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The Political Years
In 1975, Marilyn Waring was elected to the New Zealand Parliament as the MP for Raglan. Aged just 23, she was one of only a few female MPs who served through the turbulent years of Muldoon’s government. For nine years, Waring was at the centre of major political decisions, until her parliamentary career culminated during the debate over nuclear arms. When Waring informed Muldoon that she intended to cross the floor and vote for the opposition bill which would make New Zealand nuclear free, he called a snap election. And the government fell. . .
This is an autobiographical account of Waring’s extraordinary years in parliament. She tells the story of her journey from being elected as a new National Party MP in a conservative rural seat to being publicly decried by the Prime Minister for her ‘feminist anti-nuclear stance’ that threatened to bring down his government. Her tale of life in a male-dominated and relentlessly demanding political world is both uniquely of its time and still of pressing relevance today.
This is an autobiographical account of Waring’s extraordinary years in parliament. She tells the story of her journey from being elected as a new National Party MP in a conservative rural seat to being publicly decried by the Prime Minister for her ‘feminist anti-nuclear stance’ that threatened to bring down his government. Her tale of life in a male-dominated and relentlessly demanding political world is both uniquely of its time and still of pressing relevance today.
376 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2019
About the author
Marilyn Waring
19 books49 followersMarilyn Joy Waring, CNZM (born 7 October 1952), is a New Zealand feminist, a politician, an activist for female human rights and environmental issues, a development consultant and United Nations expert, an author and an academic, known as a principal founder of the discipline of feminist economics.
(from Wikipedia)
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 27, 2019
I so enjoyed reading this account. The third time I was eligible to vote was in 1984, and I was in the Hamilton West electorate where I so wanted to vote for Mike Minogue because of his integrity, yet I also wanted a change of Government. That alone has been reason enough for me to be a strong advocate of MMP ever since. Marilyn Waring's narrative felt contemporary, which concerned me as so many of the key issues she astutely observed remain unresolved. Particularly for women. One anecdote I had forgotten was when she was introduced to Princess Anne by Robert Muldoon who said "This is Marilyn Waring. She's interested in women's issues" to which the Princess Royal replied "Prime Minister, all issues are women's issues"
I feel as if Marilyn Waring was very much part of my political coming of age - and yet I actually knew very little of her story. Very sincere thanks to Marilyn for reopening those hundreds of boxes (which can't have been easy) and sharing your experiences so openly. At a personal level, I was born and brought up within what became your electorate. It was somewhat delightful to find names of parents of my childhood friends in various places, as well as the locations I grew up knowing so well. My first outing (at age 6 weeks) was to see the Waipa river in flood (so I've been told). Wharepuhunga, Te Pahu, Otorohanga, Raglan, Waikeria, Te Awamutu, Huntly and more ... all evoke specific or general memories which at a personal level was something that enhanced connection with the events in this book.
I feel as if Marilyn Waring was very much part of my political coming of age - and yet I actually knew very little of her story. Very sincere thanks to Marilyn for reopening those hundreds of boxes (which can't have been easy) and sharing your experiences so openly. At a personal level, I was born and brought up within what became your electorate. It was somewhat delightful to find names of parents of my childhood friends in various places, as well as the locations I grew up knowing so well. My first outing (at age 6 weeks) was to see the Waipa river in flood (so I've been told). Wharepuhunga, Te Pahu, Otorohanga, Raglan, Waikeria, Te Awamutu, Huntly and more ... all evoke specific or general memories which at a personal level was something that enhanced connection with the events in this book.
June 13, 2019
Sometimes felt more like a list of events than a narrative, but WHAT a list of events!
August 1, 2020
What an extraordinary woman. This inside view of what went on inside the Muldoon government is a gift to make sense of that mad time. We were very lucky to have Marilyn, though the job wore her out. I for one, am so very grateful for both her and this book.
January 3, 2021
I throughly enjoyed this book. Being born in 1995, I was only recently made aware of Waring’s contribution to our political history. All with an interest in politics/ students of political disciplines need to read this book. Thank you Marilyn Waring.
