Biography

Margaret Wilson's biography

List MP

Margaret Anne Wilson was born in Gisborne in 1947. She was educated at St Joseph's School and later at St Dominic's College, Northcote and Morrinsville College. Margaret studied law at Auckland University, completing an LL.B (Hons) and M.Jur (1st Class). She holds a current Barrister Certificate of Practice. She received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Waikato in 2004.

After graduation she worked as a law clerk and barrister and solicitor before teaching at Auckland University. She was appointed as foundation Dean and Professor of Law at the University of Waikato in 1990.

Margaret first entered Parliament on the Labour Party list in 1999 and gained a Ministerial post immediately after her election. Her Ministerial positions included Attorney-General, Minister of Labour, Minister Responsible for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Minister of Commerce, Minister for Courts and Associate Minister of Justice.

Other positions held include President of the New Zealand Labour Party 1984-1987; Chief Political Adviser and Head of the Prime Minister's Office 1987-1989; Law Commissioner 1987-1989; Director, Reserve Bank 1985-1989; Chair, National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women 1987-1991.

Margaret was elected Speaker in March 2005 - the first woman Speaker of New Zealand's House of Representatives. She was re-elected in November 2005.

Her interests include the visual arts, reading, gardening and sport, in particular rugby and cricket.

Other positions held:

NGO representative to CEDAW Committee, United Nations, 1998
Chair, National Maternity Advisory Committee, 1998
Visiting Fellowship, Humanities Research Centre, Australian National University, 1997
Distinguished member, Auckland District Law Society, 1997
Adviser, Beattie Rickman, 1996
Member of Advisory Group on restructuring of Ministry of Justice, 1995
Member of team to review the Crown Forestry Rental Trust, 1995
Member of the Judicial Working Group on Gender Equality, 1995 - 1997
Member of the Editorial Board, New Zealand Journal of Industrial Relations, 1994
Member of Advisory Board,The Laws of New Zealand, 1991
Chairwoman, TV3 News Limited, 1988 - 1989
Convenor of the Government Working Party on Equal Pay and Equal Opportunities, 1988
Member of the Advisory Committee to establish the Ministry of Women's Affairs, 1985
Founder Member and Vice President of the Auckland Women Lawyers' Association 1984; became a life member, 1985
Executive Member, Vice-chair and Chair, Auckland Branch, Association of University Teachers, 1976 - 1984
Member of Committee of the Commission for the Future looking at the individual and the state, 1978 -1979
Founder member and president of Women and Law Research Foundation, 1977 - 1979
Founder Editor, New Zealand Journal of Industrial Relations, 1976 - 1977
Acting Editor, Recent Law, 1974
Founder Member, Industrial Relations Society, 1973
Lecturer and Senior Lecturer, Auckland Law School, 1972 -1990
Council member of the Legal Research Foundation, 1972 - 1974
Secretary, Legal Employees Union, 1970 - 1971
Law Clerk, Solicitor, Peter Jenkins, Barrister and Solicitor, Auckland, 1970 - 1972