John James Terris, a New Zealand politician, Anglican priest and broadcaster, died on February 2, 2026, aged 86.
He represented the Labour Party in the New Zealand parliament from 1978 to 1990 and served as Chairman of Committees of the House of Representatives from 1984 to 1990. Terris was mayor of Lower Hutt from 1995 to 2004.
Born in Wanganui in 1939, he attended New Plymouth Boys’ High School and St John’s Theological College, where he attained a diploma. Ordained by the Anglican Church in 1970 as a Worker Priest, he also worked in broadcasting as an announcer, interviewer and executive producer.
John James Terris QSO (19 June 1939 – 2 February 2026) was a New Zealand politician, Anglican priest and broadcaster who represented the Labour Party in the New Zealand parliament from 1978 to 1990. He was Chairman of Committees of the House of Representatives from 1984 to 1990. From 1995 to 2004, he was mayor of Lower Hutt.