Dale Stephens is a New Zealand National Party politician [41] who has stood as a candidate for the Christchurch Central electorate [36].
Stephens was educated at Canterbury University [25], Massey University [26], and Victoria University [30]. According to a single reputable secondary source, he holds a Bachelor of Business Studies [1], a Master of Laws [27], and a Master of Public Policy [28].
His career began as a police officer [10], after which he moved into a range of public-sector and governance roles. According to a single reputable secondary source, he held senior public-sector leadership roles [13] and served as Director of Māori Partnership at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise [2]. He has also worked as a professional company director [11].
In the sports administration sector, Stephens served as chief executive of Basketball New Zealand from January 2008, according to a single reputable secondary source [40], and is also reported by a single reputable secondary source to have been chief executive of Touch New Zealand [9]. A single reputable secondary source describes him as having led New Zealand's peak bodies for both basketball and touch rugby [8].
Stephens has held a number of confirmed civic and governance roles. He served as Chairman of New Zealand Māori Tourism [17][23] and as Chair of Ministry of Awesome, a startup advisory group [14][22]. He has also been a trustee of the Early Start Project [19]. According to a single reputable secondary source, he has served as a director on multiple Māori investment and social service entities [18] and as an independent director of Te Waka Pupuri Pūtea (TWPP) Group from November 2022 [24]. A single reputable secondary source also notes he co-founded Koha Fitness [21].
In electoral politics, Stephens is affiliated with the New Zealand National Party [41][42]. According to a single reputable secondary source, he stood as the National Party candidate for Christchurch Central at the 2020 general election [35], and his candidacy for the same electorate at the 2023 general election is confirmed [36]. According to a single reputable secondary source, he has also been listed as a candidate for the 2026 general election for Christchurch Central [37], and is reported to have stood for the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti electorate on one occasion [38].