Dame Patricia Lee ReddyGNZMCVOQSODStJ(born 17 May 1954) is a New Zealand lawyer and businesswoman who served as the 21stgovernor-general of New Zealandfrom 2016 to 2021.
Dame Patsy Reddy | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2017 | |
| 21stGovernor-General of New Zealand | |
| In office 28 September 2016 – 28 September 2021 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | John Key Bill English Jacinda Ardern |
| Preceded by | Sir Jerry Mateparae |
| Succeeded by | Dame Cindy Kiro |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Patricia Lee Reddy 17 May 1954 Matamata,New Zealand |
| Spouse(s) |
Geoff Harley (div.1988) |
| Alma mater | Victoria University of Wellington |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Before becoming governor-general, Reddy was apartnerof a law firm, headed a major review of intelligence agencies, held multiple directorships, chaired theNew Zealand Film Commissionand worked as a chief negotiator onTreaty of Waitangi settlements.Prime MinisterJohn Keyadvised the Queen to appoint Reddy to succeedSir Jerry Mateparaeas the Queen's representative, and Reddy was sworn in for a five-year term on 28 September 2016.
Early life and education
editBorn inMatamata,New Zealand, on 17 May 1954,[1]Reddy is the daughter of Neil William and Catherine Marjorie "Kay" Reddy, both of whom were schoolteachers.[2]Three of her forebears left Ireland and went to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. A distant cousin, singerHelen Reddy,was descended from the Australian forebear.[3]Reddy was raised in the smallWaikatotowns ofTe ĀkauandMinginuiuntil her family moved toHamiltonwhen she was six years old. There, she attended Hillcrest Primary School,Peachgrove Intermediate SchoolandHamilton Girls' High School.[2]
Reddy completed tertiary study atVictoria University of Wellington,graduating in 1976 as aBachelor of Lawsand in 1979 as aMaster of Laws,withfirst-class honours.[2][4]
Career
editReddy was a junior lecturer and then lecturer at Victoria University's faculty of law.[4]In 1982 she joined the Wellington firm Watts and Patterson (now Minter Ellison Rudd Watts), becoming their first female partner in 1983. She specialised in tax, corporate and film law. She later took up a position atBrierley Investments,where she was employed for 11 years, and worked on large acquisition negotiations such as theprivatisation of Air New Zealand.[5]
Reddy served as chair of theNew Zealand Film CommissionandEducation Payroll Ltdand was a director of Payments NZ Ltd and Active Equity Holdings Ltd. She was a chief Crown negotiator forTreaty of Waitangisettlements and a lead reviewer for the Performance Improvement Framework for the State Services Commission. She was also the deputy chair of theNew Zealand Transport Agency.Other directorships includedTelecom Corporation of New Zealand Ltd,SKYCITY Entertainment Group,New Zealand PostandAir New Zealand.[6]
In 2016, Reddy andSir Michael Cullencollaborated on an independent report to the New Zealand government reviewing legislation covering the country'sintelligence agencies.Their report was released on 9 March 2016, two weeks before Reddy's appointment as governor-general was publicly announced.[7]The report recommended expanding theGovernment Communications Security Bureau's rights to monitor the personal communications of New Zealanders, and was met with some controversy.[8]
Reddy was also involved in a number of non-governmental organisations, particularly in the arts and gender equality.[9]She was one of the founding members in 2009 of Global Women New Zealand, a group of prominent women who advocate for inclusion and diversity in leadership.[2][10]
In December 2022, she was elected chair ofNew Zealand Rugby.[11]
On 9 December 2024 Dame Reddy took over as chair of theClimate Change CommissionfromRod Carr.[12]
Governor-General of New Zealand
edit
