Sue Bradford

Sue Bradford graduated from the University of Auckland in History and Political Studies, and later obtained an MA in Chinese. Furthering her academic education she undertook postgraduate study at the University of Canterbury where she received a diploma in journalism, and a PhD in Public Policy at Auckland University of Technology.{{Cite thesis|title=A Major Left Wing Think Tank in Aotearoa: An Impossible Dream or a Call to Action?|url=https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/handle/10292/7435|publisher=Auckland University of Technology|date=2014|degree=PhD|language=en|first=Sue|last=Bradford}} The title of her doctoral thesis was: A major left wing think tank in Aotearoa: An impossible dream or a call to action?, and the work was supervised by Marilyn Waring and Judy McGregor.{{Cite Q|Q111290623}} She has also spent time on the unemployment benefit and the domestic purposes benefit.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Bradford had a high profile as an activist against various social and economic reforms pursued by the governments of the day. Accordingly, she became something of a bête noire amongst supporters of the right in New Zealand.

Bradford admitted in 2000 she has countless convictions.{{Cite web |date=2001-12-12 |title=Clean-slate law to hide stigma of crime |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/clean-slate-law-to-hide-stigma-of-crime/RT5EGSJRR4NBSJG7AYROC4KUKU/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}}

Bradford was trespassed from Parliament in 1998.{{Cite web |date=2000-06-20 |title=Green MP to stand trial - New Zealand News |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/green-mp-to-stand-trial/PHUD4Y3DKG6B6FR4CTG3275YUA/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}}

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File:SueBradfordGreenMP.jpg

As a member of the Green Party, Bradford first won election to the Parliament as a list MP in the 1999 election. She had joined the Green Party in 1990, and had contested the 1998 Auckland mayoral election as the Green candidate. Before joining the Greens, she worked actively in the NewLabour Party, and served as its vice-president from 1989 to 1990.

{{As of|2005}} Bradford was the Green Party spokesperson on ACC, Agriculture, Buy Kiwi-Made, Community and Voluntary Sector, Community Economic Development, Gambling, Housing, Industrial Relations, Internal Affairs, Mental Health, National Library and Archives, Racing, Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Small Business and Social Development.

The New Zealand Herald selected Bradford as Backbencher of the Year for 2000.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-smacking-debate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501165&objectid=10599680|title=Bradford pledges to keep on fighting|first=Patrick|last=Gower|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=26 September 2009|access-date=22 May 2010}}

Bradford has successfully pushed through three member's bills: removing the defence of "reasonable force" when corporally punishing or smacking children; letting mothers in jail keep their babies for longer; and making the adult minimum wage apply to 16- and 17-year-olds. It is considered an achievement for a backbench MP to pass a single member's bill, let alone three.

In 2009 Sue Bradford ran unsuccessfully against Metiria Turei to replace Jeanette Fitzsimons for the co-leadership of the Green Party. On 25 September 2009, Bradford announced her intention to resign as a Member of Parliament in late October, citing her disappointment at the loss and wish to take new directions.{{cite web |url=http://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/sue-bradford-announces-resignation |title=Sue Bradford Announces Resignation |publisher=Greens.org.nz |date=25 September 2009 |access-date=19 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130220102506/http://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/sue-bradford-announces-resignation |archive-date=20 February 2013 }} Bradford regretted not becoming a Cabinet Minister, especially a Minister of Housing and Social Development.{{Cite news|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/shock-bradford-quits-parliament-3018843|title=Bradford bows out after missing out|date=25 September 2009|access-date=29 September 2009|work=ONE News}}

{{Main|Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007}}

In 2005, a parliamentary ballot allowed the discussion of Bradford's member's bill, the Crimes (Abolition of Force as a Justification for Child Discipline) Amendment Bill 2005. The Bill proposed amending Section 59 of the Crimes Act 1961 to remove the legal defence of "reasonable force" for parents prosecuted for assault on their children. The Bill passed the select committee stage and its second parliamentary reading with a huge majority, and became law after it passed its third reading 113 to 8 on 16 May 2007.[http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/debates/debates/speeches/48HansS_20070516_00001145/vote-crimes-substituted-section-59-amendment-bill-%E2%80%94 Vote: Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Bill – Third Reading] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109042425/http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/debates/debates/speeches/48HansS_20070516_00001145/vote-crimes-substituted-section-59-amendment-bill-%E2%80%94 |date=9 January 2016 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.greens.org.nz/searchdocs/other8639.html |title=Stop violence against children – Repeal Section 59 now |publisher=Greens.org.nz |date=28 February 2006 |access-date=19 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201153936/http://www.greens.org.nz/searchdocs/other8639.html |archive-date=1 December 2008 }}

The Bill occasioned widespread debate largely due its depiction as an "anti-smacking" bill, and a movement led by Family First New Zealand{{cite web|url=http://www.familyfirst.org.nz/ |title=Family First NZ | Strong Families, Strong Nation Family First NZ |publisher=Familyfirst.org.nz |access-date=19 February 2015}} called a citizens initiated referendum on the issue.{{Cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/4028255a11.html |title=150,000 signatures on smacking referendum petition - New Zealand news on Stuff.co.nz |access-date=5 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070521031135/http://www.stuff.co.nz/4028255a11.html |archive-date=21 May 2007 |url-status=dead }}

