Adrienne Staples
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 |
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] In 2017 Staples was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese government, in recognition of her promotion of Japanese–New Zealand friendship and mutual understanding.
Personal life
[edit]Staples was born in Featherston, New Zealand.[3] She runs a small manufacturing business based in Featherston and a Wellington IT consulting company.[4]
Career
[edit]Staples 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] She was re-elected as deputy for a second term in 2022.[8]
In 2013, Staples and other Wairarapa mayors were the subject of a parody video based on the film Downfall.[9] She and her husband threatened to sue the video's creator for defamation, and engaged lawyers to have YouTube remove the video.[10]
Honours and awards
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Adrienne_Staples_ONZM_investiture.jpg/220px-Adrienne_Staples_ONZM_investiture.jpg)
In the 2017 New Year Honours, Staples was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to local government.[11] The citation mentioned that Staples oversaw the completion of the redevelopment of Greytown's historic town hall, and the formation of the Cross Creek to Featherston cycle trail.[12] Later in 2017, Staples 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.[13][14] During her time as mayor, Staples hosted a Japanese choir that visited in remembrance of the 48 Japanese prisoners and 1 New Zealand guard killed at the Featherston prisoner-of-war camp in 1943.[13]
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.
- ^ Gastmeier, Hayley (14 May 2016). "South Wairarapa mayoralty race heats up". NZ Herald.
- ^ "Wellington Regional Council". The Martinborough Star. 21 September 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ^ Farmer, Don (26 May 2016). "Staples to run for regional council seat". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ "Our Honours recipients". Times Age. 31 December 2016.
- ^ Anselm, Marcus (29 July 2020). "Greater Wellington Regional Council to discuss a Māori seat at its top table". Stuff.
- ^ Prior, Grace (28 October 2022). "Staples holds deputy position for another term". Wairarapa Times-Age. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Dickson, Walt (3 July 2013). "Mayors not laughing at Hitler spoof". Stuff.
- ^ "New Year honours list 2017". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ^ "NEW YEAR HONOURS 2017 - CITATIONS FOR OFFICERS OF THE NEW ZEALAND ORDER OF MERIT | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)". www.dpmc.govt.nz. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
- ^ a b Wills, Bevan (30 April 2017). "Rare gong for ex-mayor". Times Age. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ^ 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.