John Kennedy-Good
- July 11, 2005
- 89 years
About John Kennedy-Good
John Kennedy-Good, 89, New Zealand politician.
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Full Biography
|Sir John Kennedy-Good KBE QSO JP (8 August 1915 – 11 July 2005) was a New Zealand politician. He was mayor of Lower Hutt from 1970 to 1986.
Biography
Early life and career
Kennedy-Good was born in 1915 in Goulburn, New South Wales, where his father was working as a stock and station agent. The family later moved to Invercargill, New Zealand, where they ran a butcher's shop. Kennedy-Good was educated at Southland Boys' High School and graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery in 1940.
In 1940, he opened a dental practice in Lower Hutt and married June Clement Mackay, with whom he would have seven children. He served as president of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Dental Association in 1950 and chair of the Dental Health Council in 1952.
Political career
Kennedy-Good became involved in local politics through the issue of fluoridation of Lower Hutt's water supply, which he supported. At the 1953 local-body elections he first stood for office for a seat on the Lower Hutt City Council. Standing on the Citizens' Association ticket, he was unsuccessful (as were all Citizens' candidates). He stood for the council again in 1962, as an independent, and was successful. Kennedy-Good was encouraged by centre-right voters to stand for mayor in 1965, but he declined to challenge the Labour mayor Percy Dowse, who he considered to be a good leader as well as a personal friend. He stood only for the council (now on the Citizens' ticket again) and was easily re-elected.
Kennedy-Good twice stood unsuccessfully as the National Party candidate for the New Zealand parliament in the Hutt electorate: in the 1966 general election against Walter Nash; and against Trevor Young in the 1968 by-election following Nash's death. Initially he also intended to stand in the 1969 general election, and cited this reason for not contesting the mayoralty at the 1968 local elections. Ultimately he did not stand at the 1969 general election. Kennedy-Good was also a member of the Wellington Harbour Board. He was first elected in 1968 and served four terms until 1980 when he did not seek re-election.
Dowse died mid-term on 9 December 1970. Rather than hold a by-election the city council members decided to elect a councillor to finish the remainder of the term until the scheduled election 10 months later. The councillors elected Kennedy-Good as Dowse's successor. He resigned his National Party membership upon becoming mayor, believing the position should be non-partisan. The Citizens' Association, who had a majority on the council, surprisingly did not select Kennedy-Good for the 1971 election instead choosing the deputy mayor (and 1968 candidate) Dave Hadley instead. As a result, Kennedy-Good formed his own "combined" electoral ticket, consisting of candidates who were previously Citizens' and Labour affiliated, with which to contest the election. In an evenly divided poll Kennedy-Good narrowly edged out former Labour councillor John Seddon to win the election (Hadley came third). Re-elected again in 1974, there was major flooding in the Hutt Valley in December 1976. The council did not have the resources to fix the damages and had to ask the government for assistance. Prime Minister Robert Muldoon visited the flood affected areas, however antagonisms between Muldoon and some Labour Party councillors led to the funds being delayed. Once they came through the council was able to help the neighbourhoods affected. His majority fell at the 1977 election and Labour won a majority of seats after criticisms of the council's disaster response. In 1980 (having retired from the Harbour Board) he was elected to the new Wellington Regional Council. After two further terms he retired as mayor in 1986. The latter years of his mayoralty were dominated by the construction of Queensgate Shopping Centre and one of his final acts as mayor was its official opening.
Later life and death
In retirement, Kennedy-Good lived at Pauanui and later Whangaparaoa. He died in Auckland in 2005 and was buried at Christ Church Cemetery in Taitā.
Honours and recognition
Kennedy-Good was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services in the 1977 Queen's Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours, and a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for service to local government and the community, in the 1983 New Year Honours. The Kennedy-Good Bridge in Lower Hutt is named in his honour.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kennedy-Good
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
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- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from John Kennedy-Good's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what city was John Kennedy-Good born?
- A.Goulburncorrect
- B.Lower Hutt
- C.Invercargill
- D.Auckland
John Kennedy-Good was born in 1915 in Goulburn, New South Wales.
Source: Early life and career section
2.Which university degree did John Kennedy-Good earn in 1940?
- A.Bachelor of Law
- B.Bachelor of Science
- C.Bachelor of Arts
- D.Bachelor of Dental Surgerycorrect
John Kennedy-Good graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery in 1940.
