Paul Eagle to move to Chatham Islands as council chief executive

Outgoing Labour MP Paul eagle has been appointed the new chief executive for the Chatham Islands Council.

Eagle will be the first MP to transition to a local government chief executive role, after he stated he would not be running for his Rongotai seat again for the 2023 election.

He had been a two-term MP, serving Wellington’s southern and eastern suburbs since 2017.

Eagle has prior experience with the islands, being the most remote part of his old Rongotai electorate.

Mayor Monique Croon said Eagle was appointed to the role following a comprehensive, nationwide search run by an independent recruitment firm.

Croon said a requirement of the role was to live on the island full time and that Eagle would be moving over with his family.

“Paul was the standout candidate and demonstrated a vision for change and bold leadership, backed up by years of local government and political experience.

“As our MP for the Chatham Islands over the past six years, Paul knows our community well and has helped deliver critical services and infrastructure on the island.”

Of Waikato-Tainui heritage, Eagle will be the first Māori Chief Executive of the council and replaces inaugural CEO Owen Pickles who has retired after 21 years in the role.

He said he looked forward to building on the legacy of his predecessor and to serving the needs of the local community.

“I’m honoured to be chosen for this role and to supporting the people of the Chathams to achieve their aspirations.”

Prior to becoming an MP, Eagle was deputy mayor of Wellington City – the first Māori to hold the position. He had also previously been a city councillor for the Southern Ward since 2010.

With a total of 25 years of public service, Eagle previously held a number of senior public sector roles and worked in economic development, events, recreation and tourism for both Wellington and the former Auckland and Manukau City Councils.

After losing the Wellington mayoral race last year to Tory Whanau, Eagle said he did not intend to run again for Rongotai.

That was despite his last campaign resulting in the fourth-largest electorate majority in the 2020 election.

Though he said little about his retirement himself, fellow party member Fleur Fitzsimons hailed him as a “visible and practical local MP”.

Her use of the word “visible” was particularly pertinent amidst criticisms at the time that Rongotai’s MP was especially hard to contact after his mayoral loss.

Fitzsimons takes his place for the 2023 Rongotai electorate race against Green MP Julie Anne Genter and National candidate Karuna Muthu.