Katherine Rich

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Parl.	Electorate	List Pos.	Party
46th	List	23	National
47th	List	14	National
48th	List	8	National

Katherine Rich (born 1967) is a New Zealand Member of Parliament. She is a high-ranking member of the National Party, which is currently in opposition. On the first of December, 2006, new National leader John Key gave her the party's education portfolio. This was a re-elevation for Rich, who immediately before then had been the party's spokesperson on economic development and state-owned businesses.

Rich was educated at Otago University, gaining a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1990 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1993. After leaving university, she held a number of management and analytical roles in both the public and private sector.

Rich entered parliament as a list MP in the 1999 elections. She was ranked twenty-third on the National Party list. She remains a list MP, though she represents National in the Dunedin North electorate, which is officially represented by Labour's Pete Hodgson. Once in Parliament, Rich rose quickly through the National Party hierarchy, and was ranked fourth in the party caucus. At various times, she served as the party's spokesperson for employment, broadcasting, and culture. In January 2005, however, she refused to give full support to a "tough-on-welfare" speech by party leader Don Brash, and was demoted to tenth place and dismissed as social welfare spokesperson. Following the demise of Don Brash as National Party leader, incoming Leader of the Opposition John Key elevated her to eighth place within the National caucus and shadow Cabinet.

Rich is generally regarded as one of the more liberal members of the National Party, and is co-chair of the party's internal Classical Liberal Policy Advisory Group.

Rich is married, and has four children.