Ingrid Leary
Ingrid Leary, Member of the House of Representatives of New Zealand: “New Zealand’s Parliament has 48% women MPs – the highest number since women were first allowed to stand for Parliament in 1919. In fact the 57 women MPs constitute one third of all women to have ever been an MP in NZ. This is a huge achievement — however our work is not done. I will continue to advocate for greater diversity of ethnicity, disability, sexuality and religion within our female membership – as well as supporting other women all over the world to take their rightful place at decision-making tables. There must be nothing about us without us!”
Bio:
Honourable Leary became the Labour Member of Parliament for the new Taieri electorate in 2020 – an electorate which has drawn together urban Dunedin South with parts of rural South Otago. She sits on the Finance and Expenditure, and Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committees and she is co-Chair of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians NZ Group. Prior to Parliament, Ingrid was an international relations specialist, lawyer, parliamentary press secretary, university lecturer and broadcaster. In 2006, Ingrid was awarded the New Zealand Special Service Medal for her broadcasting work in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in Aceh. She is also a Fellow of the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Center.