Banks, John
1946-
Also known as John Morris
New Zealand politician
Banks was a New Zealand National Party MP from 1981 to 1999 and has been Minister of Tourism; Sport, Fitness and Leisure; Local Government; and Civil Defence (he resigned his cabinet posts in 1996). In 2001 he was elected mayor of Auckland. His parents were both convicted criminals and he spent his first 14 years as a foster child in a large family of farm laborers (10 children), the Morrises, who worked for a leading National Party MP, who became Banks' mentor. He then lived with his birth parents for two years, but was sent to boarding school when they were again sent to prison.
advertisement
He has had contact with his birth sister, but that has stopped.
He also has had a career as a restaurateur (and is the former chairman of the New Zealand Licensed Restaurant and Cabaret Association) and property developer, and he is a licensed pilot. He and his wife adopted three Russian children in 1995.
References
McLeod, Rosemary. "Is John Banks Mad?" North and South, February 1993, pp. 44-48, 50-53New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. 1998 edition, edited by Alister Taylor. (Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Publications, 1998)
Indexes
EuropeanNew Zealand
20th Century
21st Century
Government, Politics, Civil Service, Public Administration
Military and Defense
Restaurants
Sports
Transportation
Adoptees/fosterees Who Are/were Also Adopters or Foster Parents
Formal, American/European-Type Fostering
Child Removed from Home by Social Services
Parent(s) in Prison or Labor Camp, Executed
Others ("Strangers")
Child in and out of Care
Both Parents Unable or Unwilling to Care for Child
Birth Sibling(s) Separated
Visitor Comments
(0) - Be the first to comment
Adding your comments contributes to the adoption community. Please keep all comments on topic and civil. Visitors are invited to comment and vote for or flag comments based on appropriateness and helpfulness. All comments must adhere to our commenting rules and are subject to moderation.
Change
Change Location
Specifying your location helps us to provide resources and information specific to your area. To specify your location, use the 'Settings' tab at the top right of the page.
advertisement
Adoption Photolisting
Parent Profiles
Sean & Marcelyn (VA)
Hi! We are excited to become parents through adoption and are very grateful that you would consider us to give your child a home. We've been best friends ever since we met 13... [more]
Directory of Adoption Professionals
Find a professional
for all of your adoption needs including:
for all of your adoption needs including:
