Sue Wood

Suzanne Mary (Sue) Wood, born in Onehunga in 1948, was the president of the National Party from 1982 to 1986, the first woman to hold the post. She had been a teacher, journalist and swimming coach.

Her term as president included the latter years of the Third National Government of Robert Muldoon, the 1984 general election, and the associated constitutional crisis.

She stood as the party candidate for Onehunga in the 1980 by-election and the 1981 general election; she was then teaching at Onehunga High School. In 2002 She stood in the seat of Mana, being defeated by Labour MP Winnie Laban. Although she held a relatively high Party List ranking of 19, the very poor overall result in the 2002 Election for National meant she was not elected to Parliament.

References

“The First 50 Years: A History of the New Zealand National Party” by Barry Gustafson (1986, Reed Methuen, Auckland) ISBN 0-474-00177-6