November 28, 2018 4:00pm by David Farrar

RIP Gordon Copeland

Former United Future MP Gordon Copeland has died at age 75.

Copeland died on Saturday at the Mary Potter Hospice in Wellington.

He served as a member of parliament from 2002 to 2008, becoming a list MP for the United Future New Zealand Party from 2002, but resigned from the party in 2007.

In 2009, he became president of The Kiwi Party.

Peter Dunne, retired former leader of the United Future party, said on Tuesday night he was sad to hear of Copeland’s passing.

“I think he made a really strong contribution to the party.”

Copeland had a strong financial background and stood by his strong moral and ethical views, Dunne said.

“He was a good colleague, he was a man who was always amicable.”

Gordon was a very nice guy, with strong beliefs. He was a constructive MP who believed in public service.

His political instincts weren’t always finely developed, but he made some good contributions in Parliament.