Rex Austin

William Rex Austin MBE (23 May 1931 – 23 June 2022) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.

Rex Austin MBE
Austin in 1950
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Awarua
In office 1975–1987
Preceded by	Aubrey Begg
Succeeded by	Jeff Grant
Personal details
Born	William Rex Austin (1931-05-23)23 May 1931 Riverton, New Zealand
Died	23 June 2022(2022-06-23) (aged 91) Invercargill, New Zealand
Political party	National
Spouse	Miriam Helen Brumpton ​ ​ (m. 1958; died 2007)​
Relations	Butler Te Koeti (great-uncle)
Children	4
Alma mater	Lincoln College

Biography

New Zealand Parliament

Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1975–1978	38th	Awarua			National
1978–1981	39th	Awarua			National
1981–1984	40th	Awarua			National
1984–1987	41st	Awarua			National

Austin was born in Riverton, Southland, in 1931.^[1] Of Māori descent, he affiliated to Ngāi Tahu, Waitaha and Kāti Māmoe.^[2] He received his education at Southland Technical College and Lincoln College;^[3] at the latter institution, he obtained a diploma in agriculture.^[4] In 1958, he married Miriam Helen Brumpton, with whom he had four sons.^[1]

Austin farmed at Colac Bay in Southland and lived in Riverton. From 1971, he was a member of the Southland Hospital Board.^[1]

In the 1975 election he was elected to Parliament as the National Party MP for Awarua, which he represented until 1987.^[5]

Austin and Ben Couch were the second and third Māori (after Sir James Carroll) to win a general electorate, as opposed to one of the Māori electorates.

Austin died in Invercargill on 23 June 2022, at the age of 91.^[6]

Honours

In 1977, Austin was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, and in 1990 the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.^[7] In the 1994 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the community.^[8]