Margaret Shields

Dame Margaret Kerslake Shields (née Porter; 18 December 1941 – 29 May 2013) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. She had three terms in the House of Representatives in the 1980s, and served as Minister of Consumer Affairs, Minister of Customs, and Minister of Women's Affairs during the Fourth Labour Government. Afterwards, she was a member of the Greater Wellington Regional Council, including a term as chair between 2001 and 2004.

Early life Shields was born on 18 December 1941 in Wellington, and was educated at Wellington Girls' College from 1955 to 1959.

In 1960, she married Patrick John Shields, and the couple went on to have two children. She was a founding member of the Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL) in 1975 which aimed to get more women into parliament and public offices. She worked at the Department of Statistics from 1973 to 1981, and served on the Wellington Hospital Board from 1977 to 1980.

Political career

Shields first stood for Labour in the in the electorate, coming second to Hugh Templeton. She was Minister of Customs and Consumer Affairs from 1984 and the Minister of Women's Affairs from 1987 to 1990.

Post-parliamentary career In 1990, she took up a position as director of INSTRAW, the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, based in the Dominican Republic. She also held offices with the UN Development Fund for Women, the National Council of Women and the Federation of Graduate Women.

Honours and awards In 1990, Shields received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. In 1993, she was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal. In the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services, and later in the 2008 New Year Honours was appointed a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. In the 2009 Special Honours, Shields accepted redesignation as a Dame Companion, following the reintroduction of titular honours by the government.

Death Shields died in Paraparaumu in 2013 and was survived by her husband Pat and one of her two daughters.