Fran Wilde

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Fran Wilde QSO (born 1948), is a New Zealand politician, and former Wellington Labour MP and 31st Mayor of Wellington. She was the first woman to serve as Mayor of Wellington.

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[edit] Member of Parliament

Parl. Electorate List Pos. Party
40th Wellington Central Labour
41st Wellington Central Labour
42nd Wellington Central Labour

Wilde was a Member of Parliament for the Wellington Central seat, winning it from sitting National MP Ken Comber in the 1981 general election. Wilde retained the seat at the subsequent 1984 general election.

In 1985, Wilde moved what became the Homosexual Law Reform Act (1986), which legalised homosexual acts in New Zealand between consenting men. The 16-month debate about the bill polarised the country, and sparked violent demonstrations and angry rallies at Parliament.

Her other main achievement in Parliament was an Adoption Reform Act, which made it possible for adopted people and their birth-parents to contact each other.

[edit] Mayor of Wellington

In 1992 she resigned from Parliament to stand for Mayor of Wellington. She won that position, and remained in office until 1995. Her seat was retained by Labour, with Chris Laidlaw winning the by-election caused by Wilde's resignation.

[edit] Greater Wellington Regional Council

Since then, Wilde has been appointed CEO of Trade New Zealand (until February 2003) and was elected as a councillor for the Wellington Regional Council. The council has occupied much of her time in recent years. Wilde was re-elected to the Regional Council in 2007[1]. On 30 October, Wilde was elected Chair of the Council[2].

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Election results 2007. Greater Wellington Regional Council (15 October 2007). Retrieved on 2007-10-16.
  2. ^ Newstalk ZB (30 October 2007). Wilde elected Wellington regional council chair. New Zealand Herald. Retrieved on 2007-10-30.