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Tanya Unkovich

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Tanya Unkovich
MP
Unkovich in 2023
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for New Zealand First party list
Incumbent
Assumed office
14 October 2023
Personal details
BornDargaville, New Zealand
Political partyNew Zealand First
Spouse(s)
Phil Morrow
​
(died 2005)​

Grant Anderson
OccupationLife and business coach

Tanya Marie Unkovich is a New Zealand politician, representing New Zealand First as a member of parliament since the 2023 general election. She is the author of four books, and has previously worked in finance, as a life coach, and public speaker.

Early life, family and career

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Unkovich was born in Dargaville,[1] and is of Croatian descent.[2] Her father, Smiljan Unković from Račišće on the island of Korčula, and her mother Pavica Samić from Opuzen, migrated to New Zealand in 1958 with their first child, settling in Northland where they had three further children.[2] After their home burnt down when Unkovich was eight years old, the family moved to Auckland.[2] Unkovich studied at the University of Auckland, graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in accounting and commercial law in 1984.[2][3]

After leaving university, Unkovich found employment at a large accountancy firm as an auditor. In 1986, she took a break from commerce and became a flight attendant with Air New Zealand. After three years flying domestic routes and internationally, she took a position as an internal and inflight services auditor with the airline. When she was 28 years old, Unkovich left Air New Zealand and established her own accounting practice. And not long after, she became a consultant for MYOB accounting software after its introduction to New Zealand.[2]

In the 1990s, Unkovich obtained her Diploma in Counselling while continuing to provide consultancy services.[2] In 2005, her husband, Phil Morrow, died of cancer, five months after being diagnosed.[2][4] After being widowed, Unkovich expanded her work, becoming a life and business coach, author and public speaker.[1][2] She has been married to her second husband, Grant Anderson, since 2011.[2]

Unkovich is the author of four books.[5] Her fourth title From Grief to Greatness: The Art of Overcoming Adversity (2022) was published by Christian publishing company Deep River Books, a member of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA).[5][6]

Political career

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New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2023–present 54th List 8 NZ First

Unkovich entered politics when she was selected by New Zealand First to contest the Epsom electorate at the 2023 election, and was ranked 8th on the party list.[7] During the campaign, she faced criticism for participating in a Nuremberg trials Telegram group that likened COVID-19 vaccines to Nazi war crimes.[8]

During the 2023 election, Unkovich came sixth place in the Epsom electorate, gaining 573 votes.[9] However, she was elected to Parliament on the NZ First party list.[10][11] NZ First won 6.08% percent of the vote, entitling it to eight seats.[12]

In December 2023, Unkovich began hosting an NZ First podcast called FirstHand.[13]

In May 2024, Unkovich introduced a Member's Bill called the "Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill", which would require new public buildings to provide "separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms." It would also make it an offense for any person found using a toilet "who is not of the sex for which that toilet has been designated."[14][15] on 15 May, Netsafe confirmed it was investigating a fake Facebook account impersonating Unkovich's official page, which sent abusive messages to a respondent disagreeing with her party's Bathroom Bill.[14] In mid-May 2024, Unkovich spoke at the "Unsilenced: Middle New Zealand on Ideology" conference organised by Inflection Point, which has expressed opposition to LGBT and transgender rights in New Zealand. During the conference, Unkovich likened the gender dysphoria facing transgender children to weight issues and body dysmorphia. She also said that God inspired her to get involved with politics.[16]

On 23 July 2024, NZ First lodged a complaint against Labour MP Ingrid Leary with Speaker Gerry Brownlee after she described Unkovich as an "anti-trans activist” during a health select committee on 19 June 2024. Leary had questioned Unkovich's involvement with the mental health programme "Gumboot Friday" due to her alleged anti-transgender views. Unkovich and NZ First regarded Leary's remarks as a potential breach of parliamentary privilege.[17][18] On 1 August 2024, Leary apologised to Unkovich during Question Time in Parliament.[18]

Books

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Unkovich has written the following books:[5]

  • Unplanned Journey: A Triumph in Life and Death (2008), eBook, VMI Publishers, Sisters, Oregon
  • A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (2014), eBook, Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
  • Unplanned Journey: A Triumph in Life and Death (2020), eAudiobook, Findaway World
  • From Grief to Greatness: The Art of Overcoming Adversity (2022), Deep River Books, Sisters, Oregon

References

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  1. ^ a b "8. Tanya Unkovich". New Zealand First. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Novak, Jasna Milić (11 March 2021). "Through personal tragedy to a successful career". Croatian Heritage Foundation. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Epsom electorate". Policy.nz. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Deaths". The New Zealand Herald. 15 April 2005.
  5. ^ a b c "Tanya Unkovich". Worldcat. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  6. ^ "About Deep River Books". Deep River Books. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Election 2023: New Zealand First releases party list". Radio New Zealand. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  8. ^ Wade, Amelia (1 October 2023). "Election 2023: NZ First, ACT candidates face scrutiny over Nuremberg trials, New World Order content". Newshub. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Epsom – Official Result". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  10. ^ de Silva, Tommy (16 October 2023). "Meet the new NZ First MPs". The Spinoff. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  11. ^ "2023 General Election: Successful candidates". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  12. ^ "Official count – Overall Results". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 7 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  13. ^ New Zealand First (21 December 2023). "FirstHand: Episode 1 – A conversation with Tanya Unkovich". YouTube.
  14. ^ a b Smith, Anneke (15 May 2024). "Netsafe investigating Facebook page pretending to be New Zealand First MP Tanya Unkovich". RNZ. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  15. ^ Rawhiti-Connell, Anna (15 May 2024). "NZ First's toilet bill is designed to outrage but that doesn't mean we can ignore it". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  16. ^ MacNanus, Joel (22 May 2024). "Fear, hate and a putrid stench: Inside the Unsilenced anti-trans event". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  17. ^ Witton, Bridie (23 July 2024). "NZ First complains to Parliament Speaker over 'anti-trans activist' comment from Labour MP". Stuff. Archived from the original on 23 July 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  18. ^ a b Coughlan, Thomas (1 August 2024). "Labour MP Ingrid Leary apologises to NZ First MP Tanya Unkovich". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
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