Catherine Isaac

Isaac was raised in Christchurch and completed a BA in English and Languages at the University of Canterbury in 1970.{{cite web |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0102/S00010/catherine-judd-nomination-for-act-presidency.htm |title=Catherine Judd Nomination For ACT Presidency |publisher=Scoop |date=2 February 2001 |access-date=27 November 2021}} She is the niece of Diana Isaac.{{cite news|title=Diana, Lady Isaac dies |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/7992928/Diana-Lady-Isaac-dies |accessdate=24 November 2012 |newspaper=The Press |date=24 November 2012}}

Isaac was communications and public affairs manager for the National Provident Fund through its extensive restructuring from 1988 to 1991. In the 18 month lead-up to the completion of the NPF tender process Isaac was also General Manager, Regional Operations, responsible for management of six regional offices and five branch offices.{{cite web |url= http://www.act.org.nz/catherine-isaac |title= Catherine Isaac |publisher= ACT |accessdate= 23 October 2011 |url-status= dead |archiveurl= https://archive.today/20111031164213/http://www.act.org.nz/catherine-isaac |archivedate= 31 October 2011 |df= dmy-all }}

Isaac was a member of the Board of the Wellington Community Trust from 1999 to 2003.{{cite web |url= http://igps.victoria.ac.nz/WelfareWorkingGroup/Catherine%20Isaac.html |title=Catherine Isaac |publisher=Victoria University of Wellington |accessdate=28 June 2014}}

She was a founding director of the St Lukes' Group from 1993 to 1996. From 1990 to 1994 she was a Trustee of the Royal New Zealand Ballet. From 1995 to 2001 she served on the Board of Trustees of Wellington College.{{cite web |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10868582 |title=Banks announces charter schools authorisation board |author= Kate Shuttleworth |publisher=The New Zealand Herald |accessdate=28 June 2014}}

Isaac was elected President of ACT New Zealand in March 2001. Her bid for the presidency was support by the founders of ACT, Sir Roger Douglas and Derek Quigley.{{cite web |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=176720 |title=Douglas' choice cruises in |first=John |last=Armstrong |date=12 March 2001 |work=The New Zealand Herald |accessdate=19 July 2010}} A key feature of her presidency was the Liberal Project, which was designed to focus the party on its classical liberal roots.{{cite web | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3003837 | title=Act contemplates future under a Liberal banner | work=The New Zealand Herald | date=12 November 2002 | accessdate=2 May 2014}} However her moves to get the party more focussed on liberal issues were relatively unsuccessful, and in the 2002 election the party largely repeated its socially conservative positions which it had used in 1999.{{cite web | url=http://liberation.typepad.com/liberation/2009/04/act-party-history-28-the-liberal-project.html | title=[Act Party history] 28: The Liberal Project | work=Liberation | date=7 April 2009 | accessdate=2 May 2014 | author=Edwards, Brian}}

Isaac was one of a handful of people that Richard Prebble confided in prior to announcing to the ACT caucus on 27 April 2004 that he intended to retire as leader of the party.{{cite web |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0404/S00422/richard-prebble-to-resign-as-leader.htm |title=Richard Prebble to Resign as Leader |publisher=Scoop |date=27 April 2004 |access-date=27 November 2021}} Isaac oversaw the membership primary that the party ran to assist in selecting a new leader.{{cite web |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0406/S00181.htm |title=Results Of ACT Primary |publisher=Scoop |date=14 June 2004 |access-date=27 November 2021}} Rodney Hide was selected following the primary and a caucus vote.{{cite web |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0406/S00192.htm |title=The Letter Monday 14 June 2004 |publisher=Scoop |date=14 June 2004 |access-date=27 November 2021}}

Isaac announced publicly in January 2006 that she would not be standing for re-election as party president.{{cite web | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10364575 | title=Act members to elect new president | work=The New Zealand Herald | date=20 January 2006 | accessdate=2 May 2014}} She stepped down at the March 2006 annual conference and was replaced by Hamilton businessman Garry Mallett.{{cite web|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/ainsley-thomson/news/article.cfm?a_id=6&objectid=10374378|title=Act picks president to reflect core values|work=New Zealand Herald }}

Isaac stood for parliament in the 2011 election. She was ranked second on ACT's party list, but did not stand as an electorate candidate because of her husband's illness.{{cite web |url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1110/S00206/act-confirms-list-positions.htm |title=ACT Confirms List Positions |publisher=ACT New Zealand |date=10 October 2011}}{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5866361/ACTs-Isaac-back-as-candidate |title=Catherine Isaac back as ACT candidate |publisher=Stuff |date=20 October 2011}} Because of ACT's low vote-share, she was not elected to Parliament.

Isaac was involved in a number of the Fifth National Government's initiatives, including the Welfare Working Group, and the Partnership Schools/Kura Hourua Working Group. She was Chair of the Kura Hourua Authorisation Board.{{cite web | url=http://www.awaroa.com/our-team.html | title=Awaroa Partners: Our Team | work=Awaroa Partners | accessdate=2 May 2014 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502070149/http://www.awaroa.com/our-team.html | archivedate=2 May 2014 | df=dmy-all }}{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/isaac-hits-back-at-appointment-criticism/UGDYEQ4EETJQINHTAIP44J5AWE/ |title=Isaac hits back at appointment criticism |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date=1 February 2012 |access-date=27 November 2021}} However, after the Sixth Labour Government was elected, the Board resigned in protest at the end of their term on 1 March 2018 because the Government was abolishing the Partnership Schools model.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/101685289/entire-charter-schools-board-to-step-down-in-protest.html|title=Entire charter schools authorisation board to step down in protest|last=Redmond|first=Adele|date=22 February 2018|website=Stuff |language=en|access-date=2018-10-13}}

She is divorced from diplomat Hugo Judd. She subsequently married former Business Roundtable director Roger Kerr in 2010, who died in 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/5905768/Tears-for-an-optimist-who-cared-about-New-Zealand|title=Tears for an optimist who cared about New Zealand|website=Stuff |date=3 November 2011|language=en|access-date=2018-10-13}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.awaroa.com/ Awaroa Partners]

{{ACT New Zealand}}

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Category:1950s births

Category:Living people

Category:University of Canterbury alumni

Category:ACT New Zealand politicians

Category:21st-century New Zealand women politicians

Category:Politicians from Christchurch

Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 2011 New Zealand general election

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)