26 Facts About Jules Radich

Jules Vincent Radich was born on 1954 and is a New Zealand politician who has served as the 59th mayor of Dunedin, New Zealand since 2022.

Jules Radich has served as councillor for the Dunedin City Council since 2019.

Jules Radich was born in Mataura, before moving to Dunedin to study a Bachelor of Science at the University of Otago.

Jules Radich started Uptown Motorcycles in Dunedin, and after 20 years, sold the company.

Jules Radich is a company director for Action Coach Otago and has been a business coach for 14 years.

Jules Radich served his first term as a councillor on the Dunedin City Council between 2019 and 2022.

On 8 October 2022, Jules Radich defeated incumbent Mayor of Dunedin Aaron Hawkins.

In mid October 2022, Jules Radich appointed Sophie Baker as deputy mayor and chair of the Dunedin City Council's new strategy and engagement committee.

In early November 2022, Jules Radich expressed conditional support for the Government's controversial Three Waters reform programme but advocated more local ownership over water resources and infrastructure.

In mid-November 2022, Jules Radich attracted media attention after stating there was "no cause for alarm" after around 800 passengers aboard the cruise ship Majestic Princess tested positive for COVID-19.

Jules Radich claimed that there was no cause for alarm due to the measures taken by Dunedin health professionals and the high rate of COVID-19 vaccinations in Dunedin.

In December 2022, Jules Radich was locked in a pay dispute with two fellow councillors Benson Pope and Steve Walker.

Benson Pope and Walker claimed that Jules Radich had offered them roles which he knew they would reject.

In December 2022, Jules Radich initially supported Te Whatu Ora's cutbacks to operating facilities at the new Dunedin Hospital.

Jules Radich argued that opposing Health NZ's proposed hospital cutbacks could help improve public opinion ratings of the Dunedin City Council, which had declined to a record 25 percent low in 2022.

In early September 2024, Jules Radich criticised a proposal by the Sixth National Government to cut the number of emergency beds and downgrading operating theatres as part of cost-cutting measures, saying that any reduction of facilities and services were contrary to the Government's promises made to Dunedin, Otago and Southland residents.

On 31 January 2025, Jules Radich welcomed Health Minister Simeon Brown's announcement that the Government would build the new Dunedin Hospital on the site of the former Cadbury factory rather than refurbishing the existing hospital.

Jules Radich credited the "Hospital Cut Hurts" campaign with forcing the Government to listen to public demands for a new hospital.

In September 2023, Jules Radich was criticised for his handling of a code of conduct breach involving Barry Williams, the chair of Strath Taieri Community Board.

In mid December 2023, an independent investigator found that Jules Radich had breached the Council's code of conduct and brought the City Council into disrepute over his comments regarding Williams' racist remarks.

Jules Radich disagreed with budgets cuts and opposed deferring work on water and wastewater infrastructure.

On 22 May 2024, Jules Radich was criticised by Crs David Benson-Pope and Sophie Barker for not holding regular statutory chief executive appraisal committee.

Jules Radich disputed Benson-Pope and Barkers' criticisms, arguing that the DCC had held regular meetings.

In mid March 2024, Jules Radich supported a DCC proposal to consult ratepayers on a proposal to sell the Council-owned power company Aurora Energy in order to pay off the company's forecast debt of NZ$750 million.

Jules Radich said that the money would be invested in an investment fund to generate revenue for the DCC.

In mid February 2025, Jules Radich reiterated the DCC's plans to slow rising debt and to pay off the city's debts within a decade.