Liz Gordon
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth "Liz" Audrey Gordon (born 8 September 1955), is a former New Zealand
politician. She was an MP from 1996 to 2002, representing the Alliance
.
, on 8 September 1955, but brought up in the south of England from the age of one. Her parents split up when she was seven, and she and her sister, Christine, spent a number of years at King Edward's School, Witley
, Surrey, as boarding pupils. Gordon left school at 15 and moved to London
, where she worked for a year and met her first husband, a New Zealander. She moved to New Zealand in September 1972, still aged 16. She married in 1974 and had her daughter, Sonya, in 1976.
. It was suggested to her that she go to university to resume her education. She enrolled as an adult student in 1979 at Massey University
in Palmerston North
. She did a BA
in psychology and education, earning a Massey scholarship in 1982, completed a Master of Arts
with first class honours in 1983, and a PhD
in Education in 1989.
. She has held a number of honours and awards, including a doctoral scholarship, a Fulbright Travel Award, a Claude McCarthy fellowship and a Fellowship to the Institute of Education
, University of London
.
and culture and computer studies.
, having joined in 1982. She served on its executive in 1988, but resigned from the party in April 1989 to become a founding member of the NewLabour Party
. She was first elected to Parliament as a list MP for the Alliance, of which NewLabour was a component party, in the 1996 elections
, coming third in , and was re-elected in the 1999 elections
, again placing third in Christchurch Central. When the Alliance collapsed, Gordon sided with the faction led by Laila Harré
and Matt McCarten
, and remained with the Alliance when Jim Anderton
left to form a breakaway party. In the 2002 elections
, she was ranked fourth on the party list, but the Alliance did not win any seats.
for Christchurch City Council
in the October 2010 election. Gordon stepped back from the mayoralty race in August 2010 and chose instead to run for one of the Riccarton-Wigram Ward seats on the council. After the election results were announced she was found not to have secured a Council seat, the winners being from the Christchurch 2021 group and Independent Citizens respectively. and was ranked several places below the qualifying number. She has since returned to her previous work as listed below.
(since 2005) and is active in local body affairs. She wrote a weekly opinion column for the Christchurch Press
between 2006 and 2008.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
politician. She was an MP from 1996 to 2002, representing the Alliance
Alliance (New Zealand political party)
The Alliance is a left-wing political party in New Zealand. It was formed in 1991, and was influential in the 1990s, but has since declined and has no representation in parliament. It suffered a major setback after Jim Anderton, the party's leader, left the party in 2002, taking several of the...
.
Early life
Elizabeth Audrey Gordon (known as Liz) was born in Preston, EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on 8 September 1955, but brought up in the south of England from the age of one. Her parents split up when she was seven, and she and her sister, Christine, spent a number of years at King Edward's School, Witley
King Edward's School, Witley
King Edward's School, Witley is an independent co-educational boarding and day school, founded in 1553 by King Edward VI and Nicholas Ridley. The School is located in the village of Wormley , Surrey, England, having moved to its present location in 1867. The School became fully co-educational in 1952...
, Surrey, as boarding pupils. Gordon left school at 15 and moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where she worked for a year and met her first husband, a New Zealander. She moved to New Zealand in September 1972, still aged 16. She married in 1974 and had her daughter, Sonya, in 1976.
Tertiary study
Before and after the birth of her daughter, Gordon became increasingly housebound with severe agoraphobiaAgoraphobia
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder defined as a morbid fear of having a panic attack or panic-like symptoms in a situation from which it is perceived to be difficult to escape. These situations can include, but are not limited to, wide-open spaces, crowds, or uncontrolled social conditions...
. It was suggested to her that she go to university to resume her education. She enrolled as an adult student in 1979 at Massey University
Massey University
Massey University is one of New Zealand's largest universities with approximately 36,000 students, 20,000 of whom are extramural students.The University has campuses in Palmerston North , Wellington and Auckland . Massey offers most of its degrees extramurally within New Zealand and internationally...
in Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
. She did a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in psychology and education, earning a Massey scholarship in 1982, completed a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
with first class honours in 1983, and a PhD
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in Education in 1989.
Lectureship
In 1990 she took up a lectureship at the University of CanterburyUniversity of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
. She has held a number of honours and awards, including a doctoral scholarship, a Fulbright Travel Award, a Claude McCarthy fellowship and a Fellowship to the Institute of Education
Institute of Education
The Institute of Education is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom specialised in postgraduate study and research in the field of education and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It is the largest education research body in the United Kingdom, with...
, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
.
Law qualification
After leaving Parliament, Gordon attended the University of Canterbury as an adult student, graduating with a law degree in 2007. She was admitted to the bar in November 2008. She then went on to study further in Māori languageMaori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
and culture and computer studies.
Member of Parliament
Gordon was originally a member of the Labour PartyNew Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
, having joined in 1982. She served on its executive in 1988, but resigned from the party in April 1989 to become a founding member of the NewLabour Party
NewLabour Party (New Zealand)
NewLabour was a left-of-centre party founded in 1989 by Jim Anderton, an MP and former President of the New Zealand Labour Party.NewLabour was established by a number of Labour Party members who left the party in reaction to "Rogernomics", the economic policies implemented by the Labour Party's...
. She was first elected to Parliament as a list MP for the Alliance, of which NewLabour was a component party, in the 1996 elections
New Zealand general election, 1996
The 1996 New Zealand general election was held on 12 October 1996 to determine the composition of the 45th New Zealand Parliament. It was notable for being the first election to be held under the new Mixed Member Proportional electoral system, and produced a parliament considerably more diverse...
, coming third in , and was re-elected in the 1999 elections
New Zealand general election, 1999
The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance...
, again placing third in Christchurch Central. When the Alliance collapsed, Gordon sided with the faction led by Laila Harré
Laila Harré
Laila Jane Harré is a New Zealand politician and trade unionist. She was a Member of Parliament for the left-wing Alliance party, and became the party's leader for a brief period after the group experienced a schism in 2002.-Early life:...
and Matt McCarten
Matt McCarten
Matthew "Matt" McCarten is a New Zealand political organiser. He has been involved with several leftist or centre-left political parties, and is also active in the trade-union movement...
, and remained with the Alliance when Jim Anderton
Jim Anderton
James Patrick Anderton, usually known as Jim Anderton , is the leader of the Progressive Party, a New Zealand political party. He has served in Parliament since 1984. He served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002 and is currently also the sitting Father of the House, the longest...
left to form a breakaway party. In the 2002 elections
New Zealand general election, 2002
The 2002 New Zealand general election was held on 27 July 2002 to determine the composition of the 47th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the reelection of Helen Clark's Labour Party government, as well as the worst-ever performance by the opposition National Party.Arguably the most controversial...
, she was ranked fourth on the party list, but the Alliance did not win any seats.
Mayoral candidate
In April 2010, Gordon announced that she would contest the mayoral contestChristchurch mayoral election, 2010
The Christchurch mayoral election, 2010 is part of the New Zealand local elections, 2010. On 9 October 2010, elections were held for the Mayor of Christchurch plus other local government roles...
for Christchurch City Council
Christchurch City Council
The Christchurch City Council is the local government authority for Christchurch in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority elected to represent the people of Christchurch. Since 2007, the Mayor of Christchurch is Bob Parker, who stood as an independent candidate...
in the October 2010 election. Gordon stepped back from the mayoralty race in August 2010 and chose instead to run for one of the Riccarton-Wigram Ward seats on the council. After the election results were announced she was found not to have secured a Council seat, the winners being from the Christchurch 2021 group and Independent Citizens respectively. and was ranked several places below the qualifying number. She has since returned to her previous work as listed below.
Life after Parliament
Since leaving Parliament, Gordon has run a small research and evaluation agency called Network Research Associates, and has been involved in many issues and organisations. She spent four years on the Massey University Council, including a period as Pro-Chancellor, is an active member (and National President, since 2009) of the Quality Public Education Coalition, a Council member of the Howard League for Penal ReformHoward League for Penal Reform
The Howard League for Penal Reform is a London-based registered charity in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest penal reform organisation in the world, named after John Howard. Founded in 1866 as the Howard Association, a merger with the Penal Reform League in 1921 created the Howard League for...
(since 2005) and is active in local body affairs. She wrote a weekly opinion column for the Christchurch Press
The Press
The Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is owned by Fairfax Media.- History :The Press was first published on 25 May 1861 from a small cottage in Montreal Street, making it the oldest surviving newspaper in the South Island of New Zealand. The first...
between 2006 and 2008.