In March 2016, it was announced thatQueen Elizabeth IIhad approved the appointment of Reddy as the nextgovernor-general of New Zealand,for a five-year term starting in September 2016, on theadviceof then Prime MinisterJohn Key.[13]She was officiallysworn inas the 21st governor-general by Chief JusticeDame Sian Eliason 28 September. The swearing-in ceremony included a Māoripōwhiri,a21-gun salute,and music from theRoyal New Zealand Air ForceBand and the New Zealand Opera Chorus; the ceremony was attended by hundreds of observers, including film-makersSir Peter JacksonandJames Cameron(a former neighbour), with an address by Prime Minister John Key.[14][15]Reddy became the third woman to hold the position, afterDame Catherine TizardandDame Silvia Cartwright.[16]
Reddy gave her firstRoyal assentas governor-general on 18 October 2016.[17]
On 7 November 2016, Reddy welcomedKing Willem-AlexanderandQueen Máxima of the Netherlandsto New Zealand. She hosted a state banquet.[18]
On 12 December 2016, subsequent to the resignation of John Key, Reddy swore inBill Englishas prime minister andPaula Bennettas deputy prime minister.[19]
On 7 February 2017, Reddy delivered her first annualWaitangi DayBledisloe Address at the Bledisloe Garden reception atGovernment House, Wellington.[20]
In her first overseas trip, Reddy visitedNiueand theCook Islands,the associated states of New Zealand, on 21 and 22 March 2017 respectively.[21]Reddy was welcomed byTom Marsters,theQueen's Representativein the Cook Islands.[22]
On 6 May 2017, Reddy travelled to Italy, where she visited various cultural events in Rome and Venice. On 14 May, she visitedBarbados,where she met with the Governor-General of Barbados,Elliott Belgrave,and the prime minister,Freundel Stuart.[23]
On 30 September 2017, Reddy travelled to Israel for a two-day trip, in which she represented New Zealand at official commemorations to mark the centennial of theBattle of Beershebaduring theFirst World War.[24]She was received by Israeli PresidentReuven Rivlinand later met with Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu.[25]
On 26 October 2017, Reddy presided at the swearing-in of the newExecutive Council.She signed warrants appointing the new prime minister,Jacinda Ardern,and otherministers.[26]On 8 November, Reddy attended the State Opening of Parliament where sheaddressed MPs from the throne.[27]
On 24 October 2017, Reddy hosted a state welcome for the president of Ireland,Michael D. Higgins,at Government House.[28]A couple of weeks later, Reddy hosted German PresidentFrank-Walter Steinmeierat Government House from 5 to 7 November 2017. The visit started with a wreath-laying ceremony atPukeahu National War Memorial Park.[29]
On 5 December 2017, Reddy began a three-day trip to Malaysia.[30]The state visit marked the sixtieth year of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Malaysia. Among several engagements, Reddy had an audience withSultan Muhammad V,and attended a state banquet.[31]
On 1 January 2018, Reddy issued herNew Yearvideo message. She focused on gender equality and respect for women; Reddy also noted the 125th anniversary ofwomen's suffrage in New Zealand.[32]
Reddy welcomed former US PresidentBarack Obamato Government House on 22 March 2018.[33]On 23 April, Reddy travelled to Turkey to represent New Zealand at commemorative events associated with theGallipoli campaign;on 26 April, she met Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğanat the Presidential Palace inAnkara.[34]
On 28 October 2018, Reddy welcomed members of the Royal Family,Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex,andMeghan, Duchess of Sussex,to Wellington. She also hosted a reception at Government House honouring the 125th anniversary of women's suffrage.[35]The following month, on 19 November, Reddy hosted the President of ChileSebastián Piñera.[36]On 3 December she welcomed the President of the Republic of Korea,Moon Jae-inand his wifeKim Jung-sookto New Zealand during a ceremony at Auckland Government House.[37]
On 15 March 2019, Reddy released a message expressing condolences to the victims of theChristchurch mosque shootings.She remarked "Now more than ever is the time to affirm the values that we hold dear – compassion, kindness and tolerance.".[38]
On 7 June 2019, Reddy represented New Zealand at the commemorations for the 75th anniversary of theD-Day landingsat Portsmouth in the United Kingdom.[39]
In October 2019 she visited Japan on an official visit.[40]
Reddy's last overseas visit was to Australia in June 2021.[41]She completed her term as Governor-General of New Zealand on 28 September 2021.