Source: Early life and career section
3.What was the occupation of John Kennedy-Good's father in Goulburn?
- A.Politician
- B.Stock and station agentcorrect
- C.Butcher
- D.Dentist
John Kennedy-Good was born while his father was working as a stock and station agent.
Source: Early life and career section
4.How many children did John Kennedy-Good and June Clement Mackay have?
- A.Sevencorrect
- B.Eight
- C.Six
- D.Five
John Kennedy-Good married June Clement Mackay, with whom he would have seven children.
Source: Early life and career section
5.What local issue first drew John Kennedy-Good into local politics?
- A.Public school funding
- B.Bridge construction
- C.Harbour regulation
- D.Fluoridation of watercorrect
John Kennedy-Good became involved in local politics through the issue of fluoridation of Lower Hutt's water supply.
Source: Political career section
6.In what year was John Kennedy-Good first successfully elected to the Lower Hutt City Council?
- A.1968
- B.1953
- C.1965
- D.1962correct
After an unsuccessful bid in 1953, John Kennedy-Good stood for the council again in 1962 and was successful.
Source: Political career section
7.Why did John Kennedy-Good decide not to challenge Percy Dowse for mayor in 1965?
- A.He was too busy with his dental practice
- B.He was running for Parliament at the time
- C.He was not allowed by the Citizens' Association
- D.He considered Percy Dowse a friend and good leadercorrect
John Kennedy-Good declined to challenge Percy Dowse in 1965 because he considered him to be a good leader and a personal friend.
Source: Political career section
8.Who did John Kennedy-Good stand against in the 1966 general election for the New Zealand parliament?
- A.Robert Muldoon
- B.Percy Dowse
- C.Walter Nashcorrect
- D.Trevor Young
John Kennedy-Good stood unsuccessfully as a National Party candidate against Walter Nash in the 1966 general election.
Source: Political career section
9.What position did John Kennedy-Good hold from 1968 until 1980?
- A.Chair of the Dental Health Council
- B.Mayor of Lower Hutt
- C.Member of the Wellington Harbour Boardcorrect
- D.Member of Parliament
John Kennedy-Good was a member of the Wellington Harbour Board, first elected in 1968 and serving four terms until 1980.
Source: Political career section
10.Why did John Kennedy-Good resign his National Party membership?
- A.To join the Labour Party
- B.Upon becoming mayor, as he believed the position should be non-partisancorrect
- C.He was forced out by the Citizens' Association
- D.Because he lost the election
John Kennedy-Good resigned his National Party membership upon becoming mayor because he believed the position should be non-partisan.
Source: Political career section
11.Whom did John Kennedy-Good defeat in the 1971 mayoral election?
- A.Robert Muldoon
- B.John Seddoncorrect
- C.Dave Hadley
- D.Percy Dowse
In an evenly divided poll, John Kennedy-Good narrowly edged out former Labour councillor John Seddon to win the 1971 mayoral election.
Source: Political career section
12.What major infrastructure project was constructed during the final years of John Kennedy-Good's mayoralty?
- A.Invercargill Library
- B.Lower Hutt Airport
- C.Kennedy-Good Bridge
- D.Queensgate Shopping Centrecorrect
The latter years of his mayoralty were dominated by the construction of Queensgate Shopping Centre.
Source: Political career section
13.In what year was John Kennedy-Good appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire?
- A.1980
- B.1970
- C.1983correct
- D.1977
John Kennedy-Good was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1983 New Year Honours.
Source: Honours and recognition section
14.Where was John Kennedy-Good buried?
- A.Pauanui Cemetery
- B.Auckland City Cemetery
- C.Invercargill Public Cemetery
- D.Christ Church Cemetery in Taitācorrect
John Kennedy-Good died in 2005 and was buried at Christ Church Cemetery in Taitā.
Source: Later life and death section
15.Which honor did John Kennedy-Good receive in 1977?
- A.Companion of the Queen's Service Ordercorrect
- B.New Zealand Order of Merit
- C.Mayor Emeritus of Lower Hutt
- D.Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
John Kennedy-Good was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services in the 1977 Queen's Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours.
Source: Honours and recognition section
16.What event led to the 1976 government assistance request in the Hutt Valley?
- A.A local by-election
- B.A water fluoridation crisis
- C.The construction of the shopping center
- D.Major floodingcorrect
In December 1976 there was major flooding in the Hutt Valley, and the council had to ask the government for assistance as they lacked resources.
Source: Political career section
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