Judy McGregor


Dame Judith Helen McGregor is a New Zealand lawyer, journalist, public servant and academic. She is currently a full professor at Auckland University of Technology.

Career

McGregor completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Waikato in 1970, where she was founding editor of Nexus, the student magazine.
Working as a journalist, she rose to editorship of the Sunday News and the Auckland Star, and served on the Broadcasting Standards Authority. She took a stand against the 1981 Springboks tour, and walked in the 1975 Māori land march.
After a PhD in political communication, completed in 1995, McGregor worked as a professor at Massey University. In the 2004 New Year Honours, McGregor was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to journalism.
Between 2003 and 2013, McGregor served two five-year terms as the first Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner for the New Zealand Human Rights Commission, appointed by Minister Margaret Wilson and replaced in the role by politician Jackie Blue. As commissioner, her report Caring Count, based on undercover work in the aged-care industry, had a huge impact and led ultimately to an industry-wide settlement.
McGregor then moved to Auckland University of Technology as professor. In 2016, she was named supreme winner at the Women in Governance Awards. After the resignation of Lester Levy as chair of the Waitematā District Health Board, the Minister of Health, David Clark, appointed McGregor to the role, effective 10 June 2018. McGregor was the last chair of the Waitematā District Health Board as on 1 July 2022 it was disestablished, with Te Whatu Ora assuming its former functions and operations including hospitals and health services.
McGregor was promoted to Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to human rights and health, in the 2022 Queen's Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours.
Notable students of McGregor include Sue Bradford.

Selected works