Kerry Prendergast
Kerry Leigh Prendergast, CNZM (born 28 March 1953) was the 33rd Mayor of Wellington (2001–2010). She was the second woman to serve as Mayor of Wellington, succeeding Mark Blumsky.
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[edit] Before politics
Prendergast's professional background is in the health sector as a registered nurse and, for twenty five years, a midwife. She continued her midwifery role alongside her local government work until 2001. She has also been a voluntary grief counsellor. She holds a MBA degree from Victoria University of Wellington.
[edit] Local body politics
Prendergast has had a long career in local body politics, having started her political life as a Tawa Borough councillor in 1986.
In 1989 she was elected to Wellington City Council and was re-elected every three years until 2010.
In 1995 Prendergast became Deputy Mayor to Mark Blumsky.
In the 1999 general election Prendergast stood as a National list candidate, ranked 30th on the party's list. However, the National Party did not gain enough of the party vote for Prendergast to enter Parliament. She considered running again at the 2002 election, but in 2001 Mark Blumsky announced his intention not to run for the mayoralty again, and endorsed Prendergast's mayoralty candidacy.
[edit] Mayor of Wellington
Prendergast was elected mayor in 2001 and re-elected in 2004 and 2007. During her time as Mayor, Prendergast instigated the policy of making Wellington the "Creative Capital". She has endorsed changing the Flag of New Zealand.[1]
In the Wellington City mayoral election, 2010, Prendergast was challenged by Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand city councillor Celia Wade-Brown for the Wellington mayoralty. After the counting of special votes, Wade-Brown was declared the winner of a close Wellington mayoral contest by a one hundred and seventy six vote margin, ending nearly a decade of Prendergast's mayoralty.[2]
[edit] Voluntary work
Prendergast is Vice President of Local Government New Zealand and a trustee of the Joe Aspell Trust and the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts. She is also an honorary life member of the Katherine Mansfield Birthplace Society.
Prendergast is patron of a number or Wellington organisations and a director of Wellington International Airport Limited and the Wellington Region Association of Midwives.
She is married and has two daughters and a son. Her son was killed on 31 March 2011 in a riding accident.
In the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to local body affairs.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ NZ Flag.com – Kerry Prendergast
- ^ Watts, Jerram (13 October 2010). "Celia Wade Brown wins Wellington". 3 News. http://www.3news.co.nz/Celia-Wade-Brown-wins-Wellington/tabid/419/articleID/181150/Default.aspx. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
- ^ "The Queen's Birthday Honours 2011". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 6 June 2011. http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/list.asp?id=58. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
