Kerry Prendergast facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dame Kerry Prendergast
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| 33rd Mayor of Wellington | |
| In office 27 October 2001 – 27 October 2010 |
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| Deputy | Alick Shaw (2001-07) Ian McKinnon (2007-10) |
| Preceded by | Mark Blumsky |
| Succeeded by | Celia Wade-Brown |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kerry Leigh Ferrier
28 March 1953 Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Political party | National |
| Spouse | 1 – Paul Francis Prendegast· 2– Rex Nicholls |
| Children | 3 |
Dame Kerry Leigh Prendergast is a New Zealand politician. She was the Mayor of Wellington, a big city in New Zealand, for almost ten years. She was the 33rd person to be Mayor. She was also only the second woman to hold this important job.
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Her Early Life and Education
Kerry Prendergast was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. She grew up in a town called Tawa. She went to Tawa College from 1966 to 1969. While there, she was the captain of the college netball team.
After school, she became a registered nurse. She then trained to be a midwife. A midwife helps women during pregnancy and childbirth. In 1991, she received an award for her long service from the Royal New Zealand Plunket Society. This group helps families and young children. She also volunteered as a grief counsellor. Later, she earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. She studied at Victoria University of Wellington.
Starting in Local Politics
Kerry Prendergast began her political career in 1986. She became a councillor for the Tawa Borough. In 1989, she was elected to the Wellington City Council. She was re-elected every three years until 2010.
In 1995, she became the Deputy Mayor of Wellington. She worked alongside Mayor Mark Blumsky. She thought about running for national politics. However, she decided to focus on local government. In 1999, she was a candidate for the National Party. She was on their party list for the general election. But the party did not get enough votes for her to enter Parliament.
Becoming Mayor of Wellington
In 2001, the current Mayor, Mark Blumsky, decided not to run again. He supported Kerry Prendergast to become the next Mayor. She was elected Mayor in 2001. She was re-elected two more times, in 2004 and 2007.
During her time as Mayor, she had a special goal. She wanted to make Wellington known as the "Creative Capital." She also supported changing the Flag of New Zealand.
In the 2010 election, she ran for Mayor again. She was challenged by Green Party councillor Celia Wade-Brown. After all the votes were counted, Celia Wade-Brown won by a small number of votes. This ended Kerry Prendergast's time as Mayor after almost ten years.
Other Important Roles
After being Mayor, Kerry Prendergast took on many other important roles. In 2011, she became the chair of the Environmental Protection Authority. She also chaired the Tourism Board.
She has served on the boards of several companies and organizations. These include Kirkaldie and Stains Ltd and WorkSafe NZ. She was also on the board of the Phoenix Football Club. She has been the executive chair of the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts since 2011. She is an honorary life member of the Katherine Mansfield Birthplace Society. She is also an honorary life member of Plunket.
In 2015, she became an ambassador for Alzheimer's New Zealand. Both her father and mother had suffered from this disease.
Awards and Honours
Kerry Prendergast has received high honours for her work. In 2011, she was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This was for her services to local government.
In 2019, she received an even higher honour. She was promoted to a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This title is like being a "Dame." It was given for her services to leadership and the community.
In 2014, she also received the New Zealand Women of Influence Award. This award recognized her impact in the local and regional category.
Personal Life
Kerry Prendergast's father, Denis Ferrier, was also involved in local politics. He was a councillor for the Tawa Borough Council in 1970. Later, he was elected to the Kapiti Borough Council in 1986. Kerry Prendergast is married and has two daughters.
