Margaret Austin
|
The Honourable Margaret Austin CNZM |
|
|---|---|
| 25th Minister of Internal Affairs | |
|
In office 1990–1990 |
|
| Prime Minister |
David Lange Geoffrey Palmer |
| Preceded by | Michael Bassett |
| Succeeded by | Graeme Lee |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Yaldhurst |
|
|
In office 14 July 1984 – 1996 |
|
| Preceded by | Mick Connelly |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
1 April 1933 (age 84) Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Political party |
Labour United |
| Profession | Teacher |
Margaret Elizabeth Austin, CNZM (born 1 April 1953) is a former New Zealand politician. She was an MP from 1984 to 1996, representing first the Labour Party and then briefly United New Zealand.
Austin was born in Dunedin in 1933. She attended the University of Canterbury and graduated with a Diploma of Teaching. She went on to teach in Christchurch and in 1971 became the Head of Science at Christchurch Girls' High School and later became Senior Mistress at Riccarton High School in 1977. She was also a member of the Educational Administration Society and was its President for three years.
She was first elected to Parliament in the 1984 election as the MP for Yaldhurst, an electorate in western Christchurch. After Labour's re-election at the 1987 election, Austin was elected her party's Senior Whip following Michael Cullen's elevation to cabinet.
During her time in Parliament, Austin served as a Minister of Research and Development, Internal Affairs and of Arts, Culture and Heritage. She held the seat for the Labour Party until 1995 when the seat was abolished, in preparation for the changeover to MMP, and she joined with six other MPs to found the centrist United New Zealand Party. Like all United New Zealand MPs (but Peter Dunne), Austin was not re-elected in the 1996 election; Austin stood in the new Ilam electorate where she came third.
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