Pauline Barnett is an Associate Professor at the Health Sciences Centre, University of Canterbury, New Zealand. Her research interests include health restructuring and the position of services such as mental health, primary care and public health.

Pauline spent a number of years as a health planner and researcher before joining the Department of Public Health and General Practice, University of Otago, Christchurch in 1993. There she was responsible for coordinating the postgraduate Diploma and Masters in Public Health and teaching courses in Health Systems and Public Policy.

Pauline has been active in a number of local and national health organisations and is a former member of the Mental Health Foundation board. She currently chairs the Comcare Trust, a community mental health and housing agency in Christchurch.

She is a member and former national president of the Public Health Association of New Zealand.