Nathan Guy

Allen Nathan Guy (born 1970) is a New Zealand politician who served as a member of Parliament representing the National Party.
Background.
Guy is a farmer from near Levin. He has been involved in various agricultural sector trusts and councils, and studied farming at Massey University. He served eight years on the Horowhenua District Council from 1998 to 2005.
Guy's father, grandfather, and great-great-grandfather all had political careers. Guy's great-great-grandfather, Duncan Guy, was a member of the Napier Borough Council; his grandfather (also named Duncan Guy) was chairman of the Horowhenua County Council; his father, Malcolm Guy, also served as chairman of the Horowhenua County Council and was the first mayor of the Horowhenua District from 1989 to 1995. His maternal great-grandfather, Fred Nathan, was Mayor of Palmerston North from 1923–1927.
Guy's great-grandfather was chairman of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company when the last spike was driven on the company's line at Otaihanga, an event re-created on 19 February 2011 when Guy drove the last spike at the new Waikanae Railway Station opening ceremony.
Member of Parliament.
In the 2005 election, Guy was a candidate for the National Party, standing in the Ōtaki electorate and being ranked 39th on the party list. He narrowly lost the election to Labour's Darren Hughes, by a margin of 1.00% or 382 votes. He entered Parliament as a list MP.
In the 2008 election he was again the candidate for Ōtaki, this time defeating Hughes by 1,354 votes. He increased his majority to 5,231 votes at the 2011 general election, and again at the 2014 general election to 7,782. He was re-elected MP for Ōtaki for a fourth term in .
Minister.
On 15 June 2009, Guy was selected as the new Minister of Internal Affairs, the National Library of New Zealand and other posts previously held by Richard Worth, who had resigned after allegations of sexual harassment.
On 14 December 2011, following the 2011 New Zealand general election, Guy was sworn in as the Minister of Immigration, Racing, Veterans' Affairs and Associate Minister for Primary Industries. Later that term, in January 2013, he was promoted to the role of Minister for Primary Industries. He held this position throughout the remainder of the Fifth National Government.
As Minister of Internal Affairs Guy was involved in the controversy that occurred in 2017 when it was revealed that, in 2011, he had granted New Zealand citizenship to US billionaire Peter Thiel after only 12 days residence (split over 4 trips in 5 years) in New Zealand. The normal residency requirement for a permanent resident to gain citizenship is 1350 days over 5 years. Mr Thiel was granted citizenship by Guy under “exceptional circumstances” despite Thiel not having lived in the country previously and not intending to do so in the future. Mr. Thiel is the first adult to be granted New Zealand citizenship without meeting residency requirements.
Opposition.
After the National Party was not returned to government at the 2017 general election, Guy was initially the party's spokesperson for primary industries. From March 2018 until his announcement on 30 July 2019 that he would not seek re-election in 2020, he was the spokesman for agriculture, biosecurity and food safety.
Political views.
In 2005, Guy voted for the Marriage (Gender Clarification) Amendment Bill 2005, which would have amended the Marriage Act to define marriage as only between a man and a woman.
Guy voted against the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry in New Zealand.