Jenny Shipley

The Right Honourable Dame Jenny Shipley DNZM
Shipley in 2020
36th Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office 8 December 1997 – 10 December 1999
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor-General	Michael Hardie Boys
Deputy	Winston Peters Wyatt Creech
Preceded by	Jim Bolger
Succeeded by	Helen Clark
28th Leader of the Opposition
In office 10 December 1999 – 8 October 2001
Prime Minister	Helen Clark
Deputy	Wyatt Creech Bill English
Preceded by	Helen Clark
Succeeded by	Bill English
8th Minister for State Owned Enterprises
In office 16 December 1996 – 8 December 1997
Prime Minister	Jim Bolger
Preceded by	Philip Burdon
Succeeded by	Tony Ryall
32nd Minister of Health
In office 29 November 1993 – 16 December 1996
Prime Minister	Jim Bolger
Preceded by	Bill Birch
Succeeded by	Bill English
19th Minister for Social Welfare
In office 2 November 1990 – 29 November 1993
Prime Minister	Jim Bolger
Preceded by	Michael Cullen
Succeeded by	Peter Gresham
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Rakaia Ashburton (1987–1990)
In office 15 August 1987 – 27 July 2002
Preceded by	Rob Talbot
Succeeded by	Brian Connell
Personal details
Born	Jennifer Mary Robson (1952-02-04) 4 February 1952 (age 72) Gore, New Zealand
Political party	National
Spouse	Burton Shipley ​ (m. 1972)​
Children	2

Dame Jennifer Mary Shipley DNZM PC (née Robson; born 4 February 1952)^[1] is a New Zealand former politician who served as the 36th prime minister of New Zealand from 1997 to 1999. She was the first female prime minister of New Zealand, and the first woman to have led the National Party.^[2][3]

Shipley was born in Gore, Southland. She grew up in rural Canterbury, and attended Marlborough Girls' College and the Christchurch College of Education. Before entering politics, she worked as a schoolteacher and was involved with various community organisations. Shipley was elected to Parliament at the 1987 election, winning the Ashburton electorate (later renamed Rakaia). When the National Party returned to power in 1990, she was appointed to Cabinet under Jim Bolger. Shipley subsequently served as Minister of Social Welfare (1990–1996), Minister for Women's Affairs (1990–1996), Minister of Health (1993–1996), and Minister of Transport (1996–1997).

Shipley chafed at the government's slow pace, and in December 1997 convinced her National colleagues to support her as leader. Bolger resigned as Prime Minister rather than face being voted out, and Shipley was elected as his replacement unopposed. She inherited an uneasy coalition with New Zealand First, led by Winston Peters. The coalition was dissolved in August 1998, but Shipley was able to remain in power with the aid of Mauri Pacific, an NZ First splinter group. At the 1999 election, her government was defeated by the Labour Party, led by Helen Clark. Shipley continued as Leader of the Opposition until October 2001. Shipley involved herself with business and charitable interests since leaving politics, and is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders. She was found liable for $9 million for her role in the financial failure of Mainzeal, a construction company.^[4]