Philip Burdon

Philip Ralph Burdon (born 25 March 1939) is a former New Zealand politician and lawyer by profession. He was the co-founder of Meadow Mushrooms.[1]

The Honourable Philip Burdon
Burdon in 2017
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Fendalton
In office 28 November 1981 – 12 October 1996
Preceded by	Eric Holland
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	Philip Ralph Burdon 25 March 1939 Geraldine, New Zealand
Political party	National
Spouse(s)	Rosalind Alice Waley-Cohen ( m. 1966)
Relations	Bernard Waley-Cohen (father-in-law) Randal Burdon (uncle)
Children	3

Early life and family

Burdon was born in Geraldine on 25 March 1939, the son of Cotsford Carlton Burdon and Ruth Mildred Burdon (née Barker).[2][3][4] He was educated at Christ's College in Christchurch from 1953 to 1956, and studied law at the University of Canterbury, graduating LLB.[2][5]

On 8 December 1966 in London, Burdon married Rosalind Alice Waley-Cohen, the daughter of the late Sir Bernard Waley-Cohen, former Lord Mayor of London, and the couple went on to have three children.[2][3] In the 2002 Queen's Birthday and Golden Jubilee Honours, Rosalind Burdon was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the arts and the community.[6]

Philip Burdon worked as a legal advisor for Mobil Oil in Wellington in 1967.[2] In 1969, he and Roger Giles began a company growing mushrooms in caves on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, but following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, they concentrated all their efforts on their New Zealand company, Meadow Mushrooms, established at Prebbleton in 1970.[2][7] From 1977 to 1978, Burdon was a visiting lecturer in law at Lincoln College.[2]

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1981–1984	40th	Fendalton		National
1984–1987	41st	Fendalton		National
1987–1990	42nd	Fendalton		National
1990–1993	43rd	Fendalton		National
1993–1996	44th	Fendalton		National

Burdon was an MP from 1981 to 1996, representing the National Party. He was first elected to Parliament in the 1981 elections as MP for the Christchurch electorate of Fendalton,[8] and was re-elected for that electorate until leaving Parliament at the 1996 elections.[8]

While in Opposition, Burdon was the National Party spokesman for health from 1985 to 1986, and trade and industry between 1986 and 1990.[2]

Burdon was the New Zealand Minister of State Owned Enterprises from 1993 to 1996.[8] Other ministerial positions that he held were Minister for Trade Negotiations, Minister of Commerce, Minister for Industry, and Associate Minister of External Relations and Trade.[2]

In 1990, Burdon was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[2]

Post-political career

As of 2009, Philip Burdon is chairman of the Asia New Zealand Foundation[9] and patron of the New Zealand China Friendship Society.[10]

Burdon and fellow former MP Jim Anderton were prominent campaigners for the restoration of ChristChurch Cathedral, which had been severely damaged in the February and June 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. They were ultimately successful in September 2017 when the Anglican synod made a binding decision to restore the church.[11]

In 2016, Burdon was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.[12][13]

References

1. "Who's who on the 2008 Power List". The Press. Fairfax New Zealand. 12 December 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
2. Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 84. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
3. "Marriages: Mr. P. R. Burdon and Miss R. A. Waley-Cohen". The Times (56810). 9 December 1966. p. 16.
4. Bohan, Edmund (2004). Burdon: a man of our time. Christchurch: Hazard. ISBN 1-877270-90-3.
5. "Member directory: school number 6125". Christ's College Old Boys' Association. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
6. "Queen's Birthday and Golden Jubilee honours list 2002". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 3 June 2002. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
7. "The Meadow Mushroom story". Meadow Mushrooms. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
8. "New Zealand Government Ministers Hon Philip Burdon". New Zealand Government. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
9. "Confident Future For Japan NZ relations". Scoop. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
10. "Patron: Hon Philip Burdon".
11. Rutherford, Bridget (7 September 2017). "Ailing Jim Anderton recognised at special investiture ceremony". The Star. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
12. Lin, Tao (14 June 2016). "NZ Business Hall of Fame: Meadow Mushrooms' Philip Burdon". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
13. "Burdon, Hon. Philip » Business Hall of Fame".

Further reading

• Bohan, Edmund (2004). Burdon: a man of our time. Hazard Press. ISBN 978-1-877270-90-1. OCLC 62718931.

New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Eric Holland	Member of Parliament for Fendalton 1981–1996	Constituency abolished