On April 1, 1985, Barbara Knowles walked into a brand-new job as an electorate secretary in Pukekohe.
“My first day on the job was the first day the position was a paid job. Before that, MP
appointments were generally done by a spouse, family member, or members of the political
party.”
She still remembers her first day in the job working for Sir William Birch in what was then
called the Franklin electorate. Day one happened to fall on clinic day, when the public comes in to talk to the MP, and it’s always a busy day.
Birch was Minister for Immigration from November 2, 1990 to March 27, 1993. It was an
appointment that caught Barbara by surprise.
“I came into the office and there was a great, long line of people sitting on all the chairs with some standing. I asked the receptionist what meeting was happening this morning because it was early. She said ‘Barbara, they’re all here to see you!’ There were 16 different people, all wanting to talk about immigration.
“I don’t think I finished seeing the 16 until about 2pm that afternoon.”
Across her 40 years as an electorate secretary, there have been three MPs — William (Bill)
Birch, Paul Hutchison, and Andrew Bayly.
In 1987, the name of the Franklin electorate changed to Maramarua, moving back to Franklin again in 1993, and changing to Port Waikato in 1996 with the arrival of MMP.
“I met so many absolutely wonderful people over the years, with some becoming friends outside of the office.”
One of the initiatives Barbara is proud of is connecting electorate staffers from across the wider Manukau area with representatives from government agencies like ACC and Immigration NZ.
“That was absolutely fabulous until Covid-19 came along. It hasn’t really recommenced, but it was very valuable. You had to soak up all that information like a sponge, and you got to know who to contact directly.”
It was also great to meet staff from other electorate offices in person, as constituents often move from one area to another, and it helped ensure a smooth transition between offices.
Barbara also liked to arrange a similar networking session with local services within the
electorate.
“I firmly believe those meetings are invaluable. It’s not for talking about files but about building connections to support constituents.”
Barbara’s last day in the Pukekohe office was April 17. She told the Franklin Times she’s
looking forward to not making any major decisions for the next few months and spending more time in the garden.
“I love the job, I would not be leaving if I were a younger person.”
The Parliamentary Service Act 1985
In 1985 the Labour government reformed Parliament and modernised its procedure. Parliament now sat for longer sessions throughout the year. The Parliamentary Service Act 1985 gave the Speaker more power to run Parliament. It also created the Parliamentary Service to provide administrative support and the Office of the Clerk to provide procedural and legal advice, and reporting and select committee assistance. For the first time, MPs received funding for secretaries and offices in their electorates.
Source TeAra.govt.nz