Personal life
edit
Reddy is married to the former New Zealand Judicial Conduct Commissioner,Sir David Gascoigne.[2]They married one week before her appointment as governor-general was announced. She and her first husband, Geoff Harley, a tax barrister, divorced in 1988.[42][43]Both husbands were her associates at Rudd Watts & Stone in Wellington in the 1980s.[44]
Reddy is the firstvegangovernor-general. Accordingly, the banquet at her swearing-in ceremony was entirely vegan.[45]
Honours and awards
edit| Viceregal styles of Dame Patsy Reddy (2016–2021) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | Her Excellency the Right Honourable |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
In the2014 Queen's Birthday Honours,Reddy was appointed aDame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Meritfor services to the arts and business.[46]In June 2016, she was made aDame of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem.[47]
Reddy was promoted as anAdditional Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Meritand appointed anAdditional Companion of the Queen's Service Orderon 27 June 2016 in preparation for becoming governor-general.[48]As governor-general, Reddy is entitled to be styled "Her Excellency"while in office and"The Right Honourable"for life.[49][50]
Victoria University of Wellington conferred anhonoraryDoctor of Lawsdegree on Reddy on 13 December 2017.[51]
Reddy was appointedCommander of the Royal Victorian Orderin the2022 New Year Honours.[52][53]Thepresident of Hungaryawarded Reddy the Commander's Cross of theHungarian Order of Meritin 2022.[54]
Arms
edit
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^Taylor, Alister, ed. (2001). "New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001".New Zealand Who's Who, Aotearoa.Auckland: Alister Taylor Publishers: 739.ISSN1172-9813.
- ^abcde"New Governor-General: who is Dame Patsy Reddy?".The New Zealand Herald.22 March 2016.Retrieved1 April2016.
- ^Young, Audrey (23 March 2016)."Spotlight falls on quiet achiever".The New Zealand Herald.Retrieved23 March2016.
- ^ab"Dame Patsy Reddy – biographical notes"(PDF).beehive.govt.nz.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 7 April 2016.Retrieved23 March2016.
- ^Sachdeva, Sam (22 March 2016)."Who is Dame Patsy Reddy, and what will she do as Governor-General?".Stuff.Retrieved1 April2016.
- ^"NZTA: Our Board".NZ Transport Agency. 2016.Retrieved1 April2016.
- ^Sachdeva, Sam (9 March 2016)."Spy agencies explainer: what you need to know about the report into spying laws".Stuff.Retrieved22 March2016.
- ^"Greens" surprised "by Reddy appointment after controversial spy review".Wellington.Scoop.22 March 2016.Retrieved22 March2016.
- ^Young, Audrey (22 March 2016)."Dame Patsy Reddy to be Governor-General".The New Zealand Herald.Retrieved22 March2016.
- ^"Global Women".globalwomen.org.nz.Retrieved22 March2016.
- ^"The Right Hon. Dame Patsy Reddy elected as New Zealand Rugby Chair".New Zealand Rugby.Retrieved27 December2022.
- ^[Dame Patsy Reddy to chair Climate Change Commissionhttps:// rnz.co.nz/news/national/536090/dame-patsy-reddy-to-chair-climate-change-commission"Dame Patsy Reddy to chair Climate Change Commission" ]. RNZ. 9 December 2024.Retrieved9 December2024.
{{cite news}}:Check|url=value (help) - ^Key, John (22 March 2016)."PM welcomes Dame Patsy Reddy as the next Governor-General".beehive.govt.nz(Press release).
- ^"Swearing-In Ceremony"(Press release). Government House. 7 October 2016.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^Weeks, John (28 September 2016)."Hollywood big guns among crowd at swearing in of new Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy".Stuff.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^Price, Rosanna; Moir, Jo (22 March 2016)."Dame Patsy Reddy was 'stunned' when offered Governor-General role".Stuff.Retrieved22 March2016.
- ^"New Governor-General gives her first Royal assent".New Zealand Parliament. 18 October 2016.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^"Warm Wellington welcome for visiting King and Queen of Netherlands".The New Zealand Herald.7 November 2016.
