Christine Rankin appointed to Families Commission

Christine Rankin has been appointed as a Families Commissioner. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Controversial former public sector boss Christine Rankin has been appointed as a Families Commissioner.

The Crown agency was set up to promote better understanding of families issues as part of a support deal between United Future and Labour following the 2002 election.

In the past National has mocked the commission and talked about closing it down or cutting it back, but agreed to its continuing existence as part of its support deal with United Future leader Peter Dunne.

Ms Rankin was appointed as the head of Winz (now Work and Income) in 1998, but came under fire from the Labour opposition.

When Labour came to power in 1999, she was sacked and lost a colourful legal challenge to her dismissal in 2001.

In recent times she was a loud critic of the anti-smacking legislation, which was supported by the commission as being pro-family.

- NZPA