August 19, 2023
Such an insightful book and inspiring woman. I think fair to say one of the best political memoirs ever, though it certainly wouldn’t advertise itself as such. I think Marilyn would find that far too pretentious.
April 20, 2020
A well written and interesting political autobiography.
July 17, 2020
Fascinating. Every new MP should read this. I’ve really enjoyed reading this sitting outside of the parliament buildings she worked in.
March 29, 2022
A fascinating read. I am in awe of Marilyn's vision, intelligence and courage.
June 3, 2023
Finally, finished it! A useful excavation of parliamentary life in the Muldoon years, though by no means a political thriller.
November 19, 2019
Where to start with this book? There was just so much in it, a great deal has reverberated for me personally, professionally and politically. It feels as if it has been a bit of a watershed read, nothing from before reading this will be the same…… It almost feels as if this was what I had been waiting for. It has given me an awareness that it is indeed okay to stay in your values, to advocate for those who do not have the same privilege you have and to trust. Trust in those values.
Firstly I feel it is important to acknowledge what an incredibly inspirational and valued human Marilyn Waring is. She absolutely took one for the team. Respectfully this team member is very, very grateful. Upon discussion with friends who lived in her electorate at the time it seems they were so very aware of what a gem they had. One tells me she wrote letters to the editor defending her and what she presented to her school – gold, pure gold.
In the process of reading this book (which took some time as for me it required lots of breaks to absorb and process). I heard her speak at a woman's author celebration and as she signed my book all I could think of was the harrowing experience of her running to gain the endorphins required to cope with another day in that environment. Then needing to vomit as she entered the building is so telling. As she said it was challenging to “stomach” such differing world views. All I could say to her was thank you, thank you for all you have done. It was a true fan girl moment that was perhaps a wee bit fawning.......yet understandable when you read her words.
Reading from a distance and a greater age that I was when the actual events occurred has given me a new perspective of the times I grew up in. The particular stance taken by my parents and where that may have been coming from. The, years this book discusses were formative for me and in reality I was still too young to be aware of the history being evolved. Yet now reflecting and reading her words I can really understand the courage required for her to be there and to choose her actions. Marilyn was clearly a formidable intellect and principled woman, whom I now have considerable respect and just a little awe. Pivotal in the course of New Zealand’s political landscape with incremental steps that have bought us to the place we sit today.
A stellar read.
So why not 5 stars? Too be honest it was a hard slog that needed determination of which I am so incredibly delighted that I persevered, truly it was in question at times. So I wonder for the less keen they may give up too early in. 4/5 stars irrelevant in the scheme of things and the mana this woman holds in this country.
Marilyn Waring - at 26 years old you were a far superior human than many of us will ever come close to. Seriously Ka pai!
Firstly I feel it is important to acknowledge what an incredibly inspirational and valued human Marilyn Waring is. She absolutely took one for the team. Respectfully this team member is very, very grateful. Upon discussion with friends who lived in her electorate at the time it seems they were so very aware of what a gem they had. One tells me she wrote letters to the editor defending her and what she presented to her school – gold, pure gold.
In the process of reading this book (which took some time as for me it required lots of breaks to absorb and process). I heard her speak at a woman's author celebration and as she signed my book all I could think of was the harrowing experience of her running to gain the endorphins required to cope with another day in that environment. Then needing to vomit as she entered the building is so telling. As she said it was challenging to “stomach” such differing world views. All I could say to her was thank you, thank you for all you have done. It was a true fan girl moment that was perhaps a wee bit fawning.......yet understandable when you read her words.
Reading from a distance and a greater age that I was when the actual events occurred has given me a new perspective of the times I grew up in. The particular stance taken by my parents and where that may have been coming from. The, years this book discusses were formative for me and in reality I was still too young to be aware of the history being evolved. Yet now reflecting and reading her words I can really understand the courage required for her to be there and to choose her actions. Marilyn was clearly a formidable intellect and principled woman, whom I now have considerable respect and just a little awe. Pivotal in the course of New Zealand’s political landscape with incremental steps that have bought us to the place we sit today.
A stellar read.
So why not 5 stars? Too be honest it was a hard slog that needed determination of which I am so incredibly delighted that I persevered, truly it was in question at times. So I wonder for the less keen they may give up too early in. 4/5 stars irrelevant in the scheme of things and the mana this woman holds in this country.
Marilyn Waring - at 26 years old you were a far superior human than many of us will ever come close to. Seriously Ka pai!
July 11, 2019
Marilyn Waring was only 23 years old when she was elected to Parliament as part of the National Party government in 1975. As well as being extremely young and of a completely different generation to the majority of National MPs, many of whom were WWII veterans, she was also one of only two women in the National government in 1975 and the only woman three years later.
This book is an account of the nine years Marilyn served as a sitting MP in government, based on all her papers which were collected and archived by Jim Traue, head of the Alexander Turnbull Library, in an act of inspired prescience.
The book is told year by year, starting with Marilyn's unexpected election in 1975 to her resignation in 1984 after nine exhausting years in Parliament. The format of the book means it is as much a history of New Zealand as an autobiography, and I for one found it quite a shock to be reminded of just how oppressed women were back in the 70s and the almost complete lack of diversity in Parliament which was full of middle-aged white men.
It is also a fascinating inside look into the machinations of the Parliamentary process and party machine, as well as the bullying demagogue that was Rob Muldoon. Marilyn comes across as a very principled and hard-working politician who worked extremely hard to advance the needs of her electorate, her generation, and women. A lot of the time she was fighting on her own or with very little support from other caucus members, and this took a great toll on her physically and emotionally.
As this is an autobiography it is of necessity a one-sided recall of events, but it is quite an impersonal account in many ways. Marilyn is obviously a very private person and rarely gives glimpses into her personal life, although when she does it underlines the toll those years took on her. It would be really interesting to have a neutral person go through Marilyn's archives and write a third-person account of these years to compare with this account.
I found this a fascinating and rewarding read and was disappointed that it ended with Marilyn's resignation from Parliament. I would love to have had a chapter at the end where Marilyn reflected on the state of politics and the status of women now. Many of the ideas she championed have come to fruition, especially with regards to deregulation and privatisation, but not always with good results. It would be interesting to know whether her views on such things have changed with hindsight.
This book is an account of the nine years Marilyn served as a sitting MP in government, based on all her papers which were collected and archived by Jim Traue, head of the Alexander Turnbull Library, in an act of inspired prescience.
The book is told year by year, starting with Marilyn's unexpected election in 1975 to her resignation in 1984 after nine exhausting years in Parliament. The format of the book means it is as much a history of New Zealand as an autobiography, and I for one found it quite a shock to be reminded of just how oppressed women were back in the 70s and the almost complete lack of diversity in Parliament which was full of middle-aged white men.
It is also a fascinating inside look into the machinations of the Parliamentary process and party machine, as well as the bullying demagogue that was Rob Muldoon. Marilyn comes across as a very principled and hard-working politician who worked extremely hard to advance the needs of her electorate, her generation, and women. A lot of the time she was fighting on her own or with very little support from other caucus members, and this took a great toll on her physically and emotionally.
As this is an autobiography it is of necessity a one-sided recall of events, but it is quite an impersonal account in many ways. Marilyn is obviously a very private person and rarely gives glimpses into her personal life, although when she does it underlines the toll those years took on her. It would be really interesting to have a neutral person go through Marilyn's archives and write a third-person account of these years to compare with this account.
I found this a fascinating and rewarding read and was disappointed that it ended with Marilyn's resignation from Parliament. I would love to have had a chapter at the end where Marilyn reflected on the state of politics and the status of women now. Many of the ideas she championed have come to fruition, especially with regards to deregulation and privatisation, but not always with good results. It would be interesting to know whether her views on such things have changed with hindsight.
November 9, 2019
Great book and insight into New Zealand politics
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews