Annette King

Dame Annette Faye King[1] DNZM (née Robinson, born 13 September 1947) is a former New Zealand politician.

[2][3] In 1981, she gained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Waikato, and obtained a postgraduate diploma in dental nursing the same year.

In August 1989 she put herself forward to fill one of two vacant seats in cabinet, winning a caucus ballot against ex-minister Richard Prebble.

[7] In the 1990 election, King lost the Horowhenua electorate against Hamish Hancock, a lawyer who stood for the National Party.

[4][10] She served as chief executive officer of the Palmerston North Enterprise Board from 1991 until the 1993 election,[3] when she was returned to Parliament as the MP for Miramar.

[7] In the 1996 election, when the shift to mixed-member proportional (MMP) representation prompted a reorganisation of electorates, King successfully contested the new seat of Rongotai.

[11] After re-entering parliament new leader Helen Clark appointed her as spokesperson for Immigration and Business & Industry in December 1993.

[14] In August 1997 King was promoted again, replacing Lianne Dalziel as Shadow Minister of Health while relinquishing the Social Welfare portfolio.

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

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

"[26] In the 2018 New Year Honours, King was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services as a member of Parliament.

King (right) with David Lange (left) in 1986