Former Labour MP Jonathan Hunt. Photo: AFP/ILMARS ZNOTINS
Former prime minister Helen Clark laughs as she recalls one of her favourite memories of former Labour Party MP Jonathan Hunt.
"One of them would be going back to when he was the Deputy Speaker ... and he used to have people around for drinks in his office, but he never liked people staying too long at night and his party trick was to go and get his pyjamas on."
Entering Parliament in 1966, Hunt was an MP for 39 years, 30 of which were as MP for New Lynn.
Becoming a minister in the David Lange government, he held roles as minister of housing, tourism, and broadcasting, as well as the Postmaster-General role.
Hunt was appointed Speaker of the House in 1999 by the Helen Clark government and after leaving Parliament in 2005, he went on to serve as the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom for three years.
On Friday, it was announced that Hunt had died aged 85.
Clark said she had known him for half a century.
"He was a very good friend to me as a young member of the Labour Party, as he was to generations of young people, always taking us under his wing, helping us along the way."
She believed most people would remember Jonathan for his time as the Speaker of the House.
"He was a good speaker. Nobody really knew standing orders and parliamentary procedures better than Jonathan. He had it at his fingertips and he had a very strong working relationship with the late Dave McGee, who was Clerk of the House, and together they ran a pretty tight ship.
"I think he will be remembered as a great New Zealand parliamentarian."
Former Labour Prime Minister Helen Clark. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Hunt was also famously nicknamed the 'Minister of Wine and Cheese' during his time in Parliament, and was appointed as a member of the Order of New Zealand in 2005.
Former Labour minister Judith Tizard said he had a great interest in both.
"People used to mock him because he was a bit rotund. He was a walking ad for enjoying the product ... he always said well, 'They've got to laugh at somebody and if they're attacking me, they're not attacking Helen or Michael Cullen'.
"[But] he took that role very seriously and Jonathan was deeply involved with the restructuring of the New Zealand wine industry in the 1980s, which of course is the basis of New Zealand's huge reputation for great wine ... across the world now."
Tizard also remembered Hunt as "an extraordinary person".
"He was one of the kindest, most generous people you could ever meet. Being single all his life, he just took everyone into his family... he was enormously hospitable."
Former Labour Minister Judith Tizard. Photo: Supplied / New Zealand Parliament
She said he threw great parties at his home that he would invite his colleagues to.
"Christmas Day at Jonathan's house ... was a mythical Labour Party gathering.
"Jonathan was just great fun."
Tizard said Hunt contributed to major reforms of Parliament itself in the 1970s where Parliamentary Service and the Office of the Clerk was separated. He was also passionate about classical music and broadcasting.
She said it was "sad" that his death had come after the announcement of the closure of Newshub, formerly known as TV3.
As broadcasting minister, Hunt oversaw the modernisation of the sector and approved the original license for TV3.
"He was crucial for the setting up of New Zealand on Air, of the symphony orchestra being separated out from broadcasting, of the creation of the [RNZ] concert programme ... and many, many, many other policy issues."
Tizard said Hunt was probably "one of the greatest parliamentarians New Zealand has ever seen".