Catherine Tizard
Harold Goodman (1986–88) Phil Warren (1988–90) | |
---|---|
Preceded by | Colin Kay |
Succeeded by | Les Mills |
Personal details | |
Born | Catherine Anne Maclean 4 April 1931 Auckland, New Zealand |
Died | 31 October 2021 Auckland, New Zealand | (aged 90)
Political party | Labour |
Spouse | |
Children | 4; including Judith |
Alma mater | University of Auckland |
Dame Catherine Anne Tizard
Personal life and early career
Catherine Anne Maclean was born in Auckland on 4 April 1931 to Scottish immigrants Neil and Helen Maclean, and grew up in Waharoa, near Matamata, Waikato.[1] Her father worked at the local dairy factory.[2] She attended Matamata College, gaining a University Bursary in her final year, 1948. In 1949 Catherine enrolled at Auckland University College, studying zoology.[3]
While at university, she met
Between 1972 and 1975 Tizard's husband was a
Tizard served on the committee of her local Playcentre 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 with Patricia Bergquist on sponges,[10][11] and provided technical assistance as preparator for a third.[12]
From 1976 to 1985 Tizard appeared on the popular TVNZ chat show Beauty and the Beast, along with Selwyn Toogood and Shona McFarlane. She later attributed her success in politics to this show.[13]
Political career
Auckland City Council
Tizard was elected to the
Mayor of Auckland City
Tizard decided to run for mayor of Auckland City again at the 1983 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, the Aotea Centre next to Aotea 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 in 1986, and once again in 1989 following a major amalgamation of local authorities.[19] In 1990 Auckland hosted the Commonwealth Games, an event Tizard had worked to secure for Auckland.[20]
Governor-General
In 1989 Tizard was appointed by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, as the nation's first female governor-general on the advice of Prime Minister Geoffrey 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 Minister
The
Controversies
Prior to the second referendum on electoral 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 under mixed-member proportional representation the governor-general would have to use their reserve powers more often, which would create instability.[25]
The 1993 New Zealand general election – the last under the "First Past the Post" electoral system – nearly resulted in a hung parliament, with the election night result having the two major parties tied. She asked Sir 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's Sir Peter Tapsell agreed to become Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, thus ensuring National had a one-seat majority.[26]
In an interview with North & 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]
Retirement and late career
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 a New 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 the NZ Flag.com Trust, supporting a referendum on whether the New 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, entitled Cat Amongst the Pigeons, a reference to her personal arms.
Death
Tizard died in Auckland, New Zealand on 31 October 2021, following a long illness. She was 90 years old.[33]
Honours and awards
In the
In the 2002 Queen's Birthday and Golden Jubilee Honours, Tizard was appointed an Additional Member of the Order of New Zealand.[38] On 9 October 2007 Tizard was appointed Honorary Colonel of the 3rd Auckland (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 style The Honourable for life, as a consequence of having been governor-general.[40]
Arms
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See also
References
- ^ a b McLean 2006, p. 327.
- ^ "Dame Cath Moves Up: 1990". NZ on Screen. Archived from the original on 18 April 2010. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
- ^ Tizard 2010, p. 34.
- ^ Tizard 2010, p. 35.
- ^ a b c d "The Hon Dame Catherine Tizard, GCMG, GCVO, DBE, QSO". gg.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- ^ "Helen Clark's moving tribute to Dame Catherine Tizard". Newshub. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
- ^ Wood, G.A. (1996). Ministers and Members in the New Zealand Parliament (2nd ed.). pp. 56–59.
- ^ Tizard 2010, p. 102.
- ^ Tizard 2010, p. 75.
- ^ Bergquist, PR; Tizard, CA (1967). "Australian Intertidal Sponges from the Darwin Area". Micronesica. 3 (2): 175–202. Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- ^ Bergquist, PR; Morton, JE; Tizard, CA (1973). "Some Demospongiae from the Solomon Islands with descriptive notes on the major sponge habitats". Micronesica. 7 (1–2): 99–121. Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- ^ Bergquist, P.R. "The Marine Fauna of New Zealand: Porifera, Demospongiae, Part 2 (Axinellida and Halichondrida)" (PDF). New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin. 197: 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- ^ Tizard 2010, p. 137.
- ISBN 0908834039.
- ^ "Declaration of Result of Election". The New Zealand Herald. 29 October 1980. p. 9.
- ^ Tizard 2010, p. 195.
- ^ Tizard 2010, p. 149.
- ^ "Our patron – Dame Catherine Tizard". University of Auckland Society. Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
- ^ a b c Tizard 2010, p. 203.
- ^ Tizard 2010, p. 193.
- ^ Tizard 2010, p. 204.
- ^ McLean 2006, p. 324.
- ^ Tizard 2010, p. 225.
- ^ Anand Satyanand (16 September 2010). "Speech to launch Dame Catherine Tizard's memoirs, Government House Auckland". Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
- ^ a b McLean 2006, p. 333.
- ^ Tizard 2010, p. 273.
- ^ McLean 2006, p. 335.
- ^ "Ditch Queen, say former Governors-General". The New Zealand Herald. 14 November 2004. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
- ^ "9 December 2004: NZFlag.com Trust - Dame Catherine Tizard heads new group of NZFlag.com" (Press release). Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2007.
- ^ Orsman, Bernard (6 September 2007). "High-profile backing for Hubbard campaign". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
- ^ Tizard 2010.
- ^ "Marriage equality 'about love'". 3 News NZ. 6 December 2012. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
- ^ "Dame Catherine Tizard dies, aged 90, after long illness". Stuff.co.nz. 31 October 2021. Archived from the original on 31 October 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ "No. 49970". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 31 December 1984. p. 1.
- ^ a b "The Honourable Dame Catherine Anne Tizard, ONZ, GCMG, GCVO, DBE, QSO". The Beehive. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
- Wikidata Q115749508.
- ^ "The New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 – register of recipients". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 26 July 2018. Archived from the original on 18 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
- ^ "Queen's Birthday and Golden Jubilee honours list 2002". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 3 June 2002. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Dame Cath Tizard appointed to honorary Colonel role". NZDF. Archived from the original on 11 December 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
- ^ "Changes to rules around use of title" (Press release). New Zealand Government. 17 July 2006. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
- ^ "New Zealand elements". The Governor-General of New Zealand. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ Tizard 2010, p. 233-234.
Further reading
- McLean, Gavin (2006). The Governors: New Zealand's Governors and Governors-General. Dunedin: Otago University Press. ISBN 1-877372-25-0. Archivedfrom the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
- Catherine Tizard (2010). Cat Amongst the Pigeons, A Memoir. ISBN 978-1-86979-300-5.