Lindsay Tisch

Lindsay has lived most of his life in the Matamata district, was educated at Matamata College, and raised on a farm. Lindsay gained University Entrance and was a School Prefect in 1965.

At school Lindsay was a talented sport – small but fast!  He was the Waikato Secondary School 100 and 200 yard champion in his day.  Lindsay also played cricket, rugby and, believe it or not, basketball.

He is a graduate from Lincoln University where he gained a Diploma in Agriculture, and from 1970-1974 was a rural valuer, having qualified through the Institute of Valuer’s Professionals examinations.

In 1974 Lindsay and his wife Leonie moved to invest in crop farming in the Hinuera Valley.  Before entering Parliament, Lindsay was a self-employed management consultant and company director, specialising in restructuring, refinancing and marketing. During the period 1991 to 1997 he was a Director of Land Corporation Ltd.

Lindsay’s involvement in the New Zealand National Party commenced in 1966 and from 1988-1994 was the Waikato Divisional Chairman covering 16 electorates. He became the National Party President in 1994 and was National’s Campaign Manager for the 1996 General Election. He has travelled extensively representing the Party at numerous international conferences which has continued as the leader of Parliamentary delegations into North America, Europe and Asia.

Lindsay entered Parliament in 1999, after winning the Karapiro Electorate (renamed Piako after the 2002 election and Waikato after the 2008 election).   A major highlight of Lindsay’s parliamentary career has been holding the position of Deputy Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives.

Lindsay has been actively involved in the Matamata Community, is a Justice of the Peace, a member of Matamata Lions since 1982, a Trustee of the Pohlen Hospital Foundation and holds the 1990 Commemorative Medal for public service.

Lindsay and Leonie have two adult children – both former students of Matamata College – a daughter, Andrea, in the finance industry in Christchurch and a son, Karl in the hospitality industry London.  Leonie is also fully involved in the community –  a Rotarian (past President), Pohlen Hospital  Board, Councillor Matamata Piako District Council, Waikato Heart Trust, a past member of the Waikato District Health Board, and Chairperson of the College Board of Trustees from 1998 to 2001, and she also finds time to play golf!