Paula Southgate

• Teacher
• mental health counsellor

Paula Southgate
36th Mayor of Hamilton
In office 24 October 2019 (2019-10-24) –22 October 2025
Website	https://www.paulasouthgate.co.nz/

Paula Anne Southgate ^[2] is a New Zealand politician. She has held several positions in local government since 2001. In October 2019 she was elected the Mayor of Hamilton ^[3] and was re-elected in October 2022. ^[4]

Early life

Southgate was born in 1963 or 1964 ^[1] to Margaret Southgate ^[5] and attended Hamilton Girls' High School and the University of Waikato. ^[6] She worked as a teacher, a counsellor in the mental health sector, and served on two school boards of trustees. ^[7]

Local government

Southgate in 2025 at celebration of the Japanese Emperor's birthday

Southgate served as a councillor on the Waikato Regional Council from 2001 to 2016. ^[6] In 2013 she was elected to be the council chair over Bob Simcock, with the support of eight out of fourteen councillors. ^[8]

Southgate ran to be mayor of Hamilton and a Hamilton City Councillor in the 2016 local elections but lost to Andrew King. The election was close, with an election-day margin of nine votes reduced to six votes after a judicial recount. However, she was elected as a city councillor from the East ward. ^[9]

In the 2019 local elections, although Southgate did not run for a councillor position, she did win the mayoralty with 33.74% of the vote and a majority of 3,137 votes over King, who had proposed renaming Hamilton to Kirikiriroa in spite of public opinion. ^[10] Geoff Taylor was appointed as her deputy mayor. ^[11]

Southgate sought and won a second mayoral term in the 2022 Hamilton mayoral election. ^{[12] [13]}

On 12 January 2025, Southgate confirmed that she would not be running for a third mayoral term during the 2025 New Zealand local elections. ^[14]

Personal life

Southgate is married to Greg Forsyth and has two daughters and a stepson. ^[6]

References

1. Leaman, Aaron (12 October 2019). "Paula Southgate elected Hamilton's new mayor". Stuff . Retrieved 22 October 2019.
2. "2019 Elections - Electoral Expenses and Donations Returns - Mayoral Candidates.pdf" (PDF). Hamilton City Council.
3. "Paula Southgate is Hamilton's new Mayor" (Press release). Hamilton City Council. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
4. "Paula Southgate Confirmed As Mayor Of Hamilton Kirikiriroa". www.scoop.co.nz. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
5. Leaman, Aaron (29 September 2016). "Allegations of voting shenanigans sully Hamilton mayoral debate". Stuff. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
6. "Councillor Paula Southgate". Hamilton City Council. Archived from the original on 26 January 2019.
7. "Southgate enters Hamilton mayoral race". Stuff. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
8. Leaman, Aaron (1 November 2013). "Paula Southgate secures regional chair". Waikato Times . Stuff. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019.
9. "Results". Hamilton City Council. 28 October 2016. Archived from the original on 11 July 2019.
10. "Final results". Hamilton City Council. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
11. "Hamilton's mayor chooses Geoff Taylor for deputy". Stuff. 22 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
12. Leaman, Aaron (17 March 2022). "City Hall showdown – Hamilton city councillors reveal their political ambitions". Stuff. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
13. "Declaration of Results of Election" (PDF). www.yourcityelections.co.nz. Hamilton City Council . Retrieved 13 November 2022.
14. "Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate not running for re-election in October". RNZ . 12 January 2025. Archived from the original on 13 January 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2025.

Political offices
Preceded by Andrew King	Mayor of Hamilton 2019–present	Incumbent