Geoff Gerard (politician)

Richard Geoffrey Gerard (4 October 1904 – 26 September 1997) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party, and a cabinet minister.

Biography
Gerard was born in Christchurch on 6 October 1904. He received his education at Christ's College and then farmed at Mount Hutt.

On 1 August 1928, Gerard married Margaret Scott at All Saints' Church, Sumner, and the couple went on to have five children.

Gerard represented the Canterbury electorates of Mid-Canterbury from 1943 to 1946, and then the Ashburton electorate from 1946 to 1966 when he retired. He was Minister of Marine under Holland and Holyoake (1957, 1961–1963), Minister of Social Security (1957) under Holland and Holyoake, Minister of Lands under Holyoake (1957, 1960–1966), and Minister of Forests under Holyoake (1957, 1960–1966).

Outside of Parliament, Gerard was a member of the Nature Conservation Council from 1967 to 1974, and a member of the Lyttelton Harbour Board from 1968 to 1980.

In 1953, Gerard was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. In 1967, he was granted retention of the title The Honourable, in recognition of his term as a member of the Executive Council. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, for public services, in the 1981 New Year Honours. In 1990, he received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.

Gerard died on 26 September 1997, having been predeceased by his wife, Margaret, in 1988. His son Jim followed in his footsteps, representing the electorate from.