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Career History

Early career:
Librarian
1960s
Freelance journalism. Mentored by Bruce Mason and William
Austin in theatre and radio theatre. First short stories appeared In ‘Te Ao Hou’, ‘Arena’, ‘Landfall’.
1970–80
Media writer, radio producer and critic (winner Ngaio Marsh Award for television writing 1972)
1972–75
First Administrator NZ Book Council, founded for UNESCO International Year of the Book
1975–80
Producer of ‘Writing’ Programme, Radio New Zealand
1977–88
Part-time lecturer in Creative Writing Center for Continuing Education, Victoria University
1981
Awarded New Zealand Scholarship in Letters
1981–83
National President PEN (New Zealand) Centre
1985
Won Mobil New Zealand/ Outlook Short Story Award (Judge Fay Weldon)
1987
Won NZ Book Awards, for the novel The Book of Secrets
1988
Writers’ Fellow, Victoria University
OBE for services to literature
Arts Council Award for Achievement
1992–95
President of New Zealand Book Council. Founded Words on Wheels (WOW) (tours for writers), Writers Visiting Prisons
1994
Awarded New Zealand Scholarship in Letters
Appointed Patron Cambodia New Zealand-Aotearoa Trust (re land mine Victims)
1995–2002
Founded Fiona Kidman Creative Writing School (now part of Whitireia Writing Programme)
1997
Lifetime President of Honour New Zealand Book Council, to mark 25 anniversary
1998
Awarded Dame Commander New Zealand Order of Merit (DNZM). Chaired Peppercorn Press which publishes review periodical NZ Books
2001
AW Reed Award for Lifetime Achievement
2001
The Face of the Writer Portrait series with Glenda Randerson
2002
Trustee, Randell Cottage Writers Trust
Wellington Writers Walk Committee and founder member
2003
Appointed Patron NZ Poetry Society
Appointed Patron Refugee and Migrant Reunification Trust
2006
Meridian Energy Katherine Mansfield Fellow
2006
Member of Les Belles Etrangères (The Beautiful Strangers) tour of France
2008
Creative New Zealand Michael King Fellow
2009
Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters — French)
2009
Légion d’Honneur (French Legion of Honour)
2010
Wellington Writers Walk text sculpture
2011
Kidman Street named in Rolleston
2017
Led Select Committee submissions for Pike River Mine Inquiry, Parliament

 

 

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