Civil Defence, and Minister of Veterans' Affairs in the 2002–2005 parliamentary term. Disappointed at being ranked 25th on the 2005 Labour Party list, he withdrew his name from the list, and won the Manurewa seat with a comfortable margin of over 12,000 votes (a similar majority to his 2002 election win). Although Hawkins was criticised over his handling of police issues, in particular 111 calls, he remained a Minister until he made the decision not to seek a new position in Cabinet after the 2005 election. He subsequently became a backbencher and became regarded by colleagues as a quiet maverick, asking written questions of ministers in the same manner that Opposition MPs would do. He resisted calls to retire, which intensified in 2007 when Hawkins took two months off to have an operation for bowel cancer. He believed many in the Labour Party coveted his safe electorate seat and stated of many of the visitors he received in hospital "They didn't want to hold your hand, they wanted to take your pulse." In the 2008 general election he again chose not to be placed on the party list, and again won his Manurewa seat. However his majority was cut by more than half. Following the defeat of the Labour government Hawkins was appointed Shadow Minister of Housing by Clark's successor as leader, Phil Goff. He retired from Parliament in 2011. Local board member In 2013 Hawkins returned to local government when he was elected a member of the Manurewa Local Board. Honors and recognition In the 2013 New Year Honours, Hawkins was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for services as a member of Parliament. References External links Parliamentary page 1946 births Living people Mayors of Papakura Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand New Zealand Labour Party MPs People from Mount Eden People educated at Mount Albert Grammar School Companions of the Queen's Service Order Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives New Zealand MPs for Auckland electorates 21st-century New Zealand politicians