Megan Woods
Encyclopedia
Megan Woods is the Labour Party
candidate for the 2011 election
in the Wigram electorate
of the New Zealand Parliament
.
, Christchurch
. She has a PhD
in history
obtained at the University of Canterbury
.
.
's re-election campaigns. She contested the Christchurch Central
electorate in the 2005 general election
and came fourth, receiving 1077 votes (3.2% of the electorate votes). She was placed fourth on the Progressive party list. As the party obtained only 1.2% of the party vote, she did not enter Parliament that year.
She was a member of the Spreydon–Heathcote community board in Christchurch in 2004–2007.
Woods joined the Labour Party in 2007. In the same year, she contested the Christchurch mayoralty
for the centre-left Christchurch 2021 group, receiving 32,821 votes and coming second against Bob Parker (47,033 votes), but beating Jo Giles
(14,454 votes) in the election contested by ten candidates. She did not contest the 2008 general election
or the 2010 mayoral election
.
Woods has been chosen as the Labour Party
candidate for the next election in the Wigram electorate
. If elected, she will succeed Jim Anderton
, who announced that he would retire either after winning the Christchurch mayoralty
(he has since been unsuccessful) or at the 2011 general election
. Woods was a key member of Anderton's campaign committee, along with key Progressive Party members like Jeanette Lawrence and Liz Maunsell, and Labour activists such as campaign manager Tony Milne, Ben Ross and Liana Foster. Until the 2010 Canterbury earthquake
, Anderton was leading in the opinion polls, and winning the mayoralty would have caused a by-election in the Wigram electorate. The earthquake resulted in a mood swing in Christchurch, and Anderton lost against Bob Parker. Hence, Anderton will remain an MP until the end of the term of the 49th Parliament
, and Woods will contest the 2011 general election in the Wigram electorate.
Woods' candidacy, which began in late 2010, is centred around job creation in her electorate. She stated in her Labour selection speech that "Growing up here in the 1980s, I watched people lose their jobs. I saw workplaces like the Addington Workshops shut their doors forever. Now I am 36 years old and am watching jobs disappear from our communities again." Woods also cited the rising cost of living for everyday people as a major concern.
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
candidate for the 2011 election
New Zealand general election, 2011
The 2011 New Zealand general election on Saturday 26 November 2011 determined the membership of the 50th New Zealand Parliament.One hundred and twenty-one MPs were elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives, 70 from single-member electorates, including one overhang seat, and 51 from party...
in the Wigram electorate
Wigram (New Zealand electorate)
Wigram is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Wigram is Megan Woods. She takes over this position from the retiring Jim Anderton, who held this position from 1996 until 2011.-Population...
of the New Zealand Parliament
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
.
Early life
Woods was born and grew up in WigramWigram
Wigram is a suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. Technically called Wigram Park, the second half of its name is rarely if ever heard. The suburb lies close to the industrial estates of Sockburn and the satellite retail and residential zone of Hornby...
, Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
. She has a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
obtained at the University of Canterbury
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
.
Professional life
Woods was a business manager for Crop & Food Research (2005–08) and is at present a business manager for Plant and Food Research (since 2008), based at LincolnLincoln, New Zealand
Lincoln is a town in the Selwyn District of Canterbury, New Zealand. The town has a population of 2,727.-Location:It is located on the Canterbury Plains to the west of Banks Peninsula, 22 kilometres south of Christchurch.-History:...
.
Political career
Woods was a member of the Progressive Party from 1999 to 2007 and was involved in several of Jim AndertonJim Anderton
James Patrick Anderton, usually known as Jim Anderton , is the leader of the Progressive Party, a New Zealand political party. He has served in Parliament since 1984. He served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002 and is currently also the sitting Father of the House, the longest...
's re-election campaigns. She contested the Christchurch Central
Christchurch Central
Christchurch Central is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate in the South Island city of Christchurch. The electorate was established for the 1946 election and has always been won by the Labour Party. Since 2008, the incumbent is Brendon Burns...
electorate in the 2005 general election
New Zealand general election, 2005
The 2005 New Zealand general election held on 17 September 2005 determined the composition of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. No party won a majority in the unicameral House of Representatives, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the...
and came fourth, receiving 1077 votes (3.2% of the electorate votes). She was placed fourth on the Progressive party list. As the party obtained only 1.2% of the party vote, she did not enter Parliament that year.
She was a member of the Spreydon–Heathcote community board in Christchurch in 2004–2007.
Woods joined the Labour Party in 2007. In the same year, she contested the Christchurch mayoralty
Mayor of Christchurch
The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...
for the centre-left Christchurch 2021 group, receiving 32,821 votes and coming second against Bob Parker (47,033 votes), but beating Jo Giles
Jo Giles
Joanne "Jo" May Giles was a New Zealand television presenter and former representative sportswoman. She represented the country in pistol shooting at the 1997 Oceanian Championships in Adelaide, and the 2000 World Cup in Sydney...
(14,454 votes) in the election contested by ten candidates. She did not contest the 2008 general election
New Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
or the 2010 mayoral election
Christchurch mayoral election, 2010
The Christchurch mayoral election, 2010 is part of the New Zealand local elections, 2010. On 9 October 2010, elections were held for the Mayor of Christchurch plus other local government roles...
.
Woods has been chosen as the Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
candidate for the next election in the Wigram electorate
Wigram (New Zealand electorate)
Wigram is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Wigram is Megan Woods. She takes over this position from the retiring Jim Anderton, who held this position from 1996 until 2011.-Population...
. If elected, she will succeed Jim Anderton
Jim Anderton
James Patrick Anderton, usually known as Jim Anderton , is the leader of the Progressive Party, a New Zealand political party. He has served in Parliament since 1984. He served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002 and is currently also the sitting Father of the House, the longest...
, who announced that he would retire either after winning the Christchurch mayoralty
Mayor of Christchurch
The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...
(he has since been unsuccessful) or at the 2011 general election
New Zealand general election, 2011
The 2011 New Zealand general election on Saturday 26 November 2011 determined the membership of the 50th New Zealand Parliament.One hundred and twenty-one MPs were elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives, 70 from single-member electorates, including one overhang seat, and 51 from party...
. Woods was a key member of Anderton's campaign committee, along with key Progressive Party members like Jeanette Lawrence and Liz Maunsell, and Labour activists such as campaign manager Tony Milne, Ben Ross and Liana Foster. Until the 2010 Canterbury earthquake
2010 Canterbury earthquake
The 2010 Canterbury earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am on local time ....
, Anderton was leading in the opinion polls, and winning the mayoralty would have caused a by-election in the Wigram electorate. The earthquake resulted in a mood swing in Christchurch, and Anderton lost against Bob Parker. Hence, Anderton will remain an MP until the end of the term of the 49th Parliament
49th New Zealand Parliament
The 49th New Zealand Parliament was elected at the 2008 election. It consists of 122 members, including an overhang of two seats caused by the Māori Party having won two more electorate seats than its share of the party vote would otherwise have given it. The Parliament will serve from 2008 until...
, and Woods will contest the 2011 general election in the Wigram electorate.
Woods' candidacy, which began in late 2010, is centred around job creation in her electorate. She stated in her Labour selection speech that "Growing up here in the 1980s, I watched people lose their jobs. I saw workplaces like the Addington Workshops shut their doors forever. Now I am 36 years old and am watching jobs disappear from our communities again." Woods also cited the rising cost of living for everyday people as a major concern.