| The Right Honourable Sir Michael Hardie Boys GNZM, GCMG, QSO, KStJ |
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| Sir Michael Hardie Boys (left) with United States President Bill Clinton, 1999 | |
| 17th Governor-General of New Zealand | |
| In office 21 March 1996 – 21 March 2001 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Jim Bolger (1996–1997) Jenny Shipley (1997–1999) Helen Clark (1999–2001) |
| Preceded by | Dame Catherine Tizard |
| Succeeded by | Dame Silvia Cartwright |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 October 1931 Wellington, New Zealand |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Zohrab, QSO |
| Profession | Judge |
| Religion | Anglican |
Sir Michael Hardie Boys, GNZM, GCMG, QSO, KStJ (born 6 October 1931) is a New Zealand jurist and was the country's 17th Governor-General, from 1996 to 2001.
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After his schooling at Hataitai School and Wellington College, he gained BA and LL.B degrees from Victoria University College. Hardie Boys married Mary Zohrab in 1957. They have two sons, two daughters and eight grandchildren.
Originally a lawyer, Hardie Boys became a Judge of the High Court of New Zealand in 1980, and was elevated to the Court of Appeal in 1989, the same year in which he became a Privy Counsellor. In 1994 was created an Honorary Bencher at Gray's Inn, and in 1995 was elected an Honorary Fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge. He is also a Visiting Fellow at Wolfson. He was created a Knight Grand Cross in the Order of St Michael and St George in 1995, Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1996 (the first such award), and is a Knight of the Order of St John.
On 21 March 1996, Hardie Boys was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of her Prime Minister, Jim Bolger, as the Governor-General of New Zealand. Upon the completion of his term on 21 March 2001 he and his wife were created additional Companions of the Queen's Service Order.
In 1996, Hardie Boys caused controversy by stating his opposition to Minister of Youth Affairs Deborah Morris's suggestion that young people have access to contraceptives.[1] Later, in 2001, he created further controversy by making an implied attack on the Clark Labour Government's scrapping of the air defence wing of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.[1]
Since his retirement as Governor-General, Hardie Boys has served as a Judge of the Kiribati Court of Appeal. He now lives at Waikanae.
In 2004 Hardie Boys announced his opposition to New Zealand becoming a republic stating in an interview: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."[2]
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| Government offices | ||
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| Preceded by Dame Catherine Tizard |
Governor-General of New Zealand 1996–2001 |
Succeeded by Dame Silvia Cartwright |
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