Obituary - Sir Richard Carter, govt pays tribute

Finance Minister Bill English has paid tribute to distinguished businessman Sir Richard Carter, who died last week.

“Sir Richard was one of New Zealand’s most highly respected business leaders and I was saddened to hear of his death,” Mr English said. 

“He made a significant contribution to New Zealand business and the flow of tributes in recent days confirms the high regard in which he was held by colleagues.”

“Sir Richard will be sadly missed by those who knew and worked with him and I would like to pass on my sincere condolences to his family,” Mr English said.

Carter Holt Harvey titan Sir Richard Henry Alwyn Carter has died, aged 75.

He passed away on Thursday, January 6, and was understood to have been suffering from kidney problems. In 1972 he founded the Kidney Diseases Trust after receiving a transplant from his twin brother Ken.

His family said of Sir Richard’s passing: “A great life is complete.”

He was patriarch of the Carter family, who were regular fixtures on the National Business Review Rich List between 1989 and 2004.

Retired chartered accountant and company director Sir Richard was the great-grandson of Carter Holt Harvey’s founder, and served as executive chair of the forestry giant

Sir Richard acquired timber processor Lumbercorp in 1997, which is now managed by his daughter and son-in-law.

In 1992 he announced his retirement from CHH, but was never far-removed from his family’s business coalface.

He last spoke to the National Business Review in November where he spoke of new business ventures in Australia as well as managing his 700ha dairy farm near Drury.

“I’ve also got quite large forestry interests, so it’s a bit of a mish-mash,” Sir Richard said. “So, what with the farm as well, I’ve got enough to keep myself occupied. It just keeps life interesting.”

He is survived by his daughter, Shirley-Ann, and his two grandson Henry and Baden.

Sir Richard’s funeral will be held at 2pm Thursday at Waytemore Farm, 55C Aicken Road in Paparimu. The family requests donations to the Kidney Society (PO Box 97026, South Auckland Mail Centre) in lieu of flowers.