Topic: Don McKinnon

Sir Donald Charles "Don" McKinnon, ONZ, GCVO (born 27 February 1939) is a former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand. He was the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations from 2000 until 2008.

McKinnon was born in London. His father was Major-General Walter McKinnon, CB CBE, a New Zealand Chief of General Staff, and once Chairman of New Zealand Broadcasting. McKinnon's brothers include the twins John McKinnon, the current New Zealand Secretary of Defence and a former Ambassador to China, and Malcolm McKinnon, an editor and academic, Ian McKinnon, Pro-Chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington and the current Deputy Mayor of Wellington City. He was educated at Nelson College and in Washington, D.C before eventually undertaking study at Lincoln Agricultural College, New Zealand. After leaving university, he became a farm manager, and later a farm management consultant. In 1974, he became a real estate agent. In his spare time, he also worked as a rehabilitation tutor in prisons.

In the elections of 1969 and 1972, McKinnon stood unsuccessfully as the National Party's candidate in the Birkenhead electorate, having previously served on two of the party's electorate committees. In the election of 1978, McKinnon won the newly established seat of Albany, which covered much of the same area.