Pauline Gardiner is a former New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 politician.

Member of Parliament

Gardiner was a member of parliament from 1993 to 1996, representing first the National Party

New Zealand National Party

The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...

 and then United New Zealand

United New Zealand

United New Zealand was a centrist political party in New Zealand founded in 1995. It merged with the Christian-based Future New Zealand party to form the United Future New Zealand party in 2000.-History:...

. She was first elected to Parliament in the 1993 elections

New Zealand general election, 1993

The 1993 New Zealand general election was held on 6 November 1993 to determine the composition of the 44th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Jim Bolger, win a second term in office, despite a major swing back towards the Labour Party. The new Alliance and New...

 as MP for the Wellington - Karori electorate

Wellington-Karori

Wellington-Karori was a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, for 1993-96 only. It was a mixture of Wellington and Karori.-Population Centres:The electorate covered the central section and some suburbs of the city of Wellington.-History:...

 representing National and defeating Labour candidate Chris Laidlaw

Chris Laidlaw

Christopher Robert Laidlaw , Rhodes Scholar, All Black, diplomat, MP, talk radio host, author, is a 20th century New Zealand figure.-Academic and Rugby Union:...

 who had won the seat in a by-election the previous year.

She is most well known for her campaign against drug abuse

Drug abuse

Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...

. In 1995, she left the National Party to join six other MPs in the establishment of United New Zealand, a centrist party. Like all United MPs but Peter Dunne

Peter Dunne

Peter Dunne is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament who leads the United Future political party. He has served as a Cabinet minister in governments dominated by the centre-left Labour Party as well as by the centre-right National Party...

, she was defeated in the 1996 elections

New Zealand general election, 1996

The 1996 New Zealand general election was held on 12 October 1996 to determine the composition of the 45th New Zealand Parliament. It was notable for being the first election to be held under the new Mixed Member Proportional electoral system, and produced a parliament considerably more diverse...

. In 1998 she ran for United in the Taranaki-King Country by election

Taranaki-King Country by-election 1998

The Taranaki-King Country by-election was a by-election in the New Zealand electorate of Taranaki-King Country, a large and predominantly rural district in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It took place on 2 May 1998, and was precipitated by the resignation from parliament of sitting MP Jim...

 following the resignation of Jim Bolger

Jim Bolger

James Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics...

.

She has 3 children by her former husband Wira Gardiner

Wira Gardiner

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Harawira "Wira" Tiri Gardiner, KNZM is a former professional soldier, senior public servant and writer. He is Maori and his tribal affiliations are Ngati Awa, Ngati Pikiao, Whakatohea and Te Whanau-a-Apanui....

.