Dame Catherine Tizard | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 16th Governor-General of New Zealand | |
| In office 13 December 1990 – 21 March 1996 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Jim Bolger |
| Preceded by | Sir Paul Reeves |
| Succeeded by | Sir Michael Hardie Boys |
| 35thMayor of Auckland City | |
| In office 26 October 1983 – 28 September 1990 | |
| Deputy | John Strevens (1983–86) Harold Goodman (1986–88) Phil Warren (1988–90) |
| Preceded by | Colin Kay |
| Succeeded by | Les Mills |
| Spouse of the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand | |
| In role 10 September 1974 – 12 December 1975 | |
| Preceded by | Irene Frances Watt |
| Succeeded by | Patricia Talboys |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Catherine Anne Maclean (1931-04-04)4 April 1931 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Died | 31 October 2021(2021-10-31) (aged 90) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4; includingJudith |
| Alma mater | University of Auckland |
Dame Catherine Anne TizardONZ GCMG GCVO DBE QSO DStJ (néeMaclean; 4 April 1931 – 31 October 2021) was a New Zealand politician who served asmayor of Auckland City from 1983 to 1990, and the16th governor-general of New Zealand from 1990 to 1996. She was the first woman to hold either office.
Catherine Anne Maclean was born inAuckland on 4 April 1931 to Scottish immigrants Neil and Helen Maclean, and grew up inWaharoa, nearMatamata,Waikato.[1] Her father worked at the local dairy factory.[2] She attendedMatamata College, gaining a University Bursary in her final year, 1948. In 1949 Catherine enrolled atAuckland University College, studyingzoology.[3]
While at university, she metBob Tizard, then president of theAuckland University Students Association. On their second date, Bob told Catherine he was "going into politics. And I'm going to marry you."[4] They married in 1951 and had four children; their daughterJudith is also a politician.[5][6]
Between 1972 and 1975 Tizard's husband was aCabinet Minister in theThird Labour Government, serving first asMinister of Health and later asDeputy Prime Minister andMinister of Finance.[7] The family moved toWellington, and Tizard commuted to Auckland for council business.[8]
Tizard served on the committee of her localPlaycentre and later became its president. She was also elected to the Board of Governors of the Eastern Suburbs Secondary Schools.[5] In 1961 Tizard returned to university to complete her degree.[9][5] She then taught and worked at the university from 1962 to 1983,[5] during which time she co-authored at least two papers withPatricia Bergquist onsponges,[10][11] and provided technical assistance as preparator for a third.[12]
From 1976 to 1985 Tizard appeared on the popularTVNZ chat showBeauty and the Beast, along withSelwyn Toogood andShona McFarlane. She later attributed her success in politics to this show.[13]
Tizard was elected to theAuckland City Council in1971 and was re-elected in1974,1977, and1980.[14] She was also elected to theAuckland Regional Authority in 1980, simultaneously running for mayor of Auckland against the incumbent,Sir Dove-Myer Robinson, and councillorColin Kay. This three-way split gave the election to Kay by a margin of 1,681 votes.[15] Tizard opposed the1981 Springbok tour, and an attempt to banHare Krishna from performing chants onQueen Street.[16]
Tizard decided to run formayor of Auckland City again at the1983 local elections, and won, defeating the incumbent Colin Kay.[17] She was the first woman to serve as mayor of Auckland.[18]
During Tizard's term as mayor, theAotea Centre next toAotea Square was developed. She was also the patron of the 99th Police recruit wing in 1985 in which all 75 recruits after graduation were sent to Auckland to serve. She was re-elected in1986, and once again in1989 following a major amalgamation of local authorities.[19] In 1990 Auckland hosted theCommonwealth Games, an event Tizard had worked to secure for Auckland.[20]
In 1989 Tizard was appointed byElizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, as the nation's first female governor-general on the advice of Prime MinisterGeoffrey Palmer. She took office on 13 December 1990, causing a by-election for the mayoralty of Auckland.[19] She accepted on the proviso that the Queen be informed before her Royal tour in February 1990, and that the leader of the opposition be informed.[21]
Then-Deputy Prime MinisterHelen Clark and Labour Party PresidentMargaret Wilson[22] pushed for a female governor-general, as the 100th anniversary ofwomen's suffrage in New Zealand would occur during the governor-general's term in 1993. Tizard had been informed of her impending appointment by her former husbandBob Tizard, who was a member ofCabinet at the time. She later commented that this was the only time Bob breached cabinet confidentiality.[19] Tizard ended the practice of bowing to the governor-general, declaring, "No New Zealander should have to bow to another".[1] She also ended the practice of members of staff ceasing to clean whenever she entered the room.[23]
