Fran_Wilde

Fran Wilde

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.

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.

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.

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. On 30 October, Wilde was elected Chair of the Council.