16 Facts About Julie Hardaker

Julie Hardaker was the Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand, from October 2010 to October 2016.

Julie Hardaker is involved in various community and business organisations at a governance level.

Julie Hardaker lived in Australia during the 1980s, where she was self-employed in retail.

Julie Hardaker graduated from the University of Waikato Faculty of Law in 1995 as the top law student with LLB Hons.

Julie Hardaker holds a Masters of Management degree from Waikato University.

Julie Hardaker was recently elected Chair of Women on Boards, a division of Governance New Zealand.

Julie Hardaker initially specialised in dispute resolution, before turning her attention to employment law.

Julie Hardaker has served on the boards of the Waikato Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc She has been a member of the St Peters School Board of Trustees, and has been on the board of Habitat for Humanity Waikato.

Julie Hardaker was the founding chair of The Peoples Project, established in Hamilton to respond to homelessness based on a housing first model.

Julie Hardaker is married to Steven Perdia, who is father to two boys living in Australia.

Julie Hardaker entered the 2010 mayoral contest as a political newcomer, one of six candidates.

Julie Hardaker had been appointed Mayor in 2007 following the resignation of his predecessor, and had represented Hamilton West in Parliament from 1996 until his defeat in 2002.

Julie Hardaker campaigned for opening the books on the V8s, transparent government, city living and making the Waikato River accessible.

Julie Hardaker stood for re-election in the 2013 mayoral election.

Julie Hardaker was re-elected with 15737 votes over rival Ewan Wilson with 12826 votes, a 2911 majority which was a three-fold majority increase from 2010 and the first Mayor in Hamilton to be re-elected since Margaret Evans in 1995.

In March 2016 Julie Hardaker announced that she would not be contesting the 2016 mayoral election and would be returning to her law career.