Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said Dame Cath Tizard was a trailblazer in becoming the first woman Mayor of Auckland and will be remembered as a competent, personable, and well-liked leader of the city.
“Dame Cath was an exceptional role model becoming the first woman Mayor of Auckland and Governor General, showing great leadership in both roles,” Phil Goff said.
“Cath described herself in her memoirs as a person who was “sensible, cheerful and doesn’t hold grudges” It was a perfect description of qualities she brought to the role.
“As a Labour mayor, she built relationships across party lines and sought to work collaboratively with others in the interests of the city.
“She was instrumental in creating the Aotea Centre and she worked hard to ensure Auckland successfully hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1990.
“Most of all she will be remembered as a woman with strong values who sought to work with others to build a better community, city and country, to which she made a huge contribution,” Phil Goff said.
Tributes to Dame Catherine can be emailed to the Department of Internal Affairs at Condolences@dia.govt.nz. Messages sent to this address will be compiled with the physical condolence book hosted at Parliament and forwarded to Dame Catherine's family in due course.
