Ralph Maxwell

Ralph Kerr Maxwell (20 March 1934 – 25 March 2012) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. After his parliamentary career, he joined New Zealand First.

Early life and family Maxwell was born in 1934. He married Frances Maxwell in circa 1963 and they had three children.

Political career

Maxwell had a high profile as chairman of the Portage Licensing Trust, one of two Licensing Trusts in West Auckland. When Maxwell stood for Parliament in the electorate in for the Labour Party, he was successful. He represented the Waitakere electorate for three parliamentary terms, and when it was abolished for the , he successfully stood in the electorate instead. In the , he was defeated by Marie Hasler, one of a number of losses contributing to the fall of the Fourth Labour Government. Maxwell had a keen interest in agriculture and worked closely with Colin Moyle, who would become Minister of Agriculture in 1984. He instead joined New Zealand First and served on the party executive.

In the 1995 New Year Honours, Maxwell was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for public services. Maxwell died on 25 March 2012 aged 78. He was survived by his wife and their three children.