Margaret Bedggood

Margaret Ann Bedggood (born 10 April 1939), known for a time by her married name of Margaret Mulgan, is a New Zealand jurist, and an honorary professor at the University of Waikato. She was the chief human rights commissioner for New Zealand from 1989 to 1994. Following this, she spent five years as Dean of the Faculty of Law at University of Waikato. Bedggood has also taught at the University of Otago, and tutors at the University of Oxford. Bedggood retired in 2003, but retains a position as an honorary professor and still supervises students.

Early life and family Bedggood was born in Takapuna on 10 April 1939, the daughter of John Thomas Bedggood and Caroline Bedggood (née Slaughter). She was married to Richard Mulgan in 1964, During the 1960s, she spent time tutoring classics in London, and observed the disparity of opportunity created by pervasive class discrimination. She credits this experience, and reading William Temple's book Christianity and Social Order, as creating her "desire to be an agent of change".

In the 1980s, Bedggood lectured in labour law at the University of Otago, where she met Professor Alexander Szakáts, who she describes as "the brilliant pioneer of labour law in New Zealand". Bedggood retired in 2003, but retains a position as an honorary professor at the University of Waikato and still supervises students. In the 1993 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services. She was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Waikato in 2010.

Personal life Bedggood describes herself as a "cradle" Anglican and a member of The Third Order.

Selected works