Jenny Shipley A WikiLeaks cable claims former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley angered her colleagues with her liberal leanings on issues such as gay rights. The classified document, written by former United States ambassador Josiah Beeman, said while Shipley was "conservative and centre-right" economically, she was softer on social issues, NZPA reports. The bio was sent two weeks after Shipley overthrew Jim Bolger in December 1997. Beeman describes Shipley as an astute politician who believed in less government and individual empowerment. But he says colleagues were at times angered by her "liberal leanings on social issues" such as birth control, sex education, women's issues and gay rights. The cable says that during a caucus meeting, her embarrassed colleagues denied an offer to educate them on how to examine themselves for STDs. Shipley was the first sitting New Zealand Prime Minister to attend Auckland's Hero Parade as an official guest. Accompanied by her Diplomatic Protection Squad bodyguards she sat in the Ponsonby Road VIP viewing stand chatting amiably with a wide variety of glbt people. You can discuss this New Zealand glbt community news story in the GayNZ.com Forum
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 22nd December 2010 - 4:01pm