| The Honourable Lianne Dalziel MP |
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| Minister for ACC | |
| In office 28 March 2001 – 15 August 2002 |
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| Prime Minister | Helen Clark |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Christchurch Central |
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| In office 1990–1996 |
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| Preceded by | Geoffrey Palmer |
| Succeeded by | Tim Barnett |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Labour Party List |
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| In office 1996–1999 |
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| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Christchurch East |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Larry Sutherland |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 June 1960 Christchurch |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Occupation | Union Worker |
| Committees | * Commerce Committee (Chairperson)
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Lianne Audrey Dalziel (pronounced /dælˈzɛl/; born 7 June 1960)[1] is a member of the New Zealand Parliament and was Minister of Immigration, Commerce, Minister of Food Safety and Associate Minister of Justice in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand.[2] She resigned from Cabinet on 20 February 2004 after apparently lying about a leak of documents to the media, but was reinstated as a Minister following Labour's return to office after the 2005 elections.
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Dalziel was raised in Christchurch, and attended Canterbury University. She graduated with a law degree and was admitted to the Bar. She served as the legal officer for the Canterbury Hotel and Hospital Workers' Union, and later became the union's Secretary. She also participated in national groups such as the Federation of Labour and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions.
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| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party |
| 1990–1993 | 43rd | Christchurch Central | Labour | |
| 1993–1996 | 44th | Christchurch Central | Labour | |
| 1996–1999 | 45th | List | 4 | Labour |
| 1999–2002 | 46th | Christchurch East | 8 | Labour |
| 2002–2005 | 47th | Christchurch East | 14 | Labour |
| 2005–2008 | 48th | Christchurch East | 26 | Labour |
| 2008–2011 | 49th | Christchurch East | 15 | Labour |
| 2011–present | 50th | Christchurch East | Labour | |
Dalziel entered Parliament as a Labour Party MP for Christchurch Central in 1990, replacing outgoing former Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer. She held this seat until the 1996 elections (being replaced by Tim Barnett), when she became a list MP under the new MMP electoral system. In the 1999 elections, she chose to contest an electorate again, and won the Christchurch East seat. She held the seat in the 2002, 2005 and 2008 elections.
In the new government formed by Labour, Dalziel became Minister of Immigration, Minister for Senior Citizens, and Minister for Disability Issues. When Labour won re-election in the 2002 elections, Dalziel also became Minister of Commerce (while ceasing to be Minister for Disability Issues). In 2003, she ceased to be Minister for Senior Citizens. As Minister of Immigration, Dalziel was often in the spotlight. In particular, she often clashed with Winston Peters, leader of the anti-immigration New Zealand First party.
After the 2005 elections, Dalziel was re-elected by her caucus colleagues to Cabinet and was given the portfolios of Commerce, Small Business, and Women's Affairs. Dalziel lost her portfolios after Labour was defeated in the 2008 general election.
After the 2008 election, she became the Opposition spokesperson on Justice and Commerce.
Dalziel's position became difficult after she was accused of giving certain documents to the press to bolster the case for a decision her Associate Minister had made. The decision, concerning the deportation of a Sri Lankan teenager who was seeking asylum but who had originally lied about the reasons, was controversial, and Dalziel leaked the notes of the teenager's lawyer to TV3, attempting to discredit the teenager's case for asylum. Dalziel tried to avoid admitting to being the source of the documents, but was forced to admit that the leak had been at her direction. There was also significant controversy about how Dalziel had obtained the documents in the first place. Dalziel offered her resignation which Prime Minister Helen Clark accepted.
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Geoffrey Palmer |
Member of Parliament for Christchurch Central 1990–1996 |
Succeeded by Tim Barnett |
| Preceded by Larry Sutherland |
Member of Parliament for Christchurch East 1999– |
Incumbent |