Her Magazine is New Zealand’s only women’s business lifestyle magazine! Her Magazine highlights the achievements of successful and rising New Zealand businesswomen. Her Magazine encourages a healthy work/life balance.
Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/76572
electorate team Rebekah, Monika and Sean are very approachable and my 'Mondays with Maggie' meetings have proved very popular with my constituents. In addition to meeting people in my Takapuna electorate office in Anzac Street, I go to where the people are every Monday morning, holding clinics in various cafes in Mairangi Bay, Milford, Sunnynook, Takapuna and Devonport. When Parliament is sitting I am in Wellington from Tuesday morning until Thursday night and they are usually 14-16 hour days. I am fortunate with my Select Committees of Finance and Expenditure and Local Government and Environment, which run from 9.00 a.m. -1.00 p.m. Q: When/ why did you decide to run for parliament? And why the North Shore? A: I was raised in a very political household where robust discussions were routinely served up with the meat and two vegetables at dinner, and I learned very early on to speak up for myself and defend my position. Having led a 12 month Review into New Zealand's maternity services and Chaired a working party into the care of people who are dying I realised the most effective contribution I could make on issues that mattered to me was to seek higher public office. In 2010, with my son about to start college and after 30 years in the media reporting from the side lines, I decided the time was right to step up to the plate and seek selection to be a Member of Parliament. Q: Why did you decide Auckland was the place to start your political career? Why not your hometown of Wellington? A: In various jobs in my career to date I've lived in Wellington, Christchurch, Wairarapa, Taupo, Palmerston North and for the past five years in Auckland. The North Shore is a vibrant and culturally diverse community and with my son, Joe very settled at college, we are committed to making the North Shore our home for many years to come. Q: What skills from your 30-year career as an award winning news and current affairs broadcaster have come in use as a politician? A: Long years of thinking on my feet in my broadcasting roles have been excellent preparation for the rigorous debates on a very wide range of subjects in the Chamber. I relish a good argument and because I've been interviewing on Morning Report from the mid-1980s and presenting television news and current affairs in the 1990's, I have a broad general knowledge of the political issues and influential politicians, which is proving very useful in the House. Q: What do you want to say to those who believe you got into parliament simply because you are a 'recognised face'? A: I am a recognised face because I've been in the public eye for a long time now, and if that familiarity attracts attention to the causes I hold dear I don't have a problem with that at all. "I was raised in a very political household where robust discussions were routinely served up with the meat and two vegetables at dinner, and I learned very early on to speak up for myself and defend my position." Q: What does your 15-year-old son Joe think of his mum being a politician? A: On the whole he thinks it's very cool and he has been with me and my partner, Grant at the significant milestones of my final selection for North Shore and on election night. He's occasionally grumbled that he's going to phone CYFs if I keep taking him to political meetings, but he also takes a big interest in what's happening in the news and is very opinionated about political issues. He was there with his Dad in the public gallery when I made my maiden speech and told me he was very proud of me even though I'd embarrassed him by saying how much I loved him in front of so many people. Q: The morning after National's resounding victory you sent a strong message that there would not be a rail link to Auckland airport before a second harbour crossing. What have/ are you doing to see this happen? A: Along with my fellow MPs north of the harbour bridge I'm taking a very close interest in the next, and long overdue, harbour crossing. We meet regularly with the Mayor and his team and I'm determined it will be moved up the agenda and made more of a priority. I was born in the year the Harbour Bridge opened and as I've said to my electorate, it's not going to be another 52 years before we have another option to bridge this crucial stretch of water. Q: What is the best piece of advice you have been given? A: I shouted myself on an Outward Bound course 10 years ago and I learned a lot about myself, not least was that when you think you are running on empty remember you still have a quarter of a tank in reserve. Along with 'No pain, no gain', another piece of advice I've learned along the way and now passed on to my own child, there's 'Never, ever, ever give up on something that really matters to you'. Q: What did your receipt of the Order of NZ Merit for services to Broadcasting in 1997 mean to you? A: When rose breeder, Sam McGredy named a rose after me in 1991 I was very honoured, but wondered if I'd 'peaked too early'. My mother, who was a florist was always a keen gardener but it was Dad who rushed out and planted half a dozen "Maggie Barry" roses and fussed over them as only an accountant can. He unfortunately passed away just before I was awarded the ONZM in 1997, but I knew he'd have been very proud and it truly was a lifetime highlight when Mum and I went to Government house to be presented with the "Gong". It was an emotional time as I was also pregnant with my son and about to begin the most significant and challenging job of all, raising him to the very best of my ability. www.maggiebarry.co.nz facebook.com/maggiebarrynz www.hermagazine.co.nz | 35