Phillida Bunkle
Encyclopedia
Phillida Bunkle is a former New Zealand
politician. She was born in Sussex, England.
She was educated at Keele University
, England, receiving a BA with First Class Honours; Smith College
, Massachusetts, USA, receiving a MA; and St Anne's College, Oxford. She attended Harvard University
, USA as a Kennedy Scholar and was the recipient of a Fulbright Award
.
She was an MP from 1996 to 2002, representing the Alliance
.
Bunkle joined the Green Party
(a member of the Alliance) in 1992, and unsuccessfully stood as an Alliance candidate in the 1993 elections
. In the 1996 elections
, she was elected to Parliament as a list MP. When the Green Party left the Alliance, Bunkle opted not to follow them. After the 1999 elections
, in which Bunkle was re-elected, she became a Minister outside Cabinet
in the new Labour
-Alliance coalition government, serving as Minister of Customs and Minister of Consumer Affairs. She resigned these roles after a controversy surrounding her claims for a residential allowance, although she was later cleared of any deliberate wrongdoing. When the Alliance began to collapse in 2002, Bunkle sided with Jim Anderton
's faction, but decided not to seek re-election.
In 2003 Phillida Bunkle taught Women’s Studies at a Chinese University.
In Britain she went on to act as a research consultant publishing on public health and problem gambling.
In 2009 she completed an MSc. in Integrated Health from Westminster University and gained Diplomas in massage, reflexology, neuromuscular therapy, holistic cancer care and a professional qualification as a Health Creation coach.
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 born in Sussex, England.
She was educated at Keele University
Keele University
Keele University is a campus university near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as an experimental college dedicated to a broad curriculum and interdisciplinary study, Keele is most notable for pioneering the dual honours degree in Britain...
, England, receiving a BA with First Class Honours; Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
, Massachusetts, USA, receiving a MA; and St Anne's College, Oxford. She attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, USA as a Kennedy Scholar and was the recipient of a Fulbright Award
Fulbright Award
The Fulbright Award is a scholarship awarded as part of the Fulbright Program to foster international research and collaboration. The program also awards a fellowship to Ph.D.'s to lecture and teach in foreign universities...
.
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...
.
Bunkle joined the Green Party
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a political party that has seats in the New Zealand parliament. It focuses firstly on environmentalism, arguing that all other aspects of humanity will cease to be of concern if there is no environment to sustain it...
(a member of the Alliance) in 1992, and unsuccessfully stood as an Alliance candidate in the 1993 elections
New Zealand general election, 1993
The 1993 New Zealand general election was held on 6 November 1993 to determine the composition of the 44th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Jim Bolger, win a second term in office, despite a major swing back towards the Labour Party. The new Alliance and New...
. 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...
, she was elected to Parliament as a list MP. When the Green Party left the Alliance, Bunkle opted not to follow them. After 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...
, in which Bunkle was re-elected, she became a Minister outside Cabinet
New Zealand Cabinet
The Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
in the new Labour
Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand
The Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand between 10 December 1999 and 19 November 2008.-Overview:The fourth National government, in power since 1990, was widely unpopular by 1999, with much of the public antagonised by a series of free-market economic reforms,...
-Alliance coalition government, serving as Minister of Customs and Minister of Consumer Affairs. She resigned these roles after a controversy surrounding her claims for a residential allowance, although she was later cleared of any deliberate wrongdoing. When the Alliance began to collapse in 2002, Bunkle sided with 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...
's faction, but decided not to seek re-election.
In 2003 Phillida Bunkle taught Women’s Studies at a Chinese University.
In Britain she went on to act as a research consultant publishing on public health and problem gambling.
In 2009 she completed an MSc. in Integrated Health from Westminster University and gained Diplomas in massage, reflexology, neuromuscular therapy, holistic cancer care and a professional qualification as a Health Creation coach.