Mayor of Whangarei


The Mayor of Whangarei is the directly elected head of the Whangarei District Council, the local government authority for the Whangarei District in New Zealand, which it controls as a unitary authority. The position has existed since 1 November 1989 after the amalgamation of various territorial authorities. The mayor is supported by a deputy mayor.

Role of mayor

The mayor has significant executive powers, their own staff and the ability to appoint the chairpersons of the council's committees. The position was first elected on 1 November 1989 for the establishment of the Whangarei District Council. The Council replaced three territorial authority councils, the Whangarei County Council, Whangarei City Council and Hikurangi Town Board.

List of mayors

Role of deputy mayor

The deputy mayor is the second highest elected official in the Whangarei District Council. The deputy mayor acts in support of the Mayor of Whangarei. It is the second highest elected position in the council. However, like the position of Deputy Prime Minister, this seniority does not necessarily translate into power. They are appointed by the mayor from the elected ward councillors. The current deputy mayor is Greg Innes, who currently represents the Whangarei Heads Ward ward on the Whangarei District Council. Innes was announced as deputy mayor in October 2019, and assumed office upon the swearing in of the new council.
Beyond committees of the whole council, the deputy mayor is an ex-officio member of the following Whangarei District Council committees:
Like any other councillor, the deputy mayor may be appointed to additional committees which the mayor wishes to appoint them to.