In one reaction to the Bill, threats were made against Bradford on the "CYFS Watch" website. After the Ministry of Social Development complained about the threats, Google shut down the website.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/internet/news/article.cfm?c_id=137&objectid=10425243|title=Google shuts down Cyfswatch website|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=22 February 2007|last=Collins|first=Simon}} Further death threats were made against her in August 2009.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10594105|title=Death threats made against Sue Bradford|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=30 August 2009}}

{{See also|Blogging in New Zealand#Controversies}}

Soon after Bradford's announcement of her resignation, Manukau mayor, Len Brown, suggested that she run to be a councillor on the Auckland Council.{{Cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10599891|title=Brown backs Bradford for Super city|date=27 September 2009|access-date=29 September 2009|work=The New Zealand Herald}} Bradford said that she would consider the idea but did not run.{{Cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/super-auckland/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501110&objectid=10600002|title=Bradford may opt for Super City contest|date=28 September 2009|access-date=29 September 2009|work=The New Zealand Herald|first=Bernard|last=Orsman}}

She joined the Mana Party in 2011, and was a losing candidate for the Waitakere seat at the 2011 New Zealand general election.{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5199222/Mana-sets-its-sights-on-Labour-seats |title=Mana sets its sights on Labour seats |author=Chapman, Kate |date=28 June 2011 |work=Stuff.co.nz |access-date=14 November 2011}}

In May 2014, Bradford resigned from the Mana Party in response to the formation of an alliance with the Internet Party.{{Cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503438&objectid=11263199|title=Mana merger 'slap in the face'|date=28 May 2014|access-date=30 August 2014|work=Rotorua Daily Post|first=Matthew|last=Martin}}

Since October 2014 she has been coordinator at Auckland Action Against Poverty.{{cite web|url=http://nz.linkedin.com/pub/sue-bradford/22/310/a9a |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141025152015/http://nz.linkedin.com/pub/sue-bradford/22/310/a9a |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 October 2014 |title=Sue Bradford |work=LinkedIn |access-date=26 October 2014 }}{{cite web|url=http://aaap.org.nz/2014/10/23/johns-job-fairs-no-fix-for-unemployment-and-poverty/ |title=John's Job Fairs no fix for unemployment and poverty |publisher=Aaap.org.nz |date=23 October 2014 |access-date=26 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025163724/http://aaap.org.nz/2014/10/23/johns-job-fairs-no-fix-for-unemployment-and-poverty/ |archive-date=25 October 2014 }} In 2015, on completion of her PhD thesis, she spearheaded the formation of the left wing think tank Economic and Social Research Aotearoa (ESRA).{{Cite web|url=https://esra.nz/about/|title=What's the story behind ESRA?|date=25 August 2016|website=Economic and Social Research Aotearoa|language=en-NZ|access-date=21 June 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/09/04/sue-bradford-introducing-the-esra-think-tank-vision/|title=Sue Bradford: Introducing the ESRA 'think tank' vision|date=4 September 2016|website=Asia Pacific Report|language=en-US|access-date=21 June 2019}}

In 2017, journalist Jenny Chamberlain published a biography of Bradford: Constant Radical – The Life and Times of Sue Bradford.{{cite news|last1=Davison|first1=Isaac|title=Sue Bradford, the constant radical, on drugs, rape and suicide|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11879551|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=20 June 2017|language=en-NZ}}

{{reflist|group=n}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081010182900/http://www.greens.org.nz/people/bradford_s.asp Sue Bradford bio] (Green Party website)
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081021090401/http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/MPP/MPs/MPs/7/3/3/48MP30691-Bradford-Sue.htm Sue Bradford bio] (NZ Parliament website)
• {{cite web|title=Sue Bradford |work=Parliament |url=http://www.ps.parliament.govt.nz/mp144.htm |access-date=15 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060228205330/http://www.ps.parliament.govt.nz/mp144.htm |archive-date=28 February 2006 |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite news | title=The year in politics: The year of living cautiously |work=The New Zealand Herald | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=166183 | access-date=15 August 2006 | date=23 December 2000}}
• [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10426864 The Holmes Interview: Sue Bradford – a feisty battler]. Paul Holmes, The New Zealand Herald, 4 March 2007
• [http://thedailyblog.co.nz/category/bloggers/sue-bradford/ Sue Bradford] at The Daily Blog

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Category:1952 births

Category:Living people

Category:Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand MPs

Category:New Zealand left-wing activists

Category:University of Auckland alumni

Category:Women members of the New Zealand House of Representatives

Category:NewLabour Party (New Zealand) politicians

Category:New Zealand list MPs

Category:Mana Movement politicians

Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 2011 New Zealand general election

Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives

Category:21st-century New Zealand women politicians

Category:People educated at Auckland Girls' Grammar School