He served as the 14th deputy prime minister of New Zealand in Jenny Shipley's National Party government from August 1998 to December 1999.

He served in the 3rd Defense Battalion, which saw action at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the Battle of Midway Island in June 1942, and through the whole Guadalcanal Campaign from 7 August 1942 until early 1943.

When Creech was three months old, the family returned to New Zealand, settling in Wairarapa where his father became a sheep and beef farmer.

He subsequently returned to Wairarapa and established a vineyard in the newly developing wine growing region of Martinborough.

On 12 July 1988, the Electoral Court found in Creech's favour on both counts in its judgement on the Wairarapa Election Petition, and he took his seat immediately with a majority of 34 votes (9994 to 9960).

Prior to this election, Creech had stood aside from contesting the Wairarapa Electorate as the National Party candidate and became a List MP.

Following his retirement from politics, Creech headed up a small group that took advantage of the opportunities created by the deregulation of the dairy industry by the founding of the Open Country Cheese Company, located near Matamata, in Waikato.

This has now grown into Open Country Dairy Co Ltd with both milk powder and cheese production facilities in Waharoa (near Matamata), Waikato, Awarua (near Invercargill) and Wanganui.

The original cheese company was formed on 28 November 2001 (the date on which the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001 received the Royal Assent.

[citation needed] In September 2009, Creech joined the New Zealand Fire Service Commission as Deputy Chair.

[13] Their report was highly critical of the performance and capability of the organisation, and while the recommendations were controversial, were fully implemented by the government.

[citation needed] Creech served from December 2004 until June 2006 as a director of investment and property company Bluechip.

As former directors, Creech and John Luxton (who resigned in October 2006) were included (2012) in two lawsuits which alleged breach of their duty to investors.