[1] St John graduated with a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Auckland in 1979.

[2] Her research has focused on the Accident Compensation Corporation, public sector and retirement policy.

[2] In 1994 she became a founding member of the Child Poverty Action Group, and has edited and authored a large number of reports for them.

[1] In 2003 St John completed a doctorate at the University of Auckland on the role of private savings in retirement policy in New Zealand.

[4] In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, also for services to social policy.