June Opie

Alice June Norma Opie (27 June 1924 – 25 August 1999), known as June Opie, was a New Zealand polio survivor, writer, campaigner and clinical psychologist.

Early life and education Opie was born in New Plymouth on 27 June 1924, and lived as a child in Mōkau, north Taranaki. She was educated at New Plymouth Girls' High School and then qualified in teaching at Auckland Training College and in speech therapy at Christchurch Training College. She worked as a speech therapist for Whāngārei education department, before setting sail for England in 1947, planning to stay two years to teach and to observe speech therapy clinics. and spoke at Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park to oppose, successfully, Margaret Thatcher's government's plan to tax Mobility Allowance.

The University of Auckland awards an annual June Opie Memorial Fellowship to offer financial support to a student with a severe disability.

Selected publications