Adrienne Staples

Adrienne Lee Staples is 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. 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.

Personal life

Staples was born in Featherston, New Zealand. She runs a small manufacturing business based in Featherston and a Wellington IT consulting company.

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. After retiring from the mayoralty in 2016 she ran for a position on the Greater Wellington Regional Council, where she was elected deputy-chair. She was re-elected as deputy for a second term in 2022. Staples is running for re-election to the regional council in the 2025 elections.
In 2013, Staples and other Wairarapa mayors were the subject of a parody video based on the film Downfall. She and her husband threatened to sue the video's creator for defamation, and engaged lawyers to have YouTube remove the video.

Honours and awards

In the 2017 New Year Honours, Staples was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to local government. 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. 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. 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.