Ruth Gotlieb (née Wolman, 16 May 1923 – 23 July 2019) was a local politician in

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...

, New Zealand, serving as a

Wellington City Council Wellington City Council is a territorial authority in New Zealand, governing the country's capital city Wellington, and ''de facto'' second-largest city (if the commonly considered parts of Wellington, the Upper Hutt, Porirua, Lower Hutt and ...

lor from 1983 to 2001.

Biography

Early life and career

Gotlieb was born in England on 16 May 1923, the daughter of Joseph and Reka Wolman. The family moved to

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

, Ireland, when her father was appointed a

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...

there. When she was a teenager she and her family moved again, to

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

, Australia, as her father had been appointed chief rabbi for the city. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, Gotlieb joined the Signal Corps and became a

Morse Morse may refer to: People * Morse (surname) * Morse Goodman (1917-1993), Anglican Bishop of Calgary, Canada * Morse Robb (1902–1992), Canadian inventor and entrepreneur Geography Antarctica * Cape Morse, Wilkes Land * Mount Morse, Churchi ...

operator. In the 1940s, she moved to Wellington and started a pretzel business with her husband, Gerry Gotlieb, whom she married in 1951. The couple went on to have four children.

Political career

Gotlieb served on the

from 1983 to 2001, mostly representing the Eastern ward. She also served on the

Greater Wellington Regional Council Wellington Regional Council, branded as Greater Wellington Regional Council, is the regional council overseeing the Wellington Region of New Zealand's lower North Island. It is responsible for public transport under the brand Metlink, environm ...

, the

Wellington Harbour Board (Strong but true) , predecessor = , merged = , successor = , formation = , founder = , founding_location = , dissolved = , merger = , type ...

and the

Capital and Coast District Health Board The Capital and Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) was a district health board with the focus on providing healthcare to Wellington City, Porirua City and the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand. The CCDHB employed about 6000 people across the Wellingt ...

. Gotlieb first ran for office in 1980 as part of the new "Rates Reform" ticket started by Bryan Weyburne. She polled much higher than the rest of the Rates Reform ticket but was unsuccessful. By the following election the Rates Reform movement had merged into the Citizens' Association and she was elected as councillor on the Citizens' ticket. In

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 **Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal enter ...

Gotlieb was elected to the Eastern ward (previous elections had been at large). In 1987 she contested the National Party nomination for the electorate of Miramar (which encompassed the Eastern ward), but lost out to Ian Macfarlane, president of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce. Gotlieb said that the selection process had been a "wonderful experience" and had been "vey glad" to be part of it. Gotlieb was sacked from her part-time job as a private secretary to Ian Lockie, Rawleigh's Australia and New Zealand general manager, because she devoted "too much time" to being a councillor. Gotlieb said she did not blame the company and though she would like to say she resigned, she did not. She stated "I loved my little job, but I loved being a councillor more." Lockie stated "She would bend over backward to help and she was scrupulously fair", but the system could not work and in the end she was regrettably asked to go. In 1992 she vied for the Citizens' nomination for mayor, but was beaten by former National MP

Ken Comber Kenneth Mark Comber (20 January 1939 – 6 December 1998) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party, and an accountant. Biography Early life and career Comber was born in New Plymouth in 1939. He received his education at St Joseph ...

. She then broke with the Citizens' Association and ran as an independent candidate. When announcing her candidature for the mayoralty she said "I expect to win. People know I won't make promises I can't keep and I will keep the promises I do make. I get things done and I care about this city." Citizens' Association president John Liddiard described Gotlieb as disloyal upon receiving her letter of resignation from the association. Liddiard expressed his doubts Gotlieb could win the mayoralty stating "I think she's made a big mistake, politically and personally." Gotlieb said she was furious with Liddiard's reaction stating "I am disgusted." She finished fifth with 10.23% of the vote, but was re-elected in the Eastern ward comfortably, remaining in this position until 2001, when she was succeeded by David Major. During her career she was responsible for a number of achievements. She established the Wellington Youth Council, supported the opening of a mobile library service, pressed for the installation of a hydrotherapy pool at Kilbirnie Aquatic Centre, and contributed to the governance of the upgrade of Wellington Hospital. She was also heavily involved with the failed arts festival

Sesqui 1990 Sesqui 1990 was a festival that was staged in February 1990 in the city of Wellington, New Zealand. A spectacular commercial and administrative failure, the Sesqui event has subsequently become an icon of corporate mismanagement within New Zealan ...

Later life and death

Organisations that Gotlieb volunteered for included Trade Aid, the Wellington branch of the Cancer Society of New Zealand, the Newtown Community Centre, Eva's Attic, Ronald McDonald House, and Mary Potter Hospice. In 2007 she made a failed attempt to re-enter politics, standing unsuccessfully in the Eastern ward. Gotlieb died in Wellington on 23 July 2019. She was 96 years old.

Recognition

In the

1995 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1995 were appointments by most of the sixteen Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, and honorary ones to citizens of other co ...

, Gotlieb was appointed a

Companion of the Queen's Service Order The Queen's Service Order, established by royal warrant of Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, is used to recognise "valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the pu ...

for public services. In 2000, the Wellington City Council named the

Kilbirnie Kilbirnie ( Gaelic: ''Cill Bhraonaigh'') is a small town of 7,280 (as of 2001) inhabitants situated in the Garnock Valley area of North Ayrshire, on the west coast of Scotland. It is around southwest of Glasgow and approximately from Paisle ...

public library after her in recognition of her extensive contribution to library services. In 2010, she was named Wellingtonian of the Year.

References

External links

Ruth Gotlieb oral history
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gotlieb, Ruth 1923 births 2019 deaths Companions of the Queen's Service Order British emigrants to New Zealand New Zealand people of English-Jewish descent Wellington City Councillors Wellington Harbour Board members Wellington regional councillors Capital and Coast District Health Board members Independent politicians in New Zealand New Zealand National Party politicians Jewish New Zealand politicians British expatriates in Ireland British expatriates in Australia New Zealand military personnel of World War II New Zealand women in World War II