Ron Mark

Hon Ron Mark is the New Zealand First candidate for Wairarapa in the 2026 General Election.

Ron served as New Zealand’s 40th Minister of Defence and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs in 2017–2020, overseeing the largest NZDF modernization in decades. A six-term MP, three-time Mayor of Carterton, recently appointed Member of the Waitangi Tribunal, Ron has dedicated his life to public service, law and order, and regional governance.

Raised in foster care from age three, Ron joined the New Zealand Army at 16, passed NZSAS selection, served two tours in the Sinai, and commanded special forces maintenance operations as a Major in Oman.

Of Māori descent across nine iwi, Ron served as Deputy Chair of Wairarapa Moana Incorporation and Lead Negotiator for the historic Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki Nui-a-Rua Treaty Settlement.

Internationally, Ron has completed five humanitarian aid missions into Ukraine, earning Ukraine’s Amber Heart award in 2025. He attended the Yalta European Strategy Forum in Kyiv and Taiwan’s Yushan Forum in 2026.

Today, Ron and Christine have a small farm in Carterton. Ron also Chairs the Wings Over Wairarapa Airshow, offering unmatched experience and decisive leadership for Wairarapa.