The19th Governor-General of New Zealand, SirAnand Satyanand, described how, when she was governor-general, she was not keen on a particular piece of legislation. After consideration and discussion with her official she finally said: "All right, I will sign my assent, but I will do it in black ink!" He said that a special bottle had to be obtained.[24]
Prior to the second referendum onelectoral reform in New Zealand in June 1993 Tizard caused some outrage by making an unscripted suggestion in a lecture on the role of the governor-general that undermixed-member proportional representation the governor-general would have to use theirreserve powers more often, which would create instability.[25]
The1993 New Zealand general election – the last under the "First Past the Post" electoral system – nearly resulted in ahung parliament, with the election night result having the two major parties tied. She askedSir David Beattie to form a committee, along with three retired appeal court judges, to decide whom to appoint as prime minister.[25] National won one more seat once special votes were counted, and was returned to power when Labour'sSir Peter Tapsell agreed to becomeSpeaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, thus ensuring National had a one-seat majority.[26]
In an interview withNorth & South in 1996, Tizard stated that she could not believe "...some of the idiocies of the health system", causing great consternation from the Minister of Health.[27]
Upon Tizard's retirement from office, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, who had nominated her, stated: "She has been a powerful, yes a presidential public presence. She has been a part of New Zealand's growing up." In 2004 Tizard stated that she supported aNew Zealand republic "in principle" and when she was governor-general, had discussed the issue of republicanism with the Queen: "She is quite sanguine about these things. She has always said it is a decision for New Zealand to make, and 'whatever decision New Zealand makes, of course we would accept it'."[28]
In December 2004 Tizard became a member of theNZ Flag.com Trust, supporting a referendum on whether theNew Zealand flag should be changed. She said, "Our present flag served a young post-colonial country well, but the time has come to consider a change which more appropriately recognises our changed identity and confidence in ourselves. Let's find out what the country thinks of the idea of a change."[29] In 2007 Tizard supported former mayor of Auckland,Dick Hubbard's campaign for re-election as mayor at the local body elections.[30]
In 2010 Tizard published her memoirs, entitledCat Amongst the Pigeons, a reference to her personal arms.[31] In December 2012 Tizard starred in an online video campaign supportinggay marriage, alongside New Zealand singersAnika Moa,Boh Runga, andHollie Smith, as well as OlympianDanyon Loader.[32]
Tizard died in Auckland, New Zealand on 31 October 2021, following a long illness. She was 90 years old.[33]
In the1985 New Year Honours, she was appointed aDame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for public and community service.[34] In 1990 she received aNew Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal and was also made aDame of Justice of the Order of St John and aDame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George.[35] In 1992, Tizard was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Law by theUniversity of Auckland.[36] In 1993, on the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage, Tizard received theNew Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.[37] In 1995 she was made aDame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and in 1996 she was made an Additional Companion of theQueen’s Service Order.[35]
In the2002 Queen's Birthday and Golden Jubilee Honours, Tizard was appointed an Additional Member of theOrder of New Zealand.[38] On 9 October 2007 Tizard was appointed Honorary Colonel of the 3rdAuckland (Countess of Ranfurly's Own) and Northland Regiment, a largely ceremonial role.[39] Changes to the rules of the use of titles in 2006 granted Tizard the use of the styleThe Honourable for life, as a consequence of having been governor-general.[40]
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| Honorary titles | ||
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| Preceded by Irene Frances Watt | Spouse of the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand 1974–1975 | Succeeded by Patricia Talboys |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Mayor of Auckland City 1983–1990 | Succeeded by |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor-General of New Zealand 1990–1996 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
