Tony Friedlander


Anthony Peter David Friedlander is a former New Zealand politician of the National Party. After politics, he worked as a lobbyist for the Road Transport Forum.

Early life

Friedlander was born in 1944 at Wanganui. His father was Morris Friedlander, who was an important organisational figure for the National Party. Tony Friedlander received his education at Lincoln College, from where he graduated with Dip Ag, with a Dip VFM. He is an Associate of the New Zealand Institute of Valuers. He was a farm appraiser for the State Advances Corporation in 1968 and 1969, a farm economist for the Poultrymen's Co-op in 1970, and then a farm appraiser for the Rural Banking & Finance Corporation from 1971 to 1975.

Political career

He stood in the New Plymouth electorate in the and in the swing against the Labour Party that year, he defeated the incumbent, Ron Barclay. He represented the electorate until 1987, when he was defeated by Labour's Harry Duynhoven. From December 1981 to June 1982, he was parliamentary under-secretary to the Minister of Energy, the Minister of National Development, and the Minister of Regional Development. From June 1982 to July 1984, he was Minister of Works and Development, and Minister of Housing.

Post politics

Friedlander held various management positions with Fletcher Challenge between 1987 and 1993. He was appointed chief executive officer at the NZ Road Transport Association in 1993 and held that position for four years, to then become the inaugural chief executive officer of the newly established Road Transport Forum, which represents trucking companies and lobbies for road transport in New Zealand. Friedlander retired from that role in 2010 and was succeeded by Ken Shirley.
In the 1994 New Year Honours, Friedlander was made a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.