13 Sep 2023

90 years since New Zealand elected its first woman MP

From Nights, 9:08 pm on 13 September 2023

Today marks a significant milestone in both our womens and political history. On this day 90 years ago our first female MP was elected into parliament.

Labour's Elizabeth McCombs won a by-election in the seat of Lyttelton after the death of her husband James McCombs who'd held the seat since 1913.

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark talks to Mark Leishman about McCombs' legacy and how being a woman in parliament has changed over the past 90 years.