Sir Tim was last ‘celebrity-type’ mayor

Former Invercargill mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt has been remembered as the last "celebrity-type" mayor, and former colleagues have said they were fortunate to have been "part of that era".

Sir Tim died early yesterday morning, the Invercargill City Council said.

He served eight terms as Invercargill mayor and two terms as Waitematā mayor, making him one of the longest-serving mayors in New Zealand.

Former Invercargill mayor, and Sir Tim’s former deputy mayor, Nobby Clarke said Sir Tim was "well known" for his sense of humour and ability to entertain.

"Tim was probably the last of the sort of celebrity-type mayors in lots of ways