Alister Scott Abernethy QSM JP (24 September 1920 – 5 June 2003) was a New Zealand trade unionist, politician and public servant.

Through the union he joined the Labour Party and became involved in local politics, becoming a leader in opposition to planned tram fare increases.

He became involved in local politics there as well and was an elected member of the South Canterbury Electric Power Board.

[5] In addition he served six years on the Wellington Regional Council and was twice Labour's mayoral candidate in Lower Hutt.

At the 1983 local election he was defeated for the mayoralty by long time mayor John Kennedy-Good and in 1986 he lost to former councillor Glen Evans.

In 1997 when Lower Hutt designated a new riverbank park, near the Ewen Bridge, the council wanted to name it after the recently deceased Diana, Princess of Wales.

However Abernethy lobbied to name the park after a deceased former city council member Govind Bhaga Bhula (1933-1989).

[9] In retirement Abernethy was prolific in his writing of many lengthy and entertaining letters to the editor of the Hutt News, a local newspaper.