Hon Marie Hasler

• Minister for Culture and Heritage
  
• Associate Minister for Accident Compensation
  
• Associate Minister for the Environment
• Minister Responsible for Radio New Zealand
• Minister Responsible for the National Library

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Cabinet Economic Committee ECO
Cabinet Strategy Subcommittee on Appointments and Honours APH

Biography
Hon Marie Hasler is the National Member of Parliament for Waitakere and became a Minister Outside Cabinet as Minister of Cultural Affairs in the new National Party Cabinet in August 1998.

Ms Hasler is also Associate Minister of Accident Compensation and Associate Minister of the Environment. At the beginning of this year responsibility for Radio New Zealand was added to her portfolio. From 1 September this year Ms Hasler expanded her portfolio as the new Minister for Culture and Heritage and took responsibility for New Zealand on Air, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and the National Library.

The Heritage Group of Internal Affairs - comprising the National Archives, the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, Historical Publications and Heritage Property is also the Minister's responsibility.

This is Ms Hasler's second term in Parliament. Ms Hasler was first elected for Titirangi in 1990 and re-elected as MP for Waitakere in 1996. From 1996 to 1998 Ms Hasler was Assistant Speaker, Chair of the Electoral Law Committee, Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committees and a Member of the Finance and Expenditure Committee.

Ms Hasler's special areas of interest are economics, international affairs, literature, art and the environment, nationalism and constitutional development.

Born in Dublin, Eire, Ms Hasler spent her early life in Hastings, before moving to Auckland where she was educated at Baradene College and Auckland University.

Ms Hasler has a background in business and public relations as well as Government service. She worked in the Public Service for 12 years including a stint as a factory inspector for the Labour Department and is a former director of the Housing Corporation. Ms Hasler also owned a retail business from 1982 to 1987.

Ms Hasler has had a life-long interest in politics and is a former Chairperson of the Titirangi and Waitakere Electorates and National Party Women Vice President. She is a member of the Local Government, Internal Affairs and Environment Caucus Committees and a member of the Parliamentary Library Committee.

In 1991 Ms Hasler was a recipient of the United States Study Tour Award. She represented New Zealand at the Strasbourg Conference on Democracy, participating in the OECD debate. In the same year Ms Hasler also presented a keynote address at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in India. In 1992 she represented New Zealand at the Atlantic Council of America.

Outside Parliament Ms Hasler's interests include sport, current affairs, film and dance. She is a member of the New Lynn Rotary Club and Amnesty International and Patron of the Oratia Football Club and the Te Atatu Men's Choir.