RIP Chester Borrows
Former MP Chester Borrows dies after cancer battle
Former Whanganui MP Chester Borrows has died after he was diagnosed with cancer last year.
Borrows campaigned in two elections before winning the Whanganui seat, which includes South Taranaki, from Labour’s Jill Pettit in 2005.
He held the seat for four terms and was Minister for Courts and Deputy Speaker of the House in the Key Government before retiring in 2017.
Borrows was born in Nelson and he left Nayland College to join the 19-month Police Training course at Trentham in January 1975, aged 17.
I had the opportunity to meet Chester a couple of times on the sidelines of various things over the years and I offer my deepest condolences to his whanau.
Chester was that very rare breed of Politician who was prepared to stand by their conscience on issues that cut through petty bigotry and fear.
His championing of a prison system that rehabilitated and healed rather than punished always set Chester totally at odds with his raw meat tough on crime National Party colleagues.
His refusal to back down on prison reform was always a testament to a person who had seen the damage the prison system and justice system cause and ignored the screams of the sensible sentencing Lynch mob.
That kind of political courage is hard to find on the right any longer.
RIP Chester, you made us a better people for your time here.
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I was all prepared to dislike and write off Chester Burrows and then would read something he said that stopped me in my tracks – maybe he wasn’t a goon National Party robot after all. After reading your experiences and his efforts for better and improving justice and political systems for lawbreakers , I concur with condolences.
NZ will miss you Chester – oh how we need more like you with experience and ideas for alternatives to harsh and callous treatment of people with and causing problems, and anyone who isn’t useful to their lord and ladyships.
An incredible man and one who was so insightful. Such potential. A life to be remembered.
RiP Chester, a fine MP and genuine politician.
Smart on crime, rather than tough on crime. Wish there were more like him, not just in the National Party but in New Zealand.