J. B. Munro

John Baldwin Munro (né John Baldwin, 15 August 1936 – 4 June 2018), better known as J. B. Munro, was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was also a notable disability advocate.

Early life and education Born in Gore in 1936, Munro's birth name was John Baldwin. Having had poliomyelitis as a baby, he was a state ward and raised as a foster child. At the age of nine he was adopted by his foster parents, the Munro family in Invercargill, and his name was changed to John Baldwin Munro. and his adoptive brother was Burt Munro, a New Zealand motorcycle racer who was the subject of The World's Fastest Indian.

Munro was educated at St George Primary (now Fernworth Primary), Tweedsmuir Junior High, and Southland Boys' High School.

He represented the electorate in Parliament from to 1975, when he was defeated by Norman Jones. Previously he had been a member of the National Party. In Parliament, Munro was notable for advocating the passage of the Disabled Persons' Community Welfare Act. It was passed during the last week of Parliament before the Labour Party was defeated in the 1975 general election, giving disabled people community services as of right for the first time.

In October 1977, Munro moved to Wellington following his parliamentary career. Munro stood as a Labour Party candidate for the Lower Hutt City Council at the 1986 local elections but was unsuccessful.

He was appointed national secretary of IHC. Munro was vice-chairman of the 1981 telethon, which raised NZ$6 million and which funded the introduction of teletext in New Zealand.

Personal life On 6 October 1962, Munro married Valmai "Val" Sharfe, the daughter of Walter Sharfe. They had one son and one daughter.

He died in Christchurch on 4 June 2018, aged 81.