Kerry Prendergast

Kerry Prendergast
33rd Mayor of Wellington
Preceded by	Mark Blumsky
Succeeded by	Celia Wade-Brown
Personal details
Born	(1953-03-28) 28 March 1953

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Voluntary work

In 2011 she became chair of the Environmental Protection Authority and of the Tourism Board. She is on the board of Kirkaldie and Stains Ltd, WorkSafe NZ, Phoenix Football Club, and is on several advisory boards.

Prendergast was Vice President of Local Government New Zealand and a trustee of the Joe Aspell Trust during her time as Mayor. She has been executive chair of the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts since 2011. She was a director of Wellington International Airport Limited and the Wellington Region Association of Midwives until 2010. She is an honorary life member of the Katherine Mansfield Birthplace Society and of Plunket. Prendergast is patron of a number of Wellington organisations. She is married and has two daughters. Her son, Andrew, 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.

References

Political offices
Preceded by Mark Blumsky	Mayor of Wellington 2001–2010	Succeeded by Celia Wade-Brown

External links

• Kerry Prendergast in 2000 next to mayor Mark Blumsky (photo)
• Campaign page at the Wayback Machine (archived March 13, 2005) from 2005
• Wellington City Council – Mayor Prendergast
• Farewell statement from Wellington City Council
• Profile at City Mayors