Former Labour MP Stan Rodger died on Sunday, aged 82.
He became MP for Dunedin North in 1978 and held the role until 1990.
His replacement in the constituency was former Labour MP Pete Hodgson, who said Mr Rodger had an "abiding love for Dunedin."
He had a deep understanding of its history and was always looking towards the future.
One way he left his mark on the city was by securing funding for the Otago Polytechnic campus in Forth St, which completed the tertiary sector of the city.
The polytechnic was previously spread throughout the city, with departments far from each other.
Mr Rodger always kept up with politics and current events and earlier this month stayed up late to see the results of the Australian election, Mr Hodgson said.
He was minister of state services and minister of labour under the Fourth Labour Government, which reformed the way public service was run.
The reforms were so controversial he was stripped of his life membership of the Public Service Association, of which he was president from 1970-73.
His life membership was later restored.
MP for Taieri Ingrid Leary said Mr Rodger was an "old-school politician", a gentleman and a mentor.
An obituary will follow.
