{{Short description|New Zealand politician and diplomat}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder |honorific_prefix=The Honourable |name=Dame Ann Hercus |honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|DCMG|size=100%}} |image = Ann Hercus.jpg |caption = Hercus in 2013 |office1 = 17th Minister for Social Welfare |term_start1 = 26 July 1984 |term_end1 = 24 August 1987 |prime_minister1 = David Lange |predecessor1 = Venn Young |successor1 = Michael Cullen |order2 = 25th Minister of Police |term_start2 = 26 July 1984 |term_end2 = 24 August 1987 |prime_minister2 = David Lange |predecessor2 = Ben Couch |successor2 = Peter Tapsell |order3 = 1st Minister for Women's Affairs |term_start3 = 26 July 1984 |term_end3 = 24 August 1987 |prime_minister3 = David Lange |successor3 = Margaret Shields |constituency_MP4 = Lyttelton |term_start4 = 25 November 1978 |term_end4 = 15 August 1987 |predecessor4 = Colleen Dewe |successor4 = Peter Simpson |parliament4 = New Zealand |birth_name = Margaret Ann Sayers |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1942|02|24|df=y}} |birth_place = Hamilton, New Zealand |death_date = |death_place = |spouse = John Hercus |children = 2 sons |party = Labour }}
'''Dame Margaret Ann Hercus''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|DCMG}} (née '''Sayers''', born 24 February 1942), best known as '''Ann Hercus''', is a New Zealand diplomat, politician and member of the Labour Party. She represented the Lyttelton electorate from 1978 to 1987.
==Life before politics== Her parents were Horace and Mary (née Ryan) Sayers.{{cn|date=August 2024}} Hercus earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from the University of Auckland and a law degree from the University of Canterbury.{{cn|date=August 2024}}
When Warren Freer, the Minister of Trade and Industry in the Third Labour Government, wanted a woman rather than the men proposed by the department for appointment to the Price Tribunal in 1973, Hercus was recommended by Tom McGuigan. Her ability impressed Freer, so he later appointed her to the Commerce Commission and his successor Lance Adams-Schneider made her the deputy chairman.<ref>{{cite book |last= Freer |author-link= Warren Freer |first= Warren W |title= A Lifetime in Politics: the memoirs of Warren Freer |year= 2004 |publisher=Victoria University Press |location= Wellington |isbn= 0-86473-478-6 |page= 179 }}<!--|accessdate= --></ref>
==Member of Parliament== {{NZ parlbox header|nolist=true|align=left}} {{NZ parlbox|term=39th|start=1978|end=1981|party=New Zealand Labour Party|electorate=Lyttelton}} {{NZ parlbox|term=40th|start=1981|end=1984|party=New Zealand Labour Party|electorate=Lyttelton}} {{NZ parlbox|term=41st|start=1984|end=1987|party=New Zealand Labour Party|electorate=Lyttelton}} {{NZ parlbox footer}}
Hercus stood as the Labour candidate for Lyttelton in the 1978 election and was elected, defeating the incumbent Colleen Dewe. She was re-elected in 1981 and 1984.
In 1983 Hercus stood for the deputy leadership of the party. In a three-way contest, in which all candidates were from Christchurch to reflect geographical proportionality, Hercus finished third. Papanui MP Mike Moore had led on the first ballot, but after Hercus was eliminated almost all of her supporters voted for Christchurch Central MP Geoffrey Palmer, who won.<ref name="Deputy">{{cite news |title=Palmer By One |work=The Evening Post |author=Garnier, Tony |date=4 February 1983 |page=4 }}</ref> She was subsequently appointed as Labour's spokesperson for Social Welfare, Consumer Affairs and Women's Affairs by Labour leader David Lange.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Labour leader allocates responsibilities |date=17 March 1983 | work=The Press |page=3 }}</ref>
When Fourth Labour Government was formed in 1984, Hercus was appointed the Minister of Social Welfare, Minister of Police and Women's Affairs. She was the first Minister for Women's Affairs, and also the first woman to hold the Police portfolio.<ref name="NZHerald_HercusOut">{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10360065 |title=Hercus out as Fraser tells all |last=Thomson |first=Ainsley |date=15 December 2005 |work=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=2008-10-06 }}</ref>
On 3 November 1984 Hercus was assaulted after speaking to a women's forum at Hagley High School hall by Hikurangi Nihoniho, a 50 year old driver. Nihoniho was angry at Hercus' statements supporting abortion and struck her in the chest as she was attempting to leave which Hercus said left her feeling "felled like a log". Nihoniho was found guilty of assault and fined $200. Hercus is one of the few New Zealand MPs to have been injured in a politically motivated attack.<ref>{{cite news |title=Man Fined $200 For Assault on Mrs Hercus |date=2 March 1985 |work=The New Zealand Herald |page=4 }}</ref>
Hercus did not stand for re-election in the {{NZ election link|1987}}, and was succeeded in her {{NZ electorate link|Lyttelton}} seat by the Labour candidate Peter Simpson.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lyttelton candidate sees a hard campaign ahead |date=29 May 1987 |work=The Press |page=2 }}</ref>
==Post-parliamentary career== In the 1988 New Year Honours, Hercus was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, for public services.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=51173 |date=31 December 1987 |page=33 |supp=3}}</ref> She then served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the United Nations from 1988 to 1990. In 1993, Hercus was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/our-programmes/new-zealand-royal-honours/new-zealand-royal-honours-system/types-new-zealand-royal-honours/other-distinctive-new-zealand-honours/suffrage-medal-register |title=The New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 – register of recipients |date=26 July 2018 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=18 September 2018}}</ref> In 1998, she was appointed Deputy Special Representative and Chief of Mission of the United Nations operation in Cyprus; at the time of her appointment she had been working as a special advisor to the United Nations.<ref name="UN appointment">{{cite press release |date=13 May 1998 |title=Ann Hercus appointed Chief of Mission of United Nations operation in Cyprus |url=https://www.un.org/press/en/1998/19980513.sga680.html |publisher=United Nations |access-date=11 February 2017}}</ref>
