Ingrid Leary

Ingrid Marieke Leary[2] (born 1967 or 1968) is a New Zealand politician. In 2020 she was elected as a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Labour Party.

Ingrid Leary

MP
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Taieri
Assumed office
17 October 2020
Personal details
Born1967/1968 (age 52–53)
West Germany
Political partyLabour
Children3[1]
ResidenceDunedin, New Zealand[1]

Prior to Parliament

Leary was a lawyer, parliamentary press secretary, university lecturer and broadcaster before entering Parliament. She helped to set up the journalism school in the University of the South Pacific in 2007, and lectured there on journalism. When she resigned in 1999 to take up a role in TV production in New Zealand, she was critical of the Fiji government's approach to the media.[3][4]

In 2006 Leary received the New Zealand Special Service Medal for her broadcasting work in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in Aceh.[1][5]

Leary was press secretary for Maurice Williamson,[6] and she later served as the director of the British Council New Zealand for 11 years.[7][8]

Campaign

Leary was selected as the Labour candidate for the Dunedin South electorate, later renamed Taieri, ahead of Rachel Brooking and Simon McCallum.[1] During the campaign, New Zealand First list MP Mark Patterson publicly queried her commitment to the electorate, as she had admitted spending lockdown on Waiheke island.[6] Leary claimed to be the victim of a smear campaign, as she had studied law in Dunedin, and had relocated to Dunedin with her family, including a child attending school in Dunedin, prior to her selection for the seat.[9]

Member of Parliament
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2020–present 53rd Taieri 59 Labour

Leary was elected with a majority of 12,398 over the National candidate Liam Kernaghan in the final count.[10][11] She said she was hoping for a role in justice, social enterprise or issues relating to seniors.[12]

Family

Leary is a mother of three, and lives in Dunedin with her family, which includes one child at school.[6]

References
  1. "Labour picks Dunedin South seat candidate". Otago Daily Times. 2 March 2020. Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  2. https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/HansS_20201125_039660000/event
  3. Manning, Selwyn (26 November 1999). "NZ Academic Slams Fiji Govt Attack On Media". Scoop. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  4. Krishnamurthi, Sri. "Eco-tourism major key to 'tricky' Pacific economic reset, says Leary |". Asi Pacific Report. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  5. "New medal for Asian Tsunami relief efforts presented". The Beehive. New Zealand Government. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  6. "Election 2020: The fight for Taieri, one of NZ's newest electorates". Stuff. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  7. "Labour candidate for Dunedin South contest revealed". Otago Daily Times. 1 March 2020. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  8. "British Council Appoints Ingrid Leary As Director". Scoop. 13 April 2008. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  9. Hudson, Daisy (18 September 2020). "Labour candidate claims smear campaign". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 2 November 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  10. "Taieri - Official Result". Electoral Commission. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  11. "Election 2020: The 40 diverse new MPs entering Parliament". Newstalk ZB. 18 October 2020. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020 – via The New Zealand Herald.
  12. Houlahan, Mike (19 October 2020). "Expected close race ends up anything but". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
New Zealand Parliament
Vacant
Constituency recreated after abolition in 1911
Title last held by
Thomas Mackenzie		 Member of Parliament for Taieri
2020–present		 Incumbent
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.