17 Facts About Ingrid Leary

Ingrid Leary worked as a lawyer, parliamentary press secretary, university lecturer and broadcaster before entering Parliament.

Ingrid Leary helped to set up the journalism school in the University of the South Pacific in 1997, and lectured there on journalism.

In 2006 Ingrid Leary received the New Zealand Special Service Medal for her broadcasting work in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in Aceh.

In 2009, as a producer for Campbell Live, Ingrid Leary was summonsed by the New Zealand Police to appear before a depositions hearing about the theft of 96 medals from the National Army Museum in Waiouru.

Ingrid Leary was press secretary for National MP Maurice Williamson, and she later served as the director of the British Council New Zealand from 2008 to 2020.

Ingrid Leary was selected as the Labour candidate for the Dunedin South electorate, later renamed Taieri, ahead of Rachel Brooking and Simon McCallum.

Ingrid Leary claimed to be the victim of a smear campaign, as she had studied law in Dunedin, and had relocated to Dunedin with her family, including a child attending school in Dunedin, prior to her selection for the seat.

Ingrid Leary was elected in Taeiri with a majority of 12,398 over the National candidate Liam Kernaghan in the final count.

Ingrid Leary said she was hoping for a role in justice, social enterprise or issues relating to seniors.

Ingrid Leary inherited Louisa Wall's member's bill upon her retirement in May 2022.

In September 2022, Ingrid Leary withdrew the Bill because of "insurmountable drafting issues" discovered through the legislative process, saying she would work on replacement legislation.

In early July 2023, Ingrid Leary attracted media attention after she attended an election meeting organised by criminal gang Mongrel Mob member Harry Tam.

Ingrid Leary subsequently published a Facebook post stating that Leary had "gatecrashed" his meeting and was hesitant to be associated with him.

Ingrid Leary stated that she did not condone the actions of the Mongrel Mob.

Ingrid Leary assumed the positions of spokesperson for seniors and mental health in the Shadow Cabinet of Chris Hipkins.

On 1 August 2024, Ingrid Leary apologised to Unkovich during Question Time in Parliament.

Ingrid Leary is a mother of three, and lives in Dunedin with her family.