Keeping up with Beehive's Smiths and Joneses

By AUDREY YOUNG political reporter

Teachers are keeping ahead of lawyers in the new Parliament, the Smiths are in front of the Joneses, and the Peters are in a class of their own.

Among the 120 MPs sworn in on Monday, 18 per cent are former teachers and 10 per cent former lawyers.

But ahead of both categories, 19 per cent were formerly in business, according to research supplied by the Parliamentary Library.

It has been the most common previous occupation of MPs in four of the five past elections; in 1999 there were marginally more teachers.

Farmers are on the decline. In 1990 former farmers comprised 16 per cent of MPs; now they make up just 8 per cent.

There are now three Smiths: National's Lockwood Smith and Nick Smith and new MP United Future's Murray Smith, compared with one solitary Jones, New Zealand First MP Dail Jones.

Smith is not the only common name well represented. There were three Carters in the last Parliament and there still are: National MPs John Carter and David Carter and Labour minister Chris Carter.

Meanwhile, the Peters ranks have swelled to two, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters joined by his oldest brother, Jim Peters, a list MP.

Other data from the mini-census reveals that in the 2002 Parliament:

* Women comprise 28 per cent (51 per cent of the population).

* Maori MPs comprise 15.8 per cent (15 per cent of the population).

* Pacific Island MPs comprise 2.5 per cent (7 per cent of the population).

* Asian MPs comprise 1.6 per cent (7 per cent of the population).

* The Greens and Act have the highest proportion of women, 44 per cent each; Labour 35 per cent, National 22 per cent, United Future 13 per cent; New Zealand First 7 per cent and the Progressive Coalition none.

* New Zealand First has the highest proportion of Maori, 46 per cent of its caucus; Labour 19 per cent; Greens 11 per cent; Act 11 per cent; National 4 per cent and the Progressive Coalition none.

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