Ray Ahipene-Mercer

Ray Ahipene-Mercer
Wellington City Councillor for the Eastern Ward
In office
2000–2016
Preceded bySue Kedgley
Succeeded byChris Calvi-Freeman
Personal details
Born (1948-10-20) 20 October 1948 (age 75)
Wellington, New Zealand
SpouseChristine (Chris) Viggars (deceased)
EducationUpper Hutt College
OccupationMusician, guitar-maker, environmentalist, politician

Raymond Ahipene-Mercer (born 20 October 1948) is a former New Zealand politician, who served as a Wellington City Councillor for the Eastern Ward,[1] only the second Māori to be elected to the Wellington City Council and the first Māori to be elected since 1962.[2] He is also a guitar-maker, musician, and well-known environmentalist,[2][3] and was one of the leaders of the Clean Water Campaign, which led to the end of sewage pollution of the Wellington coast.[2] He was a candidate for mayor of Wellington in the council elections of 2007,[4] the first Māori ever to contest the position.[citation needed]He was runner-up to the incumbent.[5] As a musician and guitar maker he usually uses the name Ray Mercer, and has used the name Ray Ahipene-Mercer for other purposes including his environmental work and politics.

  1. ^ Wellington City Council. "Councillor – Ray Ahipene-Mercer." Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine wellington.govt.nz. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
  2. ^ a b c "Councillor's journey from pop to politics." The Evening Post, 5 May 2000, edition 3, page 8.
  3. ^ Career Services. (ca. 2003, "Local Government Representative: Kanohi Kāwanatanga a-Rohe – Ray Ahipene-Mercer, City Councillor". Archived 27 September 2007 at archive.today Career Services/Rapuara: Seek the Path. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
  4. ^ Community News Limited. (7 March 2007). "Ray Ahipene-Mercer: 'I am your mayoral candidate.'" Archived 16 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine CNews. cnews.co.nz. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
  5. ^ "Elections - 2007 Results - Wellington - New Zealand". Archived from the original on 6 September 2008. Retrieved 10 February 2008.