Hon Heather Roy entered Parliament as an ACT List MP in July 2002.

Mrs Roy is a former physiotherapist who worked in the public health systems in New Zealand and the UK. On returning to New Zealand, she coordinated medical research trials for pharmaceutical firms over a 10-year period in cardiology and psychiatry. She has also worked as a manager of a private kindergarten, and as publicity officer for the New Zealand Portrait Gallery.

Mrs Roy's early Parliamentary focus was on the areas of Health, National Security and Social Services. She sat on the Health Select Committee from 2002-05, and the Social Services Committee from 2005-08. She is now a member of the Business Committee and the Cabinet Committee for Honours, Awards and Appointments. Her ACT Parliamentary Spokesman responsibilities are Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as Veteran’s Affairs.

In 2006, Mrs Roy joined the Territorial Force of the New Zealand Army as a Field Engineer in the 5th (Wellington, West Coast & Taranaki [5WWCT]) Battalion Group. Since completing basic and specialised training, Mrs Roy has continued to attend Army courses until her portfolio duties made this no longer possible. She has since transferred to the Non-Active Reserve of the New Zealand Army.

Hon Heather Roy lives in Wellington with her husband and five children.

Read Heather's 'University of Life' Dominion Post feature Here