21 Facts About Marian Hobbs

Marian Leslie Hobbs was born on 18 December 1947 and is a New Zealand politician who was a Labour Member of Parliament from 1996 to 2008.

Marian Hobbs was initially a list MP and then represented the Wellington Central electorate.

Marian Hobbs served as Minister for the Environment and, later, as one of two Assistant Speakers of the House of Representatives.

Marian Hobbs represented the Dunedin constituency of the Otago Regional Council from 2019 to 2021.

Marian Hobbs helped to establish the Chippenham commune in Christchurch and is by religious affiliation a Friend.

In 1993, Marian Hobbs was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.

Marian Hobbs marched with HART in the 1981 Springbok tour to oppose Apartheid.

Marian Hobbs stood unsuccessfully in the 1994 Selwyn by-election where she came a distant third.

Marian Hobbs contested the Kaikoura electorate in the 1996 election and came second to National Party's Doug Kidd, but entered Parliament via the Labour list, where she was ranked 12th.

Marian Hobbs chose to stand in Wellington Central because she lived there and stated she hated travelling.

Marian Hobbs was selected as Labour candidate for the seat over Victoria University dean of law Professor Brian Brooks, teacher Elaine Whelan and former Wellington City Councillor Hazel Armstrong.

In 2004, Marian Hobbs told Prime Minister Helen Clark that she did not expect to seek a post in Cabinet again after the 2005 general election.

Marian Hobbs contested the election and was returned to the Wellington Central electorate with a 6,180 majority over the National Party candidate, Mark Blumsky.

Marian Hobbs made her decision about not seeking a Cabinet role public during the negotiations to form a government in October 2005.

In December 2006 Marian Hobbs announced that she would not seek re-election at the 2008 general election, confirming much speculation to that effect.

Marian Hobbs was succeeded in Wellington Central by Grant Robertson, who had worked for her while she was a minister.

Marian Hobbs spent two years as the Headteacher at Prince William School in Oundle, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom.

Marian Hobbs stood as a Labour candidate for the Otago Regional Council at the 2019 local elections and was successful.

Marian Hobbs resigned from the council on 1 November 2021.

Marian Hobbs had one son, Daniel, with her first husband Walter Logeman.

Marian Hobbs's father was Leslie Hobbs, a political journalist, who wrote The Thirty-Year Wonders, a history of the First and Second Labour Governments and their members.