Jenny Shipley

Dame Jennifer Mary Shipley (née Robson; born 4 February 1952) is a New Zealand former politician who served as the 36th prime minister of New Zealand from 1997 to 1999.

She was the first female prime minister of New Zealand, and the first woman to have led the National Party.

Shipley was born in Gore, Southland.

She grew up in rural Canterbury, and attended Marlborough Girls' College and the Christchurch College of Education.

Before entering politics, she worked as a schoolteacher and was involved with various community organisations.

After attending Marlborough Girls' College, she qualified in 1971 as a teacher through the Christchurch College of Education and taught in New Zealand primary schools until 1976.

In 1973 she married Burton Shipley and settled in Ashburton.

Having joined the National Party in 1975, Shipley successfully stood in Ashburton, a safe National seat in the country areas surrounding Christchurch, in the 1987 election.

Entering parliament at age 35, she was one of parliament's youngest members.

Shipley rose quickly in the National caucus.

Shipley was elected to Parliament at the 1987 election, winning the Ashburton electorate (later renamed Rakaia).

When the National Party returned to power in 1990, she was appointed to Cabinet under Jim Bolger.

Shipley subsequently served as Minister of Social Welfare (1990–1996), Minister for Women's Affairs (1990–1996), Minister of Health (1993–1996), and Minister of Transport (1996–1997).

In February 1990, while still in her first term, party leader Jim Bolger named her the party's spokeswoman on social welfare.

When Bolger led the National Party to victory in the 1990 general election, Shipley was reelected in Rakaia, essentially a reconfigured Ashburton.

She became Minister of Social Welfare, and also served as Minister for Women's Affairs (1990–1996).

In her role as Minister of Social Welfare, Shipley presided over sharp cutbacks to state benefits.

Later, when she became Minister of Health in 1993, she caused further controversy by attempting to reform the public health service, introducing an internal market.

In 1993, Shipley was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.

Shipley grew increasingly frustrated and disillusioned with the cautious pace of National's leader, Jim Bolger, and with what she saw as the disproportionate influence of New Zealand First.

National won another term at the 1996 election, but was forced into a coalition with New Zealand First.

Shipley left the Women's Affairs portfolio and took on several others, including responsibility for state-owned enterprises and transport.

Shipley chafed at the government's slow pace, and in December 1997 convinced her National colleagues to support her as leader.

Bolger resigned as Prime Minister rather than face being voted out, and Shipley was elected as his replacement unopposed.

She inherited an uneasy coalition with New Zealand First, led by Winston Peters.

She began gathering support to replace Bolger in mid-1997.

Later that year, while Bolger attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Shipley convinced a majority of her National Party colleagues to back her bid for the leadership.

Bolger returned to New Zealand and discovered that he no longer had the support of his party.

Rather than face being voted out, he resigned, and Shipley replaced him.

As leader of the governing party, she became Prime Minister on 8 December 1997.

The coalition was dissolved in August 1998, but Shipley was able to remain in power with the aid of Mauri Pacific, an NZ First splinter group.

On 21 May 1998 Shipley was appointed to the Privy Council and became The Right Honourable Jenny Shipley.

Despite continued economic growth, the Shipley government became increasingly politically unstable.

In particular, the relationship between National and New Zealand First deteriorated.

While Bolger had been able to maintain good relations with New Zealand First and with its leader, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, the alliance became strained after Shipley rose to power.

At the 1999 election, her government was defeated by the Labour Party, led by Helen Clark.

Shipley continued as Leader of the Opposition until October 2001.

Shipley involved herself with business and charitable interests since leaving politics, and is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders.

She was found liable for $9 million for her role in the financial failure of Mainzeal, a construction company.

Born in Gore, New Zealand, Shipley was one of four sisters.