Graeme John Hunt (20 September 1952 – 22 September 2010) was a New Zealand journalist, author and historian.
Biography Hunt was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He was the third of the five children of Frederick Phillip Hunt (1921–1982), a self-employed wire worker, and Beverley Nance Hunt (née Hatcher) (1926–2002), an accounts clerk. He attended Penrose High School (now One Tree Hill College) in Auckland.
Hunt, who initially trained as an accountant, was a journalist, author, and historian. He held a history degree and a business studies diploma from Massey University in Palmerston North,Hunt, Graeme (2005; updated 2006). Peka Totara: Penrose High School Golden Jubilee 1955–2005 , p. 36–37. and attended Green College (now Green Templeton College), University of Oxford, England, in 2000 as a Chevening/David Low journalism fellow under the Reuters Foundation Programme.
Hunt was a former editor-at-large of the National Business Review, Auckland, and a former editor of that paper's annual Rich List. He was also a radio and television commentator on business and politics and wrote for a number of New Zealand publications including the New Zealand Listener, Management magazine, the New Zealand Herald, the Herald on Sunday and Metro.For example, Hunt, Graeme, (31 August 2007). "Sir James Fletcher, the mild-mannered man of steel", New Zealand Herald, Auckland (obituary of James Muir Cameron Fletcher.)
Interests Hunt was deputy chairman of One Tree Hill College Board of Trustees, Auckland (his old school),"Board of Trustees ". One Tree Hill College. and was formerly deputy chairman of Kelston Girls' College Board of Trustees, Auckland. He also served on the (New Zealand) Young Enterprise Trust Supporters' Council and undertook the research into, and helped select, laureates for the Fairfax Media New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.
He was a keen genealogist and published two books on his family history.
Political involvement In 1986 he sought the National Party nomination for the seat of Pakuranga ahead of the 1987 election.
Hunt was a critic of New Zealand's mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting system and campaigned for its abolition."Poll shows public split over MMP and FPP". NZPA. 14 July 2009.
On 19 April 2010 Hunt announced he would be standing on the North Now ticket for the new Auckland Council. He died at his residence in Auckland before the elections were completed."
Personal details Hunt was married to Saluma (née Ioane), a human resources manager, originally from Niue. He fathered two children, a son and daughter, from a previous marriage.
Works Hunt's works included:"Hunt, Graeme ". New Zealand Book Council."Graeme Hunt ". Professional Historians' Association of New Zealand Aotearoa.
Introduction to Sharemarket Investment, New Zealand Stock Exchange, Auckland, 1985, 1986, 1987 Scandal at Cave Creek: A Shocking Failure in Public Accountability, Waddington Publications, Auckland, 1996 Why MMP Must Go: The Case for Ditching the Electoral Disaster of the Century, Waddington Press, Auckland, 1998 The Rich List: Wealth and Enterprise in New Zealand, Reed Books & Waddington Press, Auckland, 2000 & 2003 Hustlers, Rogues & Bubble Boys: White-collar Mischief in New Zealand, Reed Books & Waddington Press, Auckland, 2001 Black Prince: The Biography of Fintan Patrick Walsh, Penguin Books & Waddington Press, Auckland, 2004 Centenary: 100 Years of State Insurance, IAG New Zealand, Auckland, 2005 Rural Challenge: A History of Wrightson Ltd (with Hugh Stringleman, the primary author), Reed Books, 2006 Spies and Revolutionaries: A History of New Zealand Subversion, Reed Books & Waddington Press, Auckland, 2009 By Skill and Spirit: A History of the Auckland Officers' Club, Waddington Press, Auckland, 2009 First to Care: 125 Years of the Order of St John in New Zealand,1885–2010, Libro International & Waddington Press, Auckland, 2009Eriksen, Alanah May, (24 November 2009). "St John book celebrates 125 years of first aid for Kiwis". New Zealand Herald. Also East & Bays Courier, Auckland, 20 November 2009. Also the Press, Christchurch, 26 December 2009. Also Otago Daily Times, Dunedin, 31 October 2009. Pride and Passion: AECOM's 90 Years of Civil Engineering and Consultancy in New Zealand, 1919–2009, Waddington Press, Auckland, 2009.
Hunt wrote or edited several other books, including school and business histories.
References
External links Official website for Graeme Hunt and his companies (archived October 2010) Official website for North Now