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The Mayoress’ Office

by Whaleoil on January 31, 2012

The tipline has had a number of messages and calls about the Mayoress of Christchurch, an unelected position, having its own office in the city council building.

Can anyone out there confirm if the CCC has a mayoress’ office, and confirm if any other mayoress in the country has their own office at council headquarters?

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  • Blair Mulholland

    Remember this is the woman that looks like Morticia Addams and got pinged a few years ago for  putting expenses on the Council tab.  She actually defended herself as being entitled to it because the Mayoress was an unpaid job, or something.  I remember blogging about it.

  • Blair Mulholland
    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_OK7Y7PCSTJ27RCKZ2MGRSAYCTE NEIL

      All a matter of taste surely – her hair
      changes colour and style about as often as the weather. She doesn’t look too
      foul on it (in the flesh) so to speak. This is one of the things – geez dare I
      mention his name on here – Jim Anderton wanted to bring out in the LB elections
      before Parker’s handling of the earthquake destroyed the election. At least now
      there is a commissioner to put his pricy eye over everything going on down
      there. Who said anything about nepotism…..

  • GPT

    I understand that Mrs Mayor also ran Mr Mayor’s campaign.  Not the most objective campaign manager.

  • http://votenz.blogspot.com/ Joel

    She is a little frightening – appearance wise. I’m not certain it’s a big deal if she has an office. I assume the council owns its buildings, so the fact that she occupies an office in it probably doesn’t detract too much from the city’s finances. In fact if she’s assisting her husband and his council in an unpaid capacity, I can’t see that it’s a bad thing at all. I’d encourage it, really. 

  • Guest
  • Jester
  • Duncan

    Awwww come on. She gets free coffee and muffins and you’re up in arms. Cut her some slack you bunch of tut tutters.

    • Blair Mulholland

      As I pointed out at the time, her husband gets about $150k in mayoral salary and other sources, so if she wants a free coffee and muffin, she should ask hubby, not ratepayers.

      If Bronagh Key doesn’t have her own damn office, I don’t see why the Christchurch Mayor’s wife needs one.

  • Kthxbai

    And a separate office for her lipliner collection.

    • bb

      lip liner went out in the 90′s

  • Mrs Mayor’s Abode

    I understand that the Mayoress’ office has always been a
    part of the council office layout going back many years – what is disturbing in
    the new building is that Mrs Mayor occupies a smart office beside Mr Mayor, Mr
    Marryatt and Ms Button in one exclusive and secure end of the building. Yes I
    know it sounds like the Mad Hatters Tea Party. 
    Maybe they should reassign that office to Felicity Price so that she can
    manage the review process?   Personally I
    think it is an archaic practice and the office should be reassigned to someone
    who needs and uses it.

  • Anonymous

    Just to note – The Wellington Mayor has a suite of rooms on the first floor of the Town Hall well away from the CEO’s and other admin offices. Mayor has a small support staff including a sort of Ombudsman to check out complaints. I think anyone can enter the reception area during office hours. Could well be a spare room that the Mayor’s partner could use.

    • Anonymous

      ps – when Auckland City Council’s admin building was opened years ago I remember that Mayor Robbie wished to retain the Mayor’s office in the Town Hall so he was accessible to the public. AFAIK it is still there.

      • Roger

        It’s the case today. That’s the office Mayor Brown and his entourage use

      • Hakimofphut

        Incorrect. The tower block housed the Mayors office for 40 years or so, nearest to the the council mandarins.
        It was John Banks  who wanted the  ’ceremonial’ Mayors office to be used full time.

      • A-random-reader

        My understanding is that the Mayoral office in the Auckland Town Hall office makes it fairly difficult for council staff to access the Mayor.

        This may, or may not, be a bad thing. But it is a known issue.

  • squiggler

    Next Magazine February 2012 page 36-37:
    “Jo was in her office in the CBD city council building when last February’s killer quake struck…. When the tremors subsided, she dashed into Bob’s nearby office… On any given day you might have also found Jo organising the donation, delivery and distribution of portacabins, liaising between business owners and police; meeting visiting donors and officials or working with Greening the Rubble…Though there has been criticism that Jo gets an official’s perks without being elected, it could be argued that the city is getting a pretty good dea – for one salary it gets both a mayor and a mayoress who effectively works for free.  ”Yes”, Jo admits, “I’ve got to earn my right to be in this office because I’m not an employee and I’m not the mayor but I do get involved in areas where I feel I have something to offer”

    • Mrs Mayor’s Abode

      Oh how nice..  nothing less that one should expect from Next magazine…

  • Euan Rt

    If they appoint a new mayor who is a woman, what on earth will they put on the door of the little office? Mr mayors office?

    • Euan Rt

      or ‘The Stallion’

      • mare

        TELL ME MORE….

    • Mrs Mayor’s Abode

      Well Vicky Buck’s man Rob was affectionally referred as Mrs Mayor..

  • Michael

    I’m not against a partner of a Mayor or MP from using some resources of the office to be in the loop for the personal management of their politician partner, and to arrange events etc. that they are expected to attend as the partner of the Mayor/MP.

    However, in my experience in central and local government I’ve never heard of a dedicated desk for an unelected/non-employee partner. (I am aware of one partner of a mayor who works at the council, but her employment predates the relationship.)

    • Hakimofphut

      Is that Michael Lhaws ?

      • Michael

        Nope.

  • Boss Hogg

    How about a bit of fun.

    Way back in 1977 when my older sister started at Auckland University there was some sort of competition to “re locate” some items of interest from around town back to campus.

    Two thinking boys put on overalls, got a screw driver and went the Mayors Office (Sir DMR) and marched in, told the Mayor directly that they had come to effect some required repairs to the door.  He happily agreed.  The door was removed and “re located” to campus.  He had no door for about two weeks !!

    I am sure there are thousands of these stories about, but this one tickled me at the time.

    In the Air Force we used to have the “Hoggs Head” (not mine luckily) and there are some bute stories around that……… I will leave that for others.

    How would that go these days…………….

    Cheers……….

  • mister nui

    She was a snooty bitch at school and she hasn’t changed one bit. Her younger sister was the same, but the youngest and the best looking of the 3 is a lovely girl.

  • Blinded

    If you ever get to meet her in person, you’ll find she has a face like a dog’s arse.

  • James

      ” having its own office”
    Since “it” is being treated as an object,  I’m sure despite it having a dog’s arse for a face,  most would shag it silly doggy style after a few beers.  That imitation leather jacket does it for me.

  • EX Navy Greg

    Well I think she looks like a very nice girl.