On this day, 28 years ago, on December 8, 1997 (November 9, 1997 in the lunar calendar), Shipley became the first female Prime Minister of New Zealand. Shipley became New Zealand's first female Prime Minister On December 8, 1997, a handover ceremony was held in the government building in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. Jenny Shipley, 45, succeeded former Prime Minister Bolger as the new Prime Minister, becoming the first female Prime Minister in the history of New Zealand. Shipley was born in 1952 and is the second of four sisters. She was elected to Parliament in 1987 and served as Minister of Social Welfare since 1990. Minister of Health, Minister of Transportation, Minister of Women, etc. Shipley advocated profound social and economic changes and privatization in New Zealand.