20 Facts About Judith Tizard

Judith Ngaire Tizard was born on 3 January 1956 and is a former New Zealand politician, and a member of the Labour Party.

Judith Tizard followed her parents into politics, joining the Labour Party herself in 1973.

Judith Tizard became more enthusiastic about her work, spending more time in that than study before returning to Auckland and working as a cook in a restaurant owned by one of her friends.

Judith Tizard was elected a member of the Auckland Electric Power Board in 1977, remaining a member until 1983.

Later, Judith Tizard finished her Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Auckland.

Judith Tizard became a waitress, restaurant owner, and manager of O'Connells Restaurant on O'Connell St in Auckland, and was involved in the catering industry.

Judith Tizard was elected a member of the Auckland Regional Council in 1988.

Judith Tizard was re-elected in 1989 before resigning in 1991.

Judith Tizard stood unsuccessfully for the safe National seat of Remuera in the 1981 election.

Judith Tizard was an electorate secretary in the Mount Albert electorate for Helen Clark from 1984 to 1987.

In 1986 Judith Tizard sought the Labour nomination for the seat of Papatoetoe, but lost out to Ross Robertson.

Judith Tizard was the only Labour candidate to come remotely close to winning Remuera.

In 1993, Judith Tizard was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.

In 1999, Judith Tizard served as the Minister assisting the Prime Minister on Auckland issues, which would develop into the portfolio of Minister for Auckland Issues in 2002.

Judith Tizard became a Minister outside of Cabinet, serving as Minister of Consumer Affairs, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Associate Minister of Transport, Associate Minister of Commerce, and Minister responsible for Archives New Zealand and the National Library.

Judith Tizard was then defeated in her electorate by National's Nikki Kaye by a margin of 1,497 votes.

Whilst Judith Tizard was next in line, Labour Party president Andrew Little expressed preference for Louisa Wall to replace Hughes as she intended to contest the 2011 general election, unlike Judith Tizard and the four other list candidates preceding Wall.

In 2008 Judith Tizard championed an amendment to the Copyright Act, which required internet service providers to develop policies to terminate the Internet account of repeat copyright infringers.

Judith Tizard defended this position when meeting Internet lobby groups, saying it is necessary to protect New Zealand artists, and referred to the release of New Zealand film Sione's Wedding, which, she claimed, was damaged by unlawful distribution on the Internet.

In 1993, aged 37, Judith Tizard had a hysterectomy and surgery for uterine cancer from which she recovered.