Maggie Barry Gay and HIV community supporter Maggie Barry has resoundingly taken the conservative North Shore electorate and her entry into Parliament is being welcomed as "great news." In the final results for North Shore, Barry - a National candidate - received 13,739 votes more than her nearest opponent, Labour's Ben Clark. Barry rose to fame as a Radio New Zealand current affairs reporter then shot to celebrity status with a series of high-rating TV gardening shows. She was until last year a host of Radio Live. Barry was for several years a fixture at gay HIV-related events, primarily through her connection with gay events promoter and HIV positive gay man Jonathan Smith. "It's great news that Maggie's in," said Smith when told of his friend's win by GayNZ.com Daily News. "I couldn't think of a better peson to be in Parliament, she's been so supportive - especially around issues of equality and HIV." Smith says Barry will be "a sure supporter" on glbti matters to come before Parliament, "we're sure to benefit from her presence there."
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 26th November 2011 - 10:22pm