- ^Trevett, Claire (12 December 2016)."What Bill English promises to deliver to New Zealand".The New Zealand Herald.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^Trevett, Claire (6 February 2017)."Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy pulls no punches on Treaty of Waitangi".The New Zealand Herald.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^Round, Sally (21 March 2017)."NZ Governor General arrives in Niue".Radio New Zealand.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^Moore, Richard (22 March 2017)."New Zealand Governor General Visits Cook Islands | Pacific Islands Report".pireport.org.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^"Governor-General to Visit Italy and Barbados"(Press release). Government House. 5 May 2018.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^"Governor-General to visit Israel"(Press release). Government House. 27 September 2017.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^Sedley, David (30 October 2017)."In first, top New Zealander makes official visit to Israel".Times of Israel.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^"Jacinda Ardern sworn in as new Prime Minister".The New Zealand Herald.26 October 2017.Retrieved18 December2017.
- ^"As it happened: State Opening of Parliament".Newshub.11 August 2017.Retrieved18 December2017.
- ^"State Welcome for the President of Ireland".Government House. 24 October 2017.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^"German President Steinmeier visits New Zealand".European External Action Service.2 November 2017.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^"Governor-General's State Visit to Malaysia"(Press release). Government House. 4 December 2017.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^"NZ governor-general on maiden visit to Malaysia".The Star.7 December 2017.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^"Governor-General uses New Year's message to call for gender equality".Stuff.1 January 2018.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^"First images from historic meeting between Barack Obama and Jacinda Ardern".1News.22 March 2018.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^"2018 Visit to Turkey for Anzac Day commemorations"(Press release). Government House. 3 May 2018.Retrieved3 June2018.
- ^"Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy hosts reception honouring 125 years since women's suffrage".Stuff.28 October 2018.Retrieved29 October2018.
- ^"State Welcome for President Sebastian Pinera of Chile"(Press release). Government House. 19 November 2018.Retrieved15 December2018.
- ^"State Welcome for the President of the Republic of Korea"(Press release). Government House. 3 December 2018.Retrieved15 December2018.
- ^"Message from the Governor-General".gg.govt.nz.15 March 2019.Retrieved16 March2019.
- ^"D-Day 75th anniversary commemorations".gg.govt.nz.7 June 2019.Retrieved14 July2019.
- ^"Official visit to Japan".gg.govt.nz.24 October 2019.Retrieved2 January2020.
- ^"Governor-General to visit Australia".gg.govt.nz.Government House. 31 May 2021.Retrieved26 March2022.
- ^"16 Things You Didn't Know About Dame Patsy Reddy".LawFuel. 22 March 2016. Archived fromthe originalon 27 September 2016.Retrieved29 March2016.
- ^"New Governor-General Patsy Reddy ties the knot with long-term partner".Stuff.19 April 2016.Retrieved31 August2016.
- ^"Five minutes with… Lloyd Kavanagh, Minter Ellison Rudd Watts".NZ Lawyer.Retrieved31 August2016.
- ^"No animals harmed in the making of new Governor-General's first banquet".Stuff.30 December 2016.Retrieved2 June2018.
- ^"Queen's Birthday honours list 2014".Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 June 2014.Retrieved28 April2018.
- ^"No. 61619".The London Gazette.15 June 2016. p. 13264.
- ^"Announcement of honours for Dame Patsy Reddy".Retrieved27 June2016.
- ^"Protocols".New Zealand Parliament. 2015. pp. 5, 9. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018.Retrieved8 June2018.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^""The Right Honourable"".Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 1 April 2011.Retrieved8 June2018.
- ^"Governor-General to receive honorary doctorate".Victoria University of Wellington. 1 November 2017.
- ^"No. 63571".The London Gazette(Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N4.
- ^Shennan, Rhona (31 December 2021)."The full New Year honours list 2022 as Chris Whitty is knighted".The Scotsman.Retrieved1 January2022.
- ^"Magyar Közlöny".Magyar Közlöny.21 March 2022. p. 1814.Retrieved27 January2023.
- ^O'Shea, Phillip(8 December 2020)."The Armorial Bearings of the Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy, G.N.Z.M., Q.S.O., D.St.J., governor-general of New Zealand 28 September 2016–"(PDF).Government House.Retrieved20 September2021.
External links
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