Pansy Wong
Pansy Yu Fong Wong (Chinese: 黃徐毓芳; Cantonese Yale: Wòhng Chèuih Yūk-fōng; born 1955[1][2][3]) is a former New Zealand politician. She was New Zealand's first Asian MP, serving as a member of parliament for the National Party from 1996 to 2011. She was also New Zealand's first Asian Cabinet Minister, serving as Minister for Ethnic Affairs, Minister of Women's Affairs, Associate Minister for ACC, and Associate Minister of Energy and Resources in the Fifth National Government.
Pansy Wong | |
|---|---|
| 黃徐毓芳 | |
| Minister of Ethnic Affairs | |
| In office 19 November 2008 – 12 November 2010 | |
| Prime Minister | John Key |
| Preceded by | Chris Carter |
| Succeeded by | Hekia Parata |
| 10th Minister for Women's Affairs | |
| In office 19 November 2008 – 12 November 2010 | |
| Prime Minister | John Key |
| Preceded by | Steve Chadwick |
| Succeeded by | Georgina te Heuheu (acting) Hekia Parata |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Botany | |
| In office 2008 – 17 January 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Succeeded by | Jami-Lee Ross |
| Majority | 10,872 |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for National Party List | |
| In office 1996–2008 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Tsui Yu Fong 徐毓芳 1955 Shanghai, China |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Political party | National Party |
| Spouse | Sammy Wong |
| Occupation | Businessperson |
Wong resigned from Parliament in January 2011 after allegations of misusing her Parliamentary travel perks.[4]
Early life Edit
Wong was born in Shanghai and raised in Hong Kong. She attended Queen Elizabeth School, Hong Kong.[5] She emigrated to New Zealand in 1974, and studied commerce at University of Canterbury in Christchurch before embarking on a career in business and accounting. Before entering national politics, she served on the Canterbury Regional Council for seven years until 1996 when she entered parliament as a National List MP. She is married to Malaysian-born businessman Sammy Teck Seng Wong. Wong holds a Master of Commerce (Honours) from the University of Canterbury.[citation needed] She is also a New Zealand Senior Scholar and Associated Chartered Accountant, awarded with fellowship status. She speaks English, Cantonese, Mandarin Chinese.[citation needed]
In 1993, Wong was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.[6]
Member of Parliament Edit
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–1999 | 45th | List | 26 | National | |
| 1999–2002 | 46th | List | 11 | National | |
| 2002–2005 | 47th | List | 10 | National | |
| 2005–2008 | 48th | List | 20 | National | |
| 2008–2011 | 49th | Botany | 18 | National | |
Wong was elected to Parliament as a list MP in the 1996 election, becoming New Zealand's first ethnically Asian MP.
She unsuccessfully contested the electorate of Auckland Central in the 2005 election. During the 48th New Zealand Parliament she served as National's spokesperson for Commerce and Liaison with Asian New Zealanders and associate spokesperson for Education (International Education), Revenue and Immigration.
She won the new seat of Botany in the 2008 election. The Botany electorate included part of the old Clevedon electorate held by Judith Collins, her National Party colleague. Collins had originally indicated to seek nomination for the seat of Howick (which the Electoral Commission later redrew and renamed to Botany following objections to the boundaries to the neighbouring electorate of Pakuranga), but then stood for the Papakura seat, which also shared common boundaries with Clevedon. Wong's decision was based partly on the fact that 33% of the Botany electorate is Asian.[7]
On 12 November 2010 Wong resigned as a Minister after misusing her parliamentary travel perks for a trip to China on which her husband conducted private business activities, which is specifically prohibited.[8]
Wong resigned as an MP on 17 January 2011, resulting in the 2011 Botany by-election.[4][9][10]
On 15 September 2011 Wong was granted the right[11] to retain the title of the Honourable for her lifetime.
References Edit
- ^ Alister Taylor (2001). "New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001 Edition". New Zealand Who's Who, Aotearoa. Alister Taylor Publishers: 958. ISSN 1172-9813.
- ^ "Wong becomes NZ's first Asian minister". The New Zealand Herald. 17 November 2008. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ^ "'Debate, not disharmony' in NZ". South China Morning Post. 19 February 1998. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
- ^ a b Derek Cheng (14 December 2010). "Pansy Wong resigns as MP". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ (PDF). 1973. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2012.
- ^ "The New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 – register of recipients". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
- ^ NZPA (7 December 2007). "Pansy Wong tipped for new Auckland seat". The Dominion Post. Retrieved 7 December 2007.
- ^ Tracy Watkins and Martin Kay (12 November 2010). "Pansy Wong resigns Cabinet spot over travel perk". Stuff. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
- ^ 2011 Botany By-election. Results of the Official Count (16 March 2011) 29 The New Zealand Gazette 795
- ^ "Pansy Wong resigns". National Business Review. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ Retention of the title 'The Honourable' (15 September 2011) 144 The New Zealand Gazette 4128.
External links Edit
- Parliamentary web page