Katherine Rich (born 1967) served as a New Zealand Member of Parliament from 1999 to 2008.

1 Early life
2 Political career
- 2.1 Member of Parliament
- 2.2 Political views
3 References

Early life [link]

Rich received her tertiary education at Otago University, gaining a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1990 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1993. After leaving university she held a number of management and analytical roles in both the public and private sectors.

Rich and her husband have two children.

Political career [link]

Member of Parliament [link]

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate	List	Party
1999–2002	46th	List	23	National
2002–2005	47th	List	14	National
2005–2008	48th	List	14	National

Rich entered Parliament in 1999 as a list MP for the National Party. She had contested the Dunedin North electorate, but finished second behind incumbent Labour MP Pete Hodgson. At this election, Rich was ranked twenty-third.

Once in Parliament, Rich rose quickly through the National Party hierarchy, and eventually was ranked fourth in the party caucus. At various times she served as her Party's spokesperson for employment, broadcasting, economic development, state-owned enterprises, and culture. In January 2005, however, she refused to give full support to a "tough-on-welfare" speech by then party leader Don Brash, who demoted her to tenth place and dismissed her as social-welfare spokesperson. Following the resignation of Don Brash as National Party leader on 27 November 2006, the incoming Leader of the Opposition, John Key, elevated her to eighth place within the National caucus and shadow Cabinet. She was appointed, on 1 December 2006, the party's spokesperson on education.

For both the 2002 and 2005 general elections, Rich stood unsuccessfully in the Dunedin North electorate. She announced, on 13 February 2008, that she would not stand in the 2008 General Election, saying that she wanted to spend more time with her children.^[1] She was replaced as National candidate for Dunedin North by Michael Woodhouse.

Political views [link]

This section requires expansion.

Rich, who has described her own position as "centrist" and "centre right"^[2] has a reputation as one of the more liberal members of the National Party,^[3] and co-chairs the party's internal Classical Liberal Policy Advisory Group.^{[citation needed]}

National MP Nikki Kaye, herself known for what has been described as "socially liberal" views, has cited her as a role model.^[4]^[5]