Katrina Shanks

New Zealand politician

Katrina Shanks
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for National Party List
In office
7 February 2007 – 21 January 2014
Preceded byDon Brash[a]
Succeeded byJo Hayes[a]
Personal details
Born (1969-05-12) 12 May 1969 (age 54)
Dannevirke
NationalityNew Zealand
Political partyNational Party
SpouseBill Shanks[1]
Residence(s)Karori, Wellington
Alma materMassey University
ProfessionMember of Parliament
Websitehttp://katrinashanks.co.nz

Katrina May Shanks (born 12 May 1969)[2][3] is a New Zealand chief executive and former politician.

Shanks was a Member of Parliament for the National Party from 2007 to 2014. After leaving Parliament she returned to her business career and has been chief executive of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) since January 2024.[4]

Early years

Shanks was born in Dannevirke in 1969, and attended St Matthew's Collegiate for Girls in Masterton and Dannevirke High School. She graduated with a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey University.[2]

Shanks' father, Graeme Hislop, contested the Pahiatua electorate for Social Credit in 1975 and in the 1977 by-election.[5][6]

Prior to entering politics, Shanks worked as a self-employed accountant. She had previously worked as a project accountant for Westpac, in retail client services for Newton Investment Management in the United Kingdom, and as a senior auditor for Audit New Zealand.[7] Shanks has three children.[8]

Shanks joined the New Zealand National Party in 2001 as a member of the Karori branch and was a member of the party's executive committee for the Wellington Central electorate until 2004, when she joined the Ohariu-Belmont branch.

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2007–2008 48th List 46 National
2008–2011 49th List 46 National
2011–2014 50th List 38 National

Shanks was the National Party's candidate in Ohariu-Belmont at the 2005 general election.[9][10] She did not defeat incumbent Peter Dunne but performed more strongly than National's 2002 candidate Dale Stevens. At 46th on the party list, Shanks was the highest-placed National list candidate not to be elected (indeed, the election night result projected that she would be elected but the final result saw National's result drop by one seat).[11] She eventually joined Parliament in February 2007 when former leader Don Brash resigned.[12][13]

Shanks became her party's associate spokeswoman for commerce and economic development and sat on the social services committee for the remainder of the term.[14][15]

In the 2008 general election, Shanks contested the new Ōhariu electorate but did not intend to win. National ran a "party vote only" campaign in that seat to ensure ally Dunne's re-election.[16][17][18] She was placed again at 46th on the party list and National's stronger party vote result meant that she returned to Parliament. National, with Dunne's support, formed a new minority government. Shanks was a member of the commerce committee as well as deputy chair (2008–2009) and later chair (2009–2011) of the social services committee.[14]

Shanks was elected as a list MP for a final time in 2011. She announced her intention to retire from Parliament at the 2014 general election but instead retired early at the end of 2013.[19][20] She was succeeded as a list MP by Jo Hayes.[20]

Post-parliamentary career

After leaving Parliament, Shanks became chief executive of the New Zealand Funeral Directors Association.[20] She held this role until 2018 when she became the inaugural chief executive of Financial Advice New Zealand.[21] In 2023 she left that organisation and relocated to Melbourne to become chief executive of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF).[4]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Normally, list MPs do not have individual predecessors or successors, but Brash resigned during a sitting parliament and therefore was succeeded by Shanks, who later resigned herself and was succeeded by Hayes.

References

  1. ^ "Shanks, Katrina: Maiden Statement - New Zealand Parliament". New Zealand Parliament. 20 February 2007. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Katrina Shanks". www.parliament.nz. 23 May 2010. Archived from the original on 23 May 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  3. ^ "Katrina Shanks MP". katrinashanks.co.nz. 21 November 2009. Archived from the original on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  4. ^ a b Gangcuangco, Terry (20 October 2023). "Outgoing Financial Advice NZ chief to become ANZIIF CEO". Insurance Business New Zealand. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  5. ^ "New MP fulfilling dad's dream". New Zealand Herald. Auckland: APN News & Media. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 19 July 2008. She is fulfilling a dream of her father, Graham W E Hislop, who stood for Parliament when he was 36 - the same age Mrs Shanks was during the election campaign last year.
  6. ^ Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946-1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington. p. 305. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.
  7. ^ Heyward, Tony (21 December 2004). "National selects Dunne challenger". Scoop. Retrieved 29 October 2008. Katrina Shanks is a self-employed accountant. She has previously worked as a Project Accountant for the Westpac Banking Corporation, in Retail Client Services for Newton Investment Management in the United Kingdom and as a Senior Auditor for Audit New Zealand.
  8. ^ "Shanks, Katrina: Maiden Statement". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  9. ^ "National narrows down hunt for Dunne challenger | Scoop News". Scoop.co.nz. 16 December 2004. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  10. ^ "National selects Dunne challenger | Scoop News". Scoop.co.nz. 21 December 2004. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  11. ^ 2005 a563">"Brash concedes after National lose seat". NZ Herald. 1 October 2005. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Declaration by Chief Electoral Officer That Katrina May Shanks is Elected". gazette.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Don Brash gone at lunchtime". The New Zealand Herald. 23 November 2006. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  14. ^ a b "Shanks, Katrina - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  15. ^ "Key announces his shadow cabinet". NZ Herald. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  16. ^ "Peter Dunne holds Ohariu with increased majority". NZ Herald. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  17. ^ "Official Count Results - Ōhariu". Electionresults.govt.nz. 22 November 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  18. ^ Oliver, Paula (26 October 2008). "Dunne cites Greens as reason for backing Key". NZ Herald. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  19. ^ "Shanks to leave politics". Stuff NZ (Fairfax). 11 July 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  20. ^ a b c "National MP quits early". Stuff NZ (Fairfax). 12 October 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  21. ^ "First Financial Advice NZ CEO announced". Good Returns. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2021.

External links

  • Katrina Shanks - New Zealand National Party Website
  • Katrina Shanks MP - Official website
  • New Zealand Parliament Profile on Katrina Shanks