Former cabinet minister and America’s Cup campaign director Anthony “Aussie” Malcolm has died, following a short illness. He was 83 years old.
Malcolm served in the Muldoon Government, working as a Cabinet minister with varied portfolios – including railways, health and immigration.
He had come to Parliament after training as a social worker and then ran an advertising company. Post-Parliament, he turned his passion for yachting into a fourth career, managing New Zealand’s first challenge for the America’s Cup.
His family confirmed his death, following his cremation, on Thursday. A statement from his daughter, Jo Malcolm, said close family and friends had been with him in Whangārei, during his final moments.
Born in Australia, Malcolm moved to New Zealand as a child and attended Wellington College where his classmates nicknamed him “Aussie”. The name stuck with him his whole life.
In 1975, Malcolm defeated Labour’s Mike Moore to win the Eden electorate for the National Party, a seat he would hold for three terms. His political career came to an end in 1984, when Labour reclaimed the seat in a landslide election.
Stuff
Sad to see Aussie Malcolm has passed away.
— Cam Slater (@kaiviti_cam) September 12, 2024
1. I learned some of my best campaigning tricks from working on his campaigns as a kid.
2. My Mum used to tell him off all the time.
3. I well remember the time we'd gone out putting graffiti on his own signs in election campaigns, with…
