24 Facts About Annette King

Dame Annette Faye King is a former New Zealand politician.

Annette King served as Deputy Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party and Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 2008 to 2011, and from 2014 until 1 March 2017.

Annette King was a Cabinet Minister in the Fourth and Fifth Labour Governments, and was the MP for the Rongotai electorate in Wellington from 1996 to 2017.

The daughter of Frank Pace Robinson and Olive Annie Robinson, King was born in Murchison on 13 September 1947.

Annette King was a tutor of dental nursing in Wellington from 1982 to 1984.

Annette King joined the Labour Party in 1972, and has held various offices within the party, including a term on the party's executive.

In 1983 Annette King unsuccessfully sought the Labour Party nomination for the seat of Tasman following the retirement of Labour leader Bill Rowling, but lost to Ken Shirley.

Annette King was considered one of the most effective backbenchers in the Fourth Labour Government.

Annette King was appointed Minister of Employment, Minister of Immigration, and Minister of Youth Affairs.

Annette King was given special responsibility for liaising between Cabinet and the party caucus.

Annette King served as chief executive officer of the Palmerston North Enterprise Board from 1991 until the 1993 election, when she was returned to Parliament as the MP for Miramar.

In June 1995, after Clive Matthewson left Labour, Annette King was given Matthewson's position of Shadow Minister of Social Welfare.

When Labour won the 1999 election, and Helen Clark became Prime Minister, Annette King was appointed Minister of Health.

Annette King retained her seat with a majority of about 7,800 votes.

Annette King was elected as the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in a special caucus meeting on 11 November 2008, replacing Michael Cullen.

Annette King stood again for Rongotai in the 2011 general election.

Annette King was ranked second on the Labour Party list.

Annette King was succeeded as Deputy Leader by Grant Robertson in the 2011 Labour Party leadership election.

On 1 March 2017 Annette King announced her intention to retire from politics at the 2017 election, despite initially indicating she would only contest the election on the party list.

On 14 November 2018, Annette King was appointed as High Commissioner to Australia by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters.

Annette King received both the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal, and the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal in 1993.

Annette King is married with one daughter, and has three step-sons.

Annette King received verbal abuse in Parliament from Finlayson in September 2013.

In 2019 an authorized biography of Annette King was published, co-written by John Harvey and Brent Edwards.