Member of Parliament
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||||
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party |
| 2002–2005 | 47th | Waitakere | 39 | Labour |
| 2005–2008 | 48th | Waitakere | 40 | Labour |
| 2008–2011 | 49th | List | 32 | Labour |
She was first elected to Parliament in the 2002 elections, winning the Waitakere electorate. Her main rival was Alliance leader Laila Harré. Pillay had previously contested the safe National seat of Tamaki in the 1999 elections, and had missed out on election as a list MP by only one place. Before entering politics, she was a nurse, and had been active in the New Zealand Nurses Union. She was born in Palmerston North.
In 2006, Pillay's Human Rights (Women in Armed Forces) Amendment Bill was drawn from the member's ballot. The bill removed the legislative ban on women serving in combat roles in the New Zealand Defence Force. The bill was subsequently adopted by the government before its third reading, and passed unanimously as the Human Rights (Women in Armed Forces) Amendment Act 2007.
In the 2008 general election Pillay was defeated by National candidate Paula Bennett, with a margin of 632 votes. Pillay was ranked 32 on the Labour Party list so remains in the 49th parliament as a list MP.
On 3 December 2009 Pillay announced that she would retire at the next election.
Read more about this topic: Lynne Pillay
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