EDUCATION

Matamata College 1972-76

Member of School debating team, School Orchestra, Sgt-Pilot Graham Steele Memorial Cup in History, Schofield Elocution Cup, Matamata Rotary Prize for Best Essay (on Nationalism), School Certificate in 6 subjects, University Entrance, Higher School Certificate, A Bursary.

University of Auckland 1981 Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL.B.)
1987 Master of Laws Degree with Honours(LL.M. (Hons.))
1993 Master of Taxation Studies (M.Tax.S.)


POSITIONS ATTAINED

Casino Control Authority Chairman 1999-2002
Achievements include: Successfully limiting negative comment on perceived failings of former administration, representing New Zealand at International Gambling regulator conferences as a speaker, successful conduct of hearing into Sky City application, working with all parties to achieve an agreeable outcome, chairing a board of diverse political persuasions and mostly achieving unanimity. Resigned on being elected Member of Parliament - Clevedon.

Housing New Zealand Limited Company Director 1999-2001
Achievements include: Assisting in the improvement of management performance and being a member of the Remuneration and Acquisition committees, with the Chair and Deputy Chair selecting the new Chief Executive, continuing on the Board post election and working with the new Board members until the dissolution of the company in June 2001.

Auckland District Law Society President 1998-1999
Achievements include: Substantially raising the profile of the Society through business contacts, media and politicians. Public speaking including television, radio and community organisations.

Council member 1993-2000
Achievements include: As a member of the Complaints committee of the Society, helping to bring a more holistic approach to the issue of complaints, assisting members who needed to leave the profession in a humane but firm way. As the convenor of the Costs committee, streamlining procedures to speed up the process from lawyers and their clients, reducing bureaucracy.

New Zealand Law Society Vice President 1999-2000
Achievements include: Supporting the President and representing him in the Auckland District.

Board member 1996-2000
Achievements include: Representing all districts as a member of the Board, representing the Board on various committees including Public Relations and Employment Law, actively seeking to make the Society more accountable to its members.

Savoy Equities Limited Chairman 1998-2000
Achievements include: Successfully chairing AGMs, dealing with shareholder issues, representing the company as a Director of Dairy Brands. I resigned at the beginning of 2000 as I perceived a potential conflict of interest.

Company Director 1998
Achievements include: Taking an active part as a member of the Board resulting in being elected Chairman.

Dairy Brands Limited Director 1998-2000
Achievements include: Restructuring of the company into an entity able to be sold. Given my farming background, I took a very active interest in the management of the company.


CAREER HISTORY

New Zealand Parliament Member of Parliament 2002-
Elected to the constituency seat of Clevedon
National Party Spokeswoman for Welfare
National Party Spokeswoman for Family
Liaison With Pacific Island New Zealanders
National Party Spokeswoman for Veterans Affairs
Member of the Social Services Select Committee Formerly National Party Spokeswoman for Health
Formerly National Party Spokeswoman for Tourism
Formerly Member of the Justice and Electoral Select Committee Has previously been spokeswoman for Internal Affairs and associate spokeswoman for Health. Previously sat on Health Select Committee and Government Administration Select Committee.

Minter Ellison Rudd Watts Special Counsel 2002-2003
Senior lawyer specialising in Employment law and Corporate Governance with special mentoring and coaching role for other lawyers. Resigned on being elected as a Member of Parliament.

Special Counsel - Business
Development 2000-2002
Senior Manager, Head of the Business Development Department, strategic development of the firm, significant raising of firm's profile, substantial increase in firm's fees, managing change of firm name.

Judith Collins & Associates Proprietor 1990-2000
Owner of legal firm working in commercial law, property law, employment law, family law, wills, trusts and estates. I built the practice from scratch to include 4 staff and a client base exceeding 1,000. Successfully sold the practice after 10 years.

Auckland Institute of Studies Dean of Business 1990-1992
Established the Business School, employed staff, worked with NZQA and instituted diploma programmes, lectured in business law. This was in conjunction with setting up Judith Collins & Associates.

Peak Rogers & Associates (and on their dissolution, Shieff Angland) Associate 1989-1990
Provided tax expertise for the firm's client base and at Peak Rogers re-organised their $10 million nominee company.

Morton Tee Collins & Co Partner (from 1987) 1986-1989
Became adept at general practice.

Simpson Grierson Staff Solicitor 1984-1986
Established commercial law client base.

Subritzky Tetley-Jones & Way Staff Solicitor 1981-1984
Became conversant with property law and working with clients and in a team.

Housing Corporation Law Clerk 1980-1981
Worked as a full-time law clerk while completing my professional year at University.


2004 - Awarded 'Ex-Vietnam Veterans' Association Pin'

2005 - Made Honorary member of the Royal New Zealand Naval Association (Counties Branch) Inc.

Member:

New Zealand Federation of Graduate Women (Auckland Branch) Inc
Northern Club
New Zealand Law Society

Associate Member:

Papakura RSA

OTHER

1986-1989 My husband, David, and I owned and operated two restaurants in Auckland. During this time I was working full-time as a lawyer and completing my Masters in Law degree. David was also working full-time as a Police Officer and finishing a University degree at the same time. Both my Masters degrees were completed while working full-time. I worked in various jobs throughout my Bachelor's degree including as a nurse aide in the Matamata Maternity Hospital; I was a waitress and I sold shoes in Farmers - a job that I continued to work in on Friday evenings and on Saturdays until half-way through my year at the Housing Corporation.