Ron Mark

Ron Stanley Mark (born 29 January 1954) is a New Zealand politician of the New Zealand First party, and former soldier, who since October 2017 has served as Minister of Defence. He served as mayor of Carterton from 2010 to 2014.

Early life and family
Mark was born in Masterton on 29 January 1954, the son of Apiti Stanley Maaka and Te Aroha Maaka (née Grace). He was educated at Tararua College from 1968 to 1970. Mark was married to Gail Ann Berry, and the couple had four children.

Mark pursued a military career between 1971 and 1990. Mark initially served in the New Zealand Army. His first unit was the Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers before moving to 2/1 Battalion, 3 and 10 Tpt Regiments and Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles before passing New Zealand Special Air Service selection. Mark served a 13-month tour of duty in the Sinai with the Multinational Force and Observers in 1982–83. After being refused entry into the NZSAS, he was contracted to the Sultanate of Oman as a technical staff officer from 1985 to 1986, and then joined the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces becoming an electrical and mechanical engineering officer in the Sultan's Special Force Electrical and Mechanical Engineers between 1986 and 1990.

Between 1990 and 1996, Mark was a commercial consultant, ran an import and export business, and was an amusement park operator.

Member of Parliament
In the 1993 election he was the Labour candidate for the Selwyn electorate. He was later involved in the discussions about the formation of the New Zealand Democratic Coalition. When these failed, he joined New Zealand First.

He was a list MP from the 1996 election until his party's failure to retain any seats in the 2008 election. During the (1996–98) coalition between New Zealand First and the National Party, he was the government's Senior Whip.

Media
The New Zealand television channel TV3 was banned for three days from filming in Parliament in August 2006 for showing Mark repeatedly giving the finger to another MP.

In 2009, Mark told media that while he still had a subscription with New Zealand First, he was "not active", and that he would not rule out standing for Parliament with another party.

Mayor of Carterton
In 2010, Mark was elected Mayor of Carterton in the Wairarapa. He succeeded outspoken mayor Gary McPhee who retired after two terms. In the 2013 local elections, Mark was returned as mayor unopposed.

Return to parliament
Mark stood as a New Zealand First candidate at the 2014 general election, finishing third in the Wairarapa electorate. However, his ninth placing on the New Zealand First list saw him returned to Parliament, and he resigned as Mayor of Carterton, and was replaced by John Booth.

On 3 July 2015, he replaced Tracey Martin as deputy leader of New Zealand First. Following the, Mark was appointed Minister of Defence and Veterans following the formation of a coalition government consisting of the Labour Party, New Zealand First, and the Green Party. Mark was succeeded as New Zealand First deputy leader by Fletcher Tabuteau on 27 February 2018.