Kerry Prendergast
Encyclopedia
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
.
degree from Victoria University of Wellington
.
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.
.
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.
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.
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(born 28 March 1953) was the 33rd Mayor of Wellington
Mayor of Wellington
The Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of Wellington, New Zealand, and presides over the Wellington City Council. The Mayor of Wellington administers only Wellington City itself — other municipalities in adjacent areas of the Wellington Region such as Lower Hutt, Upper...
(2001–2010). She was the second woman to serve as Mayor of Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, succeeding Mark Blumsky
Mark Blumsky
Mark Herbert Blumsky QSO is a New Zealand politician. He was Mayor of Wellington from 1995 to 2001, and Member of Parliament for the National Party from 2005 to 2008...
.
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 MBAMaster of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
degree from Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
.
Local body politics
Prendergast has had a long career in local body politics, having started her political life as a Tawa BoroughTawa, New Zealand
Tawa is the northernmost suburb of Wellington located between Churton Park and Porirua in the North Island of New Zealand. It takes its name from the broadleaf tree, which was once prolific throughout the area, although its most famous tree is the Bucket Tree, a group of large macrocarpa with the...
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
Mark Blumsky
Mark Herbert Blumsky QSO is a New Zealand politician. He was Mayor of Wellington from 1995 to 2001, and Member of Parliament for the National Party from 2005 to 2008...
.
In the 1999 general election
New Zealand general election, 1999
The 1999 New Zealand general election was held on 27 November 1999 to determine the composition of the 46th New Zealand Parliament. The governing National Party, led by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, was defeated, being replaced by a coalition of Helen Clark's Labour Party and the smaller Alliance...
Prendergast stood as a National
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
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
New Zealand general election, 2002
The 2002 New Zealand general election was held on 27 July 2002 to determine the composition of the 47th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the reelection of Helen Clark's Labour Party government, as well as the worst-ever performance by the opposition National Party.Arguably the most controversial...
, but in 2001 Mark Blumsky announced his intention not to run for the mayoralty again, and endorsed Prendergast's mayoralty candidacy.
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 ZealandFlag of New Zealand
The flag of New Zealand is a defaced Blue Ensign with the Union Flag in the canton, and four red stars with white borders to the right. The stars represent the constellation of Crux, the Southern Cross....
.
In the Wellington City mayoral election, 2010
Wellington City mayoral election, 2010
The Wellington City mayoral election, 2010 is part of the New Zealand local elections, 2010. On 9 October 2010, elections were held for the Mayor of Wellington plus other local government roles...
, Prendergast was challenged by Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a political party that has seats in the New Zealand parliament. It focuses firstly on environmentalism, arguing that all other aspects of humanity will cease to be of concern if there is no environment to sustain it...
city councillor Celia Wade-Brown
Celia Wade-Brown
Celia Wade-Brown is the 34th and current Mayor of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. She is the third woman to fill that role, replacing centre-right Kerry Prendergast. She is the second Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand mayor of a major New Zealand city, after Dunedin's Sukhi Turner...
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.
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 BirthplaceKatherine Mansfield Birthplace
Katherine Mansfield Birthplace was the home of Katherine Mansfield, New Zealand's most famous author. The building, located in Thorndon, is classified as a "Category I" historic place by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust...
Society.
Prendergast is patron of a number or Wellington organisations and a director of Wellington International Airport
Wellington International Airport
Wellington International Airport is an international airport located in the suburb of Rongotai in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It is a secondary hub and focus city for Air New Zealand and its subsidiaries...
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
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
, for services to local body affairs.