Reddy for her next chapter

Her Excellency opens up about her reign as Governor-General and fighting for female leadership in a male-dominated world

- JUDY BAILEY

The invitation to become the country’s governor-general came straight out of left field for Dame Patsy Reddy. In fact, she suggested that the then-prime minister, Sir John Key, might have chosen the wrong person, telling him her husband Sir David Gascoigne “would be better suited”.

“Have you done your due diligence? I’m not the model of a governor-general,” she insisted, adding for good measure, “I’ve spent my whole life avoiding having a public profile.”

The PM had, of course, done his due diligence. “No, we know exactly who you are,” he told her. “Besides, I believe the governor-general shouldn’t have a high profile.” He sold her on the position by telling her this was her opportunity to encourage and support New Zealanders, celebrating what Kiwis do well.

Patsy is our 21st governor-general and only the third woman to hold the position of the Queen’s representative in Aotearoa. As a highly respected lawyer and businesswoman, she brings a wealth of experience to the role. She has, for example, been a Crown negotiator on Treaty of Waitangi settlement claims, and more recently joined Sir Michael Cullen to conduct a review of our security and intelligence legislation.

She’s no shrinking violet then and not one to turn down a challenge, but Patsy was hesitant to take the job as representative of our head of state. She recalls, “I wasn’t sure this was a role that I could do and I knew I needed to talk it through with David as soon as possible.”