After one year as Deputy Special Representative, she was promoted to Special Representative. In this role, she had been attempting to arrange direct negotiations between Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides; however, after a month in this role she resigned for family reasons and returned to New Zealand.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hercus quits UN post; Annan accepts resignation |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/hercus-quits-cyprus-post-annan-accepts-resignation.aspx?pageID=438&n=hercus-quits-cyprus-post-annan-accepts-resignation-1999-07-30 |date=30 July 1999 |access-date=13 February 2017 |publisher=Hurriyet Daily News}}</ref> She subsequently served as a member of the UN Secretary General's Eminent Persons Panel on Peacekeeping Operations in 2000.<ref>UN A/55/305</ref>
Hercus has served on a wide range of NGO Boards and Boards of State Owned Enterprises. These included the New Zealand Women's Refuge Foundation 1996–98,<ref>New Zealand Women’s Refuge Foundation Annual Reports 1996-1998</ref> the New Zealand Richmond Fellowship 2005–07,<ref>New Zealand Richmond Fellowship Annual Reports 2005-2007</ref> the Board of the Theatre Royal Charitable Foundation 2005-08<ref>Theatre Royal Charitable Foundation Annual Reports 2005-2008</ref> and the Residual Health Management Unit later renamed the Crown Health Financing Agency.<ref>Crown Health Financing Agency Annual Reports 2002-2007</ref>
In 2002, Hercus was appointed by the Minister of Broadcasting Marian Hobbs to the board of Television New Zealand.<ref>{{cite press release |last=Hobbs |first=Marion |date=28 March 2002 |title=Dame Ann Hercus joins TVNZ Board |url=https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/dame-ann-hercus-joins-tvnz-board |publisher=New Zealand Government |access-date=11 February 2017}}</ref> She resigned this position in December 2004, following her decision as a member of the Board's Remuneration Committee to decline to support the majority decision of this committee and subsequently the Board that “they would reluctantly have to concur"<ref>Report of the Inquiry into Television New Zealand Ltd by the Finance and Expenditure Committee. Presented to the 48th Parliament March 2007, paras 36, 39,40</ref> with the 50% increase in salary to $800,000 offered by CEO Ian Fraser to newsreader Judy Bailey.
She was persuaded to remain on the Board by the Minister. A year later on 8 December 2005, she formally resigned from the Board of TVNZ. The day this resignation was announced on 14 December 2005, was coincidentally within hours of former CEO Ian Fraser appearing before a Parliamentary Inquiry into Television New Zealand Ltd by Parliament's Finance and Expenditure Committee.<ref>Report of the Inquiry into Television New Zealand Ltd by the Finance and Expenditure Committee. Presented to the 48th Parliament March 2007, paras 36, 39,40</ref>
Hercus was the fundraiser for 'Save our Arts Centre' (SOAC), an organisation opposing the development of a new building for the School of Music for the University of Canterbury at the Arts Centre.<ref name="Mainlander">{{cite news|title=A return to the fray|last=Matthews|first=Philip|date=20 February 2010|work=The Press|pages=C2-3|location=Christchurch}}</ref> Resource consent hearings before independent Commissioners denied this resource consent and the plans lapsed.<ref>Redmond, Adele (10 May 2017). "40 year homecoming" Christchurch: The Press</ref> The University's School of Music and Department of Classics has moved 8 years later into the heritage Chemistry Building at the Arts Centre.<ref>{{cite press release|title=UC Music and Classics move to Arts Centre|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1604/S00066/uc-music-and-classics-move-to-arts-centre.htm|date=19 April 2016|access-date=13 February 2017|publisher=University of Canterbury}}</ref>
Hercus now resides in Christchurch.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par | nz}} {{s-bef | before = Colleen Dewe}} {{s-ttl | title = Member of Parliament for Lyttelton |years=1978–1987}} {{s-aft | after = Peter Simpson}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef | before = Venn Young}} {{s-ttl | title = Minister for Social Welfare | years=1984–1987}} {{s-aft | after = Michael Cullen}} {{s-bef | before = Ben Couch}} {{s-ttl | title = Minister of Police | years=1984–1987}} {{s-aft | after = Peter Tapsell}} {{s-new }} {{s-ttl | title = Minister for Women's Affairs | years=1984–1987}} {{s-aft | after = Margaret Shields}} {{s-dip}} {{s-bef|before= David McDowell}} {{s-ttl|title= Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York |years=1988–1990}} {{s-aft|after = Terence O'Brien}} {{end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hercus, Ann}} Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:University of Canterbury alumni Category:Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand Category:New Zealand women diplomats Category:New Zealand Labour Party MPs Category:University of Auckland alumni Category:Women government ministers of New Zealand Category:Permanent representatives of New Zealand to the United Nations Category:New Zealand MPs for Christchurch electorates Category:New Zealand Dames Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Category:People from Hamilton, New Zealand Category:Women members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Category:Recipients of the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 Category:Women ambassadors of New Zealand Category:20th-century New Zealand diplomats Category:20th-century New Zealand women public servants Category:University of Canterbury Faculty of Law alumni