ash ▁married ▁his ▁first ▁wife , ▁Er ica , ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁had ▁two ▁children . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁Singapore an ▁secretary , ▁Je ▁Lan ▁Lee , ▁entered ▁into ▁a ▁relationship . ▁Both ▁were ▁married ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁He ▁separated ▁from ▁his ▁first ▁wife ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁and ▁four ▁months ▁after ▁they ▁were ▁divor ced ▁he ▁married ▁Lee . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁his ▁second ▁marriage ▁also ▁broke ▁up , ▁following ▁an ▁affair ▁with ▁D iane ▁For eman , ▁then ▁Deput y ▁Chair ▁of ▁the ▁Business ▁Round ▁Table . ▁Br ash ▁and ▁Lee ▁had ▁one ▁child ▁together . ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁▁ ▁Br ash ▁went ▁to ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁to ▁work ▁as ▁an ▁econom ist ▁for ▁the ▁World ▁Bank . ▁However , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁New ▁Zealand ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁to ▁become ▁general ▁manager ▁of ▁Broad bank ▁Corporation , ▁a ▁merchant ▁bank . ▁ ▁Br ash ' s ▁first ▁entry ▁into ▁politics ▁came ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁when ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁selected ▁him ▁to ▁stand ▁as ▁its ▁candidate ▁in ▁the ▁by - e lection ▁in ▁the ▁East ▁Coast ▁B ays ▁elect or ate . ▁Br ash ' s ▁attempt ▁at ▁the ▁seat , ▁however , ▁failed ▁– ▁some ▁believe ▁that ▁this ▁resulted ▁from ▁the ▁decision ▁by ▁Robert ▁Mul do on , ▁National ▁Party ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁to ▁raise ▁to ll