Honours/decorations

Member of the British Empire (MBE), 1993

Current parliamentary roles

• Leader of the Opposition
• Spokesperson, Security Intelligence Service
• Spokesperson, Science and Innovation

Former parliamentary roles

• Associate Spokesperson, Environment 5 August 2009-3 February 2011
• Member, Education and Science Committee 18 November 2009-20 October 2011
• Spokesperson, Defence 3 February 2011-5 April 2011
• Member, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee 9 February 2011-6 April 2011
• Spokesperson, Research and Development 5 August 2009-19 December 2011
• Spokesperson, Science and Technology 5 August 2009-19 December 2011
• Spokesperson, Tertiary Education 5 April 2011-19 December 2011

Personal details

Born Auckland, 28 July 1957, married with two children.

Education/qualifications

• Papatoetoe High School
• BSc, University of Auckland
• Teaching Diploma, Auckland Secondary Teachers College
• MSc (Hons), University of Canterbury

Career

• Teacher, Geography and Social Studies, Massey High School 1983-1984
• Teacher, Biology and Science, Onehunga High School 1987
• Consultant on environmental and Maori issues 1987-1989
• UN Co-ordinator of Humantarian Operations in Africa and the Balkans (Coordination of emergency relief operations) 1989-1996
• Head of Save the Children Fund in Rwanda, Somalia, Northern Iraq and Sri Lanka (Coordination of emergency relief operations) 1989-1996
• Research Associate, International Institute of Strategic Studies 1996-1999
• Advisor to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Phil Goff 2000-2002
• Head of UN Humanitarian Office, Jerusalem 2003-2007
• UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Lebanon (Israeli/Lebanon conflict) 2006
• Deputy Head, UN mission in Iraq 2007-2009
• Head, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Iraq 2007-2009

Awards

• New Zealander of the Year, New Zealand Herald 1993
• Award for Gallantry, Save the Children 1994

Leisure activities

Guitar, classic cars, reading, swimming, surfing.