Sue Carnegie-Harding

Born in Wellington, Sue lived in Ōtaki, Tolaga Bay, and Gisborne as a child. Her father was a police officer, and the family moved often because of his job. She says those experiences taught her how to cope with change, build new relationships, talk with people from different backgrounds, and listen to what they had to say.

Sue spent much of her adult life teaching in intermediate schools because she enjoyed working with that age group. She completed a Master’s degree with a double major in Education and Science, then undertook further study in Specialist Education before becoming a Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB), and later a Learning Support Coordinator.

She first became politically active as a teenager when she joined a group called Sisters Overseas Service (SOS). At the time, abortions were illegal in New Zealand, and SOS raised funds and supported women travelling to Australia to access legal abortions.

Sue has remained active in conservation groups and has also represented teachers through primary and secondary teachers’ unions. She says her focus now is on supporting women to have their voices heard in the political arena and ensuring that the rights of women and children are not ignored or removed.