Early life, family and career Austin was born in
Dunedin on 1 April 1933, and was educated at
St Dominic's College, Dunedin, and
Sacred Heart College,
Christchurch. She was also a member of the Educational Administration Society and was its president for three years. In 1955, she married John Austin, and the couple went on to have three children. She held the Yaldhurst seat for the
Labour Party until 1995 when the seat was abolished, in preparation for the changeover to
MMP, and she joined with six other MPs to found the centrist
United New Zealand Party. Like all
United New Zealand MPs (but
Peter Dunne), Austin was not re-elected in the
1996 election; Austin stood in the new electorate where she came third.
Later activities She later became
Chancellor of
Lincoln University from 2000 to 2005. From the late 1990s until about 2011, she worked for the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (
UNESCO). From 2000 to 2007, she was president of the chairs of UNESCO national commissions worldwide. She also has an interest in astronomy, leading the project for the
Aoraki-Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. ==Honours and awards==