33 Facts About Fran Wilde

Fran Wilde was chairperson of the Greater Wellington Regional Council from 2007 until 2015, and since 2019 she has chaired the board of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

Fran Wilde attended St Mary's College and later at Wellington Polytechnic and Victoria University.

Fran Wilde joined the Labour Party in 1972 and was later the editor of the party newsletter, New Nation.

Fran Wilde later became the chairperson of the electorate in which she resided and a member of Labour's executive council in the Wellington region.

Fran Wilde was a Member of Parliament for the Wellington Central seat, winning it from sitting National MP Ken Comber in the 1981 general election.

Fran Wilde retained the seat at the subsequent 1984 general election.

Fran Wilde was Labour's junior Parliamentary Whip from 1984 to 1987.

In 1985, Fran Wilde moved what became the Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986, which legalised homosexual acts in New Zealand between consenting men.

Fran Wilde's other main legislative achievement in Parliament was an Adoption Reform Act, which made it possible for adopted people and their birth-parents to contact each other.

From 1987 Fran Wilde served as an Associate Minister outside Cabinet in the Foreign Affairs, Housing, Conservation and Pacific Island Affairs portfolios and Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control in the second term of the Fourth Labour Government.

When Geoffrey Palmer became Prime Minister, Fran Wilde was promoted into Cabinet and appointed Minister of Tourism alongside her continuing roles as Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control and Associate Minister of External Affairs and Trade.

Fran Wilde's seat was retained by Labour, with Chris Laidlaw winning the 1992 by-election caused by Wilde's resignation.

Fran Wilde won the Mayoralty, and during her time as Mayor, Wilde worked to improve Wellington's image and continuing on from the city's strong anti-nuclear sentiments she declared Wellington a Peace Capital in 1993.

Wilde spearheaded initiatives like the planning and construction of the WestpacTrust Stadium which features an elevated accessway to its entrance known as the "Fran Wilde Walk" which was opened in June 2005.

In 1995 Fran Wilde was not renominated by the Labour Party with local members opining that she had drifted too far from Labour policies during her term as mayor.

Fran Wilde responded by stating if she decided to stand for a second term, she would stand as an independent.

Fran Wilde made clear she still supported the Labour Party and praised its leader Helen Clark and her leadership of the party.

Clark said Fran Wilde would have her support if she decided to run as an independent candidate.

Ultimately Fran Wilde retired from the role after just one term.

Fran Wilde returned to local politics in 2004, successfully contesting a seat on the Wellington Regional Council.

Fran Wilde was returned as both a councillor and the chair in 2010 and 2013.

Fran Wilde was a strong proponent of the super city proposal for Wellington.

Fran Wilde stepped down from the chair's position from 30 June 2015, but remained a regional councillor.

Fran Wilde was succeeded as chair by Chris Laidlaw and did not stand for re-election in 2016.

Fran Wilde contested and was elected to the Capital and Coast District Health Board in 2016 and was appointed the deputy chair of the board.

Fran Wilde has served as the deputy chair and acting chair of the NZ Transport Agency.

Fran Wilde was appointed to the board of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in 2015.

Fran Wilde became the board's deputy chair in January 2019, and has been its chair since 1 July 2019.

Fran Wilde is on the board of Kiwi Can Do, an organisation which helps unemployed New Zealanders get back into work.

Dame Fran Wilde was appointed as Chairperson of the Royal New Zealand Plunket Trust in November 2020.

In 1993, Fran Wilde was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.

Fran Wilde was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services in the 1996 New Year Honours; a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to local-body affairs and the community; and a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2017 for services to the State and the community.

Fran Wilde has three adult children from her first marriage to Geoffrey Wilde.