CHNZ Media Release - 18 July 2005

Midwife to Deliver for Christian Heritage NZ

Christian Heritage NZ announced today that Mrs Betty Jenkins would stand as a list candidate for the party. Mrs Jenkins is a registered nurse midwife with a long career in the health sector that has included senior management roles at National Women's Hospital in Auckland. She was involved in setting the terms of reference for the Cartwright Enquiry in the early 1990s and has also contributed on a number of other health related taskforces and committees.

Mrs Jenkins has also made significant contributions in the voluntary sector both in New Zealand and overseas. Earlier this year she spent two weeks in Sri-Lanka helping co-ordinate disaster relief efforts after the tsunami.

CHNZ leader Ewen McQueen said he was pleased to be able to have someone on the team of such high calibre and substantial experience. McQueen stated,

"Betty Jenkins is well known and respected within the health community in Auckland. She is also a woman with a vibrant Christian faith and a clear understanding of what needs to be done in our nation to rebuild family life. It is a privilege to have her on what will become our parliamentary team. Her wisdom and experience will be invaluable."

Mrs Jenkins will also be the Christian Heritage NZ candidate for the Te Atatu electorate where she lives. (For more information refer attached personal profile).

ENDS

Betty Jenkins - Personal Profile

Professional Background

Betty is a Registered Nurse Midwife with over 30 years experience in the Auckland health sector. Her career has included time at Middlemore and St Helens Hospitals and 18 years at National Women's Hospital where she held senior management roles including Divisional Nurse Manager for Maternity Services in the late 1980s.

During this time she also contributed on a number of taskforces and committees involved in policy development and submissions, particularly on issues relating to the disabled and to the elderly. She was also involved in setting the terms of reference for the Cartwright Enquiry that occurred in the early 1990s.

After 1990 Betty left the Area Health Board and took up practice as an independent part-time midwife and childbirth educator for the next ten years. During this time she also acted as a midwifery consultant for Auckland law firm Duggan & Murphy.

Betty is currently employed with the Baptist HomeCare Waitakere team. In her role as a Co-ordinator of Community Homecare Services she is responsible for allocating care-workers to the clients and managing their performance.

Community Involvement

Betty has also made significant contributions in the voluntary sector both in New Zealand and overseas. These have included being part of the Regional Civil Defence Advisory Committee 1991-93 in Auckland and being trained for civil defence work. They have also included short-term overseas missionary work.

For the last three years Betty has been on the board of ActionLove NZ, the community development and social arm of the Asian Outreach Alliance (a member of the NZ Council of International Development). Earlier this year she spent two weeks in Sri-Lanka as part of the ActionLove team, helping co-ordinate disaster relief efforts after the tsunami.

Personal Background

Betty has two adult children and five grand-daughters, and has been the foster mother of six children for varying periods over fifteen years.

She has been an active member of Auckland City Elim Church for the last 17 years. Her church involvement has included being a co-youth leader for three years, a cell group leader for five years, and a member of the church pastoral care team. Betty has also regularly participated in a number of choirs and singing groups.

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