Maureen Pugh

Maureen Helena Pugh ONZM (born 1958/1959)[1] is a New Zealand politician who has previously served as the mayor of the Westland District.

Political career

Pugh was elected to the Westland District Council in 1998 and served two terms before being elected as the district's first woman mayor in 2004, succeeding John Drylie.[2] In 2007 she was returned as mayor unopposed.[3] She stood down at the 2013 elections[4] and was succeeded as mayor by Michael Havill.[5]

At the 2014 election she contested the West Coast-Tasman electorate for the New Zealand National Party.[6][7] She was ranked number 52 on the National Party list, just missing out on a seat. [8] Based on preliminary results, she would have entered Parliament,[9][10] but in the final results, National's party vote was lower and the seat she would have taken was won by the Green Party (Steffan Browning).[8] Pugh is first in line should there be a vacancy in a list seat held by a National Party MP during the 51st New Zealand Parliament.

Pugh is from Kumara.[11] In the 2014 New Year Honours, she was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to local government.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Moore, Bill (30 August 2014). "Candidates stretch out to win votes". Nelson Mail. p. 13.
  2. ↑ Fraser, Rebekah (2013). "Pugh challenged for mayoralty". Greymouth Star. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "Westland District Mayor". Vote.co.nz. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  4. ↑ Conway, Glenn (16 December 2013). "Former Westland mayor to stand for National". The Press. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  5. ↑ "Election results: Around the country". The New Zealand Herald. 12 October 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  6. ↑ "Pugh to seek Coast seat". The Nelson Mail. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  7. ↑ Mills, Laura; McMahon, Brendon (2014). "Pugh awaits National Party nod". Greymouth Star. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Rutherford, Hamish (4 October 2014). "National loses majority, Greens pick up one". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  9. ↑ Mathewson, Nicole; Stylianou, Georgina; Fulton, Tim (21 September 2014). "Election 2014: Canterbury decides". The Press. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  10. ↑ Farrar, David (21 September 2014). "Election 2014: All the MPs for each party, plus those who failed to make the cut". National Business Review. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  11. ↑ "Meet the Candidate: Maureen Pugh". Young Nats. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  12. ↑ "New Year honours list 2014". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2014.