Labour Party

Former Parliamentary Roles

• Member, Local Government and Environment Committee 21 December 1999-18 June 2002
• Member, Regulations Review Committee 21 December 1999-18 June 2002
• Member, Education and Science Committee 19 June 2001-19 March 2002
• Member, Officers of Parliament Committee 27 August 2002-3 March 2004
• Member, Standing Orders Committee 27 August 2002-3 March 2004
• Senior Labour Whip 15 August 2002-26 February 2004
• Member, Parliamentary Service Commission
• Minister Responsible for the Law Commission 26 February 2004-21 December 2004
• Associate Minister of Justice 26 February 2004-16 May 2005
• Associate Minister for the Environment 26 February 2004-19 October 2005
• Minister of Fisheries 26 February 2004-19 October 2005
• Associate Minister of Education 21 December 2004-16 May 2005
• Minister Responsible for the Education Review Office 21 December 2004-16 May 2005
• Minister for the Environment 19 October 2005-27 July 2007
• Minister for Social Development and Employment 19 October 2005-27 July 2007
• Member, Law and Order Committee 7 November 2007-5 March 2008
• Deputy-Chairperson, Law and Order Committee 5 March 2008-3 October 2008
• Member, Local Government and Environment Committee 7 November 2007-3 October 2008

Personal details

Born 1950, Dunedin, married with two children

Education/qualifications

• St Clair School
• Tahuna Intermediate
• King’s High School
• BA (Hons), University of Otago
• Dip Tchg, Christchurch Teachers College

Career

• President, Students Association, Christchurch Teachers' College
• National President, Student Teachers' Association of New Zealand
• HOD of Languages, Bayfield High School
• HOD of Outdoor Education, Bayfield High School
• Convenor, Combined State Unions, Dunedin
• Councillor, Dunedin City Council October 1986-March 2000
• Director, City Forests Ltd, Dunedin 18 December 1991-19 December 2000
• Chairperson, Planning and Environment Committee, Dunedin City Council -1999
• Councillor, Otago Polytechnic -December 1999
• Member for Dunedin South 27 November 1999-8 November 2008

Community activities

• Former Council Member and President, Otago Youth Adventure Trust
• Former Otago Regional Chairperson, NZPPTA
• Councillor, Dunedin Public Art Gallery Society -December 1999
• Inaugural Chairperson, Dunedin Heritage Fund -December 1999