Janet Mackey

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Janet Mackey

|honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|JP|size=100%}}

|image =

|imagesize =

|caption =

|constituency_MP = Gisborne

|parliament = New Zealand

|term_start = 1993

|term_end = 1996

|predecessor = Wayne Kimber

|constituency_MP2 = Mahia

|parliament2 = New Zealand

|term_start2 = 1996

|term_end2 = 1999

|constituency_MP3 = East Coast

|parliament3 = New Zealand

|term_start3 = 1999

|term_end3 = 2005

|successor3 = Anne Tolley

|birth_date = {{Birth date|1953|06|14|df=y}}

|birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand

|death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|7|22|1953|6|14|df=y}}

|death_place = Gisborne, New Zealand

|birthname = Janet Elsdon Craig

|nationality =

|party = Labour

|spouse =

|relations = Moana Mackey (daughter)
Elsdon Best (great-uncle)

|residence =

|alma_mater = University of Auckland

|occupation =

|profession =

|signature =

|signature_alt =

}}

Janet Elsdon Mackey {{post-nominals|country=NZL|JP}} (née Craig; 14 June 1953 – 22 July 2024) was a New Zealand politician. She was a Member of the New Zealand Parliament for the Labour Party from 1993 until 2005.

Early life and family

Mackey was born in Auckland on 14 June 1953, the daughter of Elsdon Walter Grant Craig and Zeta Harriet Craig (née Brown).{{cite book |editor-last=Taylor |editor-first=Alister |editor-link=Alister Taylor |title=New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001 |year=2001 |publisher=Alister Taylor Publishers |location=Auckland |issn=1172-9813 |page=566}} 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 from 1966 to 1969, and went on to study at the University of Auckland, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in English.

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

Parliamentary career

{{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|1993}} |end=1996 |term=44th |electorate=Gisborne |party=New Zealand Labour Party}}

{{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|1996}} |end=1999 |term=45th |electorate=Mahia |list=17 |party=New Zealand Labour Party}}

{{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|1999}} |end=2002 |term=46th |electorate=East Coast |list=28 |party=New Zealand Labour Party}}

{{NZ parlbox|start={{NZ election link year|2002}} |end=2005 |term=47th |electorate=East Coast |list=none |party=New Zealand Labour Party}}

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 and 2002 elections, she won the seat of East Coast.{{cite web|title=Women in parliament 1933 - 2005 |url=http://www.elections.org.nz/study/education-centre/women-in-parliament.html |publisher=Elections New Zealand |accessdate=14 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208182924/http://www.elections.org.nz/study/education-centre/women-in-parliament.html |archivedate= 8 February 2013 }} In 2003, she was joined in Parliament by her daughter, Moana Mackey.{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/politics/669750 |title=Running in the family |work=The Dominion Post |publisher=Fairfax New Zealand |date=13 October 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614043328/http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/politics/669750 |archivedate=14 June 2011 |url-status=dead }} Before entering politics, she was a real estate agent.

She announced her intent to retire before the 2005 election, and did not stand for re-election.{{cite news |last=Manning |first=Selwyn |title=Strategies And Cunning And The General Election 05 |url= http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0501/S00184.htm |accessdate=21 October 2010 |work=Scoop |date=21 January 2005 }}

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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/news/mackey-fought-for-the-working-people-east-coast-mp-achieved-many-firsts-in-parliament|title=Mackey fought for the working people: East Coast MP achieved a number of firsts|newspaper=Gisborne Herald|date=26 July 2024|first=John|last=Hone}}