Maryan Street
The Honourable Maryan Street | |
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![]() Maryan Street in 2012 | |
Minister of Housing | |
In office 31 October 2007 – 3 October 2008 | |
Prime Minister | Helen Clark |
Preceded by | Chris Carter |
Succeeded by | Phil Heatley |
Minister for ACC | |
In office 31 October 2007 – 3 October 2008 | |
Prime Minister | Helen Clark |
Preceded by | Ruth Dyson |
Succeeded by | Nick Smith |
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Labour Party List | |
In office 17 September 2005 – 20 September 2014 | |
29th President of the Labour Party | |
In office 1993–1995 | |
Preceded by | Ruth Dyson |
Succeeded by | Michael Hirschfeld |
Personal details | |
Born |
New Plymouth, New Zealand | 5 April 1955
Political party | Labour Party |
Domestic partner | Kathryn Street |
Maryan Street (born 5 April 1955) is a former Member of the New Zealand Parliament (MP) for the New Zealand Labour Party. In the 2005 elections, she became the first openly lesbian MP elected to the New Zealand Parliament.[1] She failed to get re-elected in the 2014 election.
Early years
Street was born and raised in New Plymouth, and studied at Victoria University of Wellington. She joined the Labour Party in 1984, and was President of the Labour Party from 1995 until 1997. She was later appointed Director of Labour Studies at Auckland University, and also served on the board of a number of governmental bodies. Street was Co-Chair of the Rainbow Labour Sector Council within the Labour Party in 2004-05.
Member of Parliament
Parliament of New Zealand | ||||
Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party |
2005–2008 | 48th | List | 36 | Labour |
2008–2011 | 49th | List | 9 | Labour |
2011–2014 | 50th | List | 7 | Labour |
In the 2005 elections, Street was ranked thirty-sixth on its party list. This was the second highest position given by Labour in 2005 to a person who was not already a member of Parliament. She also contested the safe National seat of Taranaki-King Country against the incumbent National Party MP, Shane Ardern. Street was elected to parliament as a list MP.
In 2006, Street's Residential Tenancies (Damage Insurance) Amendment Bill was drawn from the member's ballot.[2] It passed its first reading, but was subsequently discharged after the Social Services Committee recommended that it not be passed.[3] Street subsequently promoted a bill promoting ethical investment by crown financial institutions.[4]
In the Cabinet re-shuffle on 31 October 2007, Street was made a Cabinet Minister with the portfolios of Housing and ACC, and was made an Associate Minister of Tertiary Education and Economic Development.
In the lead up to the 2008 general election, Street was highly placed on the party's list, at nine. She also unsuccessfully contested the Nelson electorate. Labour was defeated in the election but Street was returned to parliament due to her list placing.
In July 2009 Street introduced a Member's Bill which would prohibit the import of goods produced by slave labour,[5] but the bill failed to pass its first reading.[6]
On 15 June 2010, Opposition Leader Phil Goff appointed Street to be Portfolio Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, a position formerly held by Chris Carter. She was appointed the Health Spokesperson in 2012, and switched to the Environment portfolio in 2013.
Street sought to introduce a Member's Bill to Parliament (the End of Life Choice Bill[7]) which would allow those terminally ill to choose when to die, and to be able to receive medical support to do so under certain circumstances. It has been called a "euthanasia bill" by some,[8] although this word is not present in the text of the Bill itself. Street has said "It would only apply to people who were of sound mind and suffered from a terminal illness, or an irreversible condition which made their life unbearable, in their own view".[9] It also included the need for two medical practitioners to attest that the person is of sound mind, has the condition the person says he or she has, and has not been coerced into the decision; the need for counselling and a period of reflection; and a Review Body to examine the law after a period of time to ensure it is not being abused and is operating correctly.
Following the election of the 51st New Zealand Parliament Street failed to be returned on the list despite her fairly high placing. Her End of Life Choice Bill was initially taken up by Palmerston North MP and fellow Labour Party colleague Iain Lees-Galloway but in December 2014 was formally dropped from the Private Member's Bill ballot at the request of new Labour party leader Andrew Little[10] and to also promote his own Private Member's Bill on the future of 'Zero-hour' employment contracts.
References
- ↑ "20 Years On – Homosexual Law Reform Conference" (PDF). Lesbian and Gay Archives of New Zealand. p. 7.
- ↑ "Residential Tenancies (Damage Insurance) Amendment Bill". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- ↑ "Report of the Social Services Committee on the Residential Tenancies (Damage Insurance) Amendment Bill" (PDF). New Zealand Parliament. 2006-09-14. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- ↑ "The Challenge of Socially Responsible Investment". New Zealand Government. 2008-04-09. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- ↑ "Another nail in the coffin of slave labour". New Zealand Labour Party. 2009-07-22. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
- ↑ "MP Fails In Bid To Ban Slave-Made Goods". guide2.co.nz. 2009-07-29. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- ↑ Archived 6 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "The End of Life Choice Bill". Kiwiblog. 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
- ↑ "End of Life Choice bill in ballot « Red Alert". Blog.labour.org.nz. 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
- ↑ "Labour MP drops euthanasia bill - National - NZ Herald News". Nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
External links
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Party political offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Ruth Dyson |
Labour Party President 1993–1995 |
Succeeded by Michael Hirschfeld |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by Chris Carter |
Minister of Housing 2007–2008 |
Succeeded by Phil Heatley |
Preceded by Ruth Dyson |
Minister for ACC 2007–2008 |
Succeeded by Nick Smith |