Political Career
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||||
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party |
| 1984–1987 | 41st | Horowhenua | Labour | |
| 1987–1990 | 42nd | Horowhenua | Labour | |
| 1993–1996 | 44th | Miramar | Labour | |
| 1996–1999 | 45th | Rongotai | 6 | Labour |
| 1999–2002 | 46th | Rongotai | 4 | Labour |
| 2002–2005 | 47th | Rongotai | 7 | Labour |
| 2005–2008 | 48th | Rongotai | 7 | Labour |
| 2008–2011 | 49th | Rongotai | 4 | Labour |
| 2011–present | 50th | Rongotai | 2 | Labour |
King joined the Labour Party in 1972, and has held various offices within the party (including a term on the party's Executive).
In the 1984 elections, she stood as the party's candidate for Horowhenua, and was successful. She was re-elected in the 1987 election.
Following the 1987 election, she was appointed parliamentary undersecretary to the Minister of Employment and of Social Welfare. In 1989, she was elevated to Cabinet, becoming Minister of Employment, Minister of Immigration, and Minister of Youth Affairs. She was also given special responsibility for liaising between Cabinet and the party caucus.
In the 1990 election, King lost her Horowhenua seat, and so found herself outside Parliament. She served as Chief Executive of the Palmerston North Enterprise Board from 1991 until the 1993 election, when she was returned to Parliament as the MP for Miramar. In the 1996 election, when the shift to MMP prompted a reorganization of electorates, King successfully contested the new seat of Rongotai, which she still represents. She was also ranked in sixth place on the Labour Party's first MMP party list.
When Labour won the 1999 election, and Helen Clark became Prime Minister, King was appointed Minister of Health. She was ranked sixth within Cabinet. After winning a third term at the 2005 election, King took on the roles of Minister of Transport and Minister of Police. Following another reshuffle in late 2007, King became the new Minister of Justice. Before the 2008 general election she was elevated to number four on the party list.
Read more about this topic: Annette King
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