. The final results of the New Zealand General Election 1969 were 45 seats won by the National Party, and 39 seats won by the Labour Party, with no minor parties winning any seats. ... The final results of the New Zealand General Election 1972 were 55 seats won by the Labour party (led by Norman Kirk) and 32 seats won by the National Party, with no minor parties winning any seats. ... The New Zealand National Party (National or the Nats) currently forms the second-largest (in terms of seats) political party represented in the New Zealand Parliament, and thus functions as the core of the parliamentary Opposition. ... Birkenhead is a suburb of North Shore, one of several cities in the Auckland metropolitan area in northern New Zealand. ... The 1978 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to elect the 39th New Zealand Parliament. ... Albany is a northern suburb of North Shore, one of several cities in the Auckland metropolitan area in northern New Zealand. ...

In 1980, McKinnon was made the government's junior Whip. Two years later, he was made senior Whip. When Prime Minister Robert Muldoon called the snap election of 1984, and was defeated by David Lange's New Zealand Labour Party, McKinnon remained senior Whip for his party in Opposition. In September 1987, he became deputy leader of the National Party. In politics, a whip is a member of a political party in a legislature whose task is to ensure that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ... The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealands head of government and is the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand. ... The Right Honourable Sir Robert David (Rob) Muldoon GCMG CH (25 September 1921–5 August 1992) served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984. ... A snap election is an election called earlier than scheduled. ... The 1984 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament. ... David Russell Lange (IPA: lɔŋi) CH, ONZ (4 August 1942 — 13 August 2005), served as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. ... The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. ... Parliamentary Opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. ...

Cabinet minister

When National, then led by Jim Bolger, won the 1990 elections, McKinnon became Deputy Prime Minister. He also became Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister of Pacific Island Affairs. During his tenure in this latter role, he oversaw New Zealand's election to the UN Security Council, increased activity in the Commonwealth of Nations, and attempts to broker a truce on the island of Bougainville. He received recognition as a result of the Bougainville negotiations. The Right Honourable James Brendan Jim Bolger, ONZ, (born 31 May 1935) was Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. ... The 1990 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliaments 43rd term. ... A session of the Security Council in progress The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ... Bougainville and neighbouring islands Bougainville is part of Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Solomon Islands group. ...

In 1996, the National Party required the support of the New Zealand First party to form a government, and part of the coalition agreement gave the office of Deputy Prime Minister to New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. McKinnon kept his role as Minister of Foreign Affairs, however, and also became Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control. When the coalition with New Zealand First collapsed, McKinnon did not resume the Deputy Prime Minister's role (this being taken up by Wyatt Creech), although he did gain the minor responsibility of Minister in Charge of War Pensions. McKinnon retired from parliament shortly after the 1999 elections. He now sits on the Board of Advisors of the Global Panel Foundation. New Zealand First functions as a political party in New Zealand. ... Winston Raymond Peters (born April 11, 1945) is a New Zealand politician and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, outside cabinet. ... The Right Honourable Wyatt Creech is a former New Zealand politician. ... The 1999 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the 46th session of the New Zealand Parliament. ... The Global Panel Foundaton was created in 1988 by the Dutch entrepreneur Bas Spuybroek. ...

Secretary-General of the Commonwealth

During his time as New Zealand's Minister of Foreign Affairs, McKinnon had been highly involved with the Commonwealth. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Durban in November 1999, he was elected to the office of Secretary General. Since that time, he has had to deal with issues such as Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and George Speight's attempted nationalist coup in Fiji. McKinnon has also placed an emphasis on supporting "good governance". The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is a biennial summit meeting of the heads of government from all Commonwealth nations. ... Durban (Zulu: eThekwini (IPA: ) is the second most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. ... Robert Gabriel Mugabe KCB (born 21 February 1924) is the President of Zimbabwe. ... George Speight George Speight, occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini (born 1957), was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000, in which he kidnapped thirty-six government officials and held them from May 19, 2000 to July 13, 2000. ...

In late 2003, New Zealand media reported that Zimbabwe was attempting to gather support from other Commonwealth members to remove McKinnon from the office of Secretary-General, presumably in retaliation for McKinnon's views about the issue of Zimbabwean democracy. The government of Zimbabwe denied that it was making any such efforts.

At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting opening in Nigeria on December 5, McKinnon was challenged for the position of Secretary-General by Lakshman Kadirgamar, a former Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka. However, McKinnon defeated Kadirgamar in a vote reported to be 40-11 in McKinnon's favour. McKinnon will therefore serve a second term. December 5 is the 339th day (340th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Kadirgamar on a diplomatic visit to France, January 1996. ...

Comments in a speech to the CHOGM metting in Malta in November 2005 caused controversy when he appeared to say economic development and free trade are more important than democracy. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is a biennial meeting of the heads of government from all Commonwealth nations. ... Free trade is an economic concept referring to the selling of products between countries without tariffs or other trade barriers. ...

Chief Emeka Anyaoku was the third Commonwealth Secretary-General. ... The Commonwealth Secretary-General is the head of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the central body which has served the Commonwealth of Nations since its establishment in 1965. ... This page is about the New Zealand politician and Director-General of the World Trade Organization. ... The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major portfolio in the Cabinet of New Zealand. ... Foreign Minister Phil Goff The Honourable Philip Bruce Goff (born 22 June 1953), generally known as Phil Goff, is the current Minister of Defence of New Zealand. ...

External links

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1842642.stm
• The Global Panel Foundation