Otaki Member Of Parliament, Nathan Guy, has been named New Zealand's new Minister of Racing. It is believed the 41-year-old National Party MP has no previous connections with harness racing.

In announcing his cabinet line-up this morning (Monday December 12) New Zealand Prime Minister also named Guy as the Minister of Immigration, Veterans' Affairs and Associate Minister for Primary Industries.

As for Nathan Guy, who is he?

Guy is a farmer from near Levin. He has been involved in various agricultural sector trusts and councils, and studied farming at Massey University. He has served several terms on the Horowhenua District Council.

Guy's great-grandfather was chairman of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company when the last spike was driven on the company's line at Otaihanga, an event re-created on 19 February 2011 when Guy drove the last spike at the new Waikanae Railway Station opening ceremony.

In the 2005 election, Guy was a candidate for the National Party, standing in the Ôtaki electorate and being ranked 39th on the party list. He narrowly lost the election to Labour's Darren Hughes, by a margin of 1.00% or 382 votes. He entered Parliament as a list MP.

In the 2008 election he was again the candidate for Otaki, this time defeating Hughes by 1,354 votes

On 15 June 2009, Guy was selected as the new Minister of Internal Affairs, the National Library of New Zealand and other posts previously held by Richard Worth, who had resigned after allegations of sexual harassment.

Craig Foss was the previous Racing Minister. He took obver from John Carter, who retired.

(Source Harnesslink)