RIDING HIGH
Mayor among world’s best
WELLINGTON Mayor Celia Wade-Brown has been named one of the world’s most innovative and groundbreaking female mayors.
Claudia Toth, director of marketing for Microsoft’s CityNext initiative, recently published a blog praising Wade-Brown alongside the mayors of Houston, Warsaw, Lampedusa (an Italian island) and Surabaya (Indonesia) as women moving their cities forward in innovative and groundbreaking ways.
She labelled Wade-Brown ‘‘New Zealand’s poster girl for cycling’’, having worked tirelessly to triple Wellington City Council’s cycling budget and make the capital’s streets more pedestrian and cyclist friendly.
Sustainability was her guiding principle. ‘‘One of the most prominent and influential progressive politicians in the country, she has led sustainability efforts in Wellington for the past 9 years.
‘‘She has also spearheaded efforts to make Wellington one of the most-prepared cities in the world for natural disasters, with water bottles stamped with the message: You may be alone for three days.’’
Wade-Brown’s economic development also received a tick, with Toth praising the capital’s efforts to establish a hi-tech precinct and extend its airport runway to link the city with important commercial cities in Asia and North America. ‘‘She’s committed to making Wellington a smart city.’’
Responding from overseas last night, Wade-Brown said she was delighted Wellington was getting international recognition.
‘‘Personally I’m focused on getting our many projects done; airport, film museum and ocean exploration centre as well as cycleways.’’
Wade-Brown came on to the political scene in Wellington with a stint as a southern ward councillor between 1994 and 1998. She returned to represent the southern ward in 2001 and replaced Kerry Prendergast as mayor in 2010.
It is not the first time she has raised eyebrows on the international stage. Not long after becoming mayor in 2010, she donned a high-visibility vest and cycled out to the airport to greet then US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
She was joined on Microsoft’s list of influential female leaders by Houston Mayor Annise Parker who was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2010. Also on the list was Tri Rismaharini, the first female mayor of Surabaya.