Janet Elsdon Mackey (née Craig; 14 June 1953 – 22 July 2024) was a New Zealand politician. She was a Member of the

New Zealand Parliament The New Zealand Parliament () is the unicameral legislature of New Zealand, consisting of the Monarchy of New Zealand, Sovereign and the New Zealand House of Representatives. The King is usually represented by his Governor-General of New Zeal ...

for the Labour Party from 1993 until 2005.

Early life and family

Mackey was born in

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

on 14 June 1953, the daughter of Elsdon Walter Grant Craig and Zeta Harriet Craig (née Brown). Her father is a Scottish-New Zealander, and the nephew of Elsdon Best, and her mother is from Northern Ireland. Mackey was educated at

Auckland Girls' Grammar School Auckland Girls' Grammar School (AGGS) is a New Zealand secondary school for girls located in Newton, New Zealand, Newton, Auckland. Established in 1878 as Auckland Girls' High School, it is one of the oldest secondary institutions in the countr ...

from 1966 to 1969, and went on to study at the

University of Auckland The University of Auckland (; Māori: ''Waipapa Taumata Rau'') is a public research university based in Auckland, New Zealand. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Initially loc ...

, graduating with a

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

in English. Previously married, Mackey has three children, including Moana Mackey, who has also served as a Labour MP.

Parliamentary career

She was first elected to Parliament in the 1993 election, winning the seat of Gisborne. In the 1996 election, she won the newly created seat of Mahia, and in the

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

and 2002 elections, she won the seat of East Coast. In 2003, she was joined in Parliament by her daughter, Moana Mackey. Before entering politics, she was a

real estate agent Real estate agents and real estate brokers are people who represent sellers or buyers of real estate or real property. While a broker may work independently, an agent usually works under a licensed broker to represent clients. Brokers and age ...

. She announced her intent to retire before the 2005 election, and did not stand for re-election.

Other activities

Mackey served as a trustee of the Trust Bank Eastern and Central Community Trust, and from 1984 to 1990 was chair of the East Coast Regional Employment and Access Council. She was appointed as a justice of the peace in 1988, and became a marriage celebrant in 1989.

Death

She died on 22 July 2024 after a short illness.

References

, - , - 1953 births 2024 deaths New Zealand Labour Party MPs Politicians from Auckland New Zealand people of Irish descent New Zealand people of Scottish descent Women members of the New Zealand House of Representatives New Zealand real estate agents New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives 21st-century New Zealand politicians 21st-century New Zealand women politicians People educated at Auckland Girls' Grammar School University of Auckland alumni New Zealand justices of the peace {{NZLabour-politician-stub