Sir Peter Elworthy remembered
National Party Leader Don Brash says he’s stunned by the sudden death of personal friend and confidant Sir Peter
Elworthy, who died while on holiday at Wanaka.
“We had enjoyed a long working relationship at the Reserve Bank, where he was a Director for a good portion of the time
that I was Governor.
“Sir Peter was among those who encouraged me to leave the Reserve Bank and join National Party politics in 2002.
“He was one of the handful of a very small number of people that I felt able to confide in at the time,” Dr Brash says.
“Sir Peter was a strong supporter of sensible, commonsense market policies and a passionate New Zealander.
“He took a leading role during the tumultuous mid-1980’s when he was president of Federated Farmers.
“Sir Peter was there at the critical time in our history when subsidies and protection were dismantled, and farmers
moved from a high level of intervention to facing the free market.
“That was a tremendously difficult time for our country and Sir Peter was at the front-line. We have much to thank him
for as a nation,” says Dr Brash.
“I wish to extend my most sincere condolences to his wife, Fiona, and their children.
“I will miss him and so will the many groups that he devoted vast amounts of time and energy helping,” says Dr Brash.