Adrienne Lee StaplesONZM (born 1956/1957)[1] was a New Zealand local-body politician. She was the mayor of South Wairarapa for 12 years from 2004 to 2016,and was the first woman to serve in the role.[1][2] In 2017 Staples was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese government,in recognition of her promotion of Japanese–New Zealand friendship and mutual understanding. Staples died in April 2026.[3]
Staples was born in Featherston,New Zealand.[4] She ran a small manufacturing business based in Featherston and a Wellington IT consulting company.[5]
Career
Staples was a member of the Featherston community board. She was elected Mayor of South Wairarapa in 2004,becoming the district's first female mayor.[1] After retiring from the mayoralty in 2016 she ran for a position on the Greater Wellington Regional Council,[6] where she was elected deputy-chair.[7][8] She was re-elected as deputy for a second term in 2022.[9] Staples is running for re-election to the regional council in the 2025 elections.[10]
In 2013,Staples and other Wairarapa mayors were the subject of a parody video based on the film Downfall.[11] She and her husband threatened to sue the video's creator for defamation,and engaged lawyers to have YouTube remove the video.[12]
In the 2017 New Year Honours,Staples was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit,for services to local government.[13] The citation mentioned that Staples oversaw the completion of the redevelopment of Greytown's historic town hall,and the formation of the Cross Creek to Featherston cycle trail.[14] Later in 2017,Staples was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun,Gold Rays with Rosette,by the Japanese government,in recognition of her promotion of Japanese–New Zealand friendship and mutual understanding.[15][16] During her time as mayor,Staples hosted a Japanese choir that visited in remembrance of the 48 Japanese prisoners and 1 New Zealand guard killed at the Featherston prisoner-of-war camp in 1943.[15]
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