Steve Maharey

Steven "Steve" Maharey CNZM (born 3 February 1953) is a former Member of Parliament for Palmerston North in New Zealand, as a member of the Labour Party. He left politics and the party before the 2008 general election to become the Vice-Chancellor at Massey University.

Formerly he held the roles of Minister of Education, Minister of Broadcasting, Minister of Research, Science and Technology, Minister for Crown Research Institutes and Minister responsible for the Education Review Office, Minister of Social Development and Employment, Minister of Housing and Minister of Youth Affairs. He stood down from his ministerial rolls in 2008 pending his appointment as Vice-Chancellor of Massey University

Early life

Maharey was born in Palmerston North in 1953, the son of William Maharey and his wife Irene. He attended Freyberg High School in 1966–1969. After gaining an MA Hons in sociology from Palmerston North's Massey University (1972–1976), he was a lecturer at that institution from 1978, teaching both sociology and business administration. His particular speciality within sociology was social change and cultural studies.