Adrienne Lee Staples ONZM (born 1956/1957)[1] is a New Zealand local-body politician. She was the mayor of South Wairarapa for 12 years from 2004 to 2016, and was the first woman to serve in the role.[1][2]
Adrienne Staples | |
|---|---|
 Adrienne Staples in 2013 | |
| Deputy chair of Greater Wellington Regional Council | |
| Assumed office 2016 | |
| 3rd Mayor of South Wairarapa | |
| In office 2004–2016 | |
| Preceded by | John Read |
| Succeeded by | Viv Napier |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1956 or 1957 (age 67–68) Featherston, New Zealand |
| Political party | Independent |
Personal life
editStaples was born in Featherston, New Zealand.[3] She runs a small manufacturing business based in Featherston and a Wellington IT consulting company.[4]
Career
editStaples was a member of the Featherston community board. She was elected Mayor of South Wairarapa in 2004, becoming the district's first female mayor.[1] After retiring from the mayoralty in 2016 she ran for a position on the Greater Wellington Regional Council,[5] where she was elected deputy-chair.[6][7]
In 2013, Staples and other Wairarapa mayors were the subject of a parody video based on the film Downfall.[8] She and her husband threatened to sue the video's creator for defamation, and engaged lawyers to have YouTube remove the video.[9]
Honours and awards
edit
In the 2017 New Year Honours, Staples was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to local government.[10] Later in 2017, she was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, by the Japanese government, in recognition of her promotion of Japanese–New Zealand friendship and mutual understanding.[11][12]
References
edit- ^ a b c Piers Fuller (25 February 2016). "South Wairarapa mayor Adrienne Staples stepping down after twelve years". Stuff. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ "Retiring mayor will be a hard act to follow". Wairarapa Times Age. 29 July 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ "South Wairarapa mayoralty race heats up". NZ Herald.
- ^ "Wellington Regional Council | The Martinborough Star".
- ^ "Staples to run for regional council seat". New Zealand Herald. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ "Our Honours recipients". Times Age. 31 December 2016.
- ^ "Greater Wellington Regional Council to discuss a Māori seat at its top table". Stuff. 29 July 2020.
- ^ "Hitler loses the plot with the three Wairarapa Mayors re Wellington Super City debate - YouTube". YouTube. 31 October 2013. Archived from the original on 31 October 2013.
- ^ "Mayors not laughing at Hitler spoof". Stuff. 3 July 2013.
- ^ "New Year honours list 2017". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ^ "Rare gong for ex-mayor". Times Age. 30 April 2017.
- ^ Austin Ryu (29 April 2017). "The Conferral of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette upon Mrs. Adrienne Staples" (PDF). Embassy of Japan. p. 3. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
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