Bruce Whiteside

Bruce Rugby Whiteside was born in Invercargill, New Zealand, in 1934.

Son of a painter and paperhanger, he struggled to get a toehold on life itself. He spent his first nine months in a Karitane Hospital fighting for his life. During the depression years his father like thousands of others experienced the soup kitchens, the utter degradation to the human soul and the poverty that accompanied it. He knapped stones on relief work, working alongside doctors and tradesmen, building what is today the Summit Road above Christchurch, New Zealand. Bill was later part of Dan Sullivan's group of good Samaritans who helped relieve the plight of those even worse off. Dan Sullivan, at that time the much loved Mayor of Christchurch, later became a Cabinet Minister in the first Labour Government in New Zealand. Bill a strong Labour man imparted upon Bruce much of the philosophy and influence that his son exhibits.

In 1979, Bruce came to Australia. He was appalled at the apathy of the average Australian. Although still fiercely a New Zealander at heart he feels passionately about his adopted country. This quality came to the fore in 1988, when Japanese investment and property ownership began to distort the economy. Whiteside attracted the largest political meeting ever held on the Gold Coast, when 1500 people packed into a school hall. Eight years later Pauline Hanson began to bring some of Whiteside's concerns into the national parliament. Without help from Hanson he set about building the extraordinary support movement that was to be subsequently hijacked. It was upon this foundation that One Nation was so blatantly and fraudulently built.

One year at Whakatane District High School.

Painter and paperhanger for 50 years.

Bay of Plenty Representative cricketer and Northern District triallist,

Interests; Justice, family history and tramway restoration (Chch).

Websites: www.brwhiteside.com and botany.bay.tripod.com/