Maverick MP confronted Brash at party caucus

Brian Connell

Rakaia MP Brian Connell is used to challenging the National Party hierarchy.

Last November Mr Connell, who confronted his leader Don Brash about his private life at National's Tuesday caucus, was bitterly disappointed at his placement at the bottom of the party's rankings and shared his frustration with the Ashburton Guardian.

Mr Connell's observation, that to say he was disappointed by the treatment handed out to him was an understatement, led to a caucus row and Dr Brash reading an apology on Mr Connell's behalf a few days later.

Mr Connell skipped a scheduled joint press conference with Dr Brash to attend the New Zealand Trotting Cup.

The apology brought to a head a series of incidents, which included Mr Connell questioning Murray McCully's role as party strategist, criticising the demotion of Katherine Rich and claiming National would resume logging on the West Coast - an election campaign assertion swiftly rejected by Dr Brash.

In November 2003 Mr Connell was the first MP to publicly question whether Nick Smith should remain Dr Brash's deputy, a position Dr Smith relinquished soon after.

A 46-year-old farmer and businessman, Mr Connell retained the Rakaia seat for National in the 2002 election after former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley stepped down.

He had only recently returned to New Zealand after working for 20 years for large multinational companies as a senior executive, mostly in Australia.

A staunch moral conservative, he emerged from backbench obscurity during the 2004 debate over the Civil Union bill. His vehement opposition to what he called a "gay recruitment drive" which improperly endorsed gay parenting, came under fire from his lesbian sister-in-law, who said her children's family set-up was as good as Mr Connell's.

Mr Connell's father-in-law, John Kennedy, edited the Catholic newspaper the Tablet for many years.

Since arriving in Parliament Mr Connell has earned a reputation as a maverick, a role he seemed to court by telling the Ashburton Guardian that the fact he was a member of the National Party was "absolutely irrelevant" to him when he conducted his duties or formed a view.

At a time when National's high poll ratings might have suggested political pragmatism, Mr Connell's viewpoint has apparently led him to confront his party leader on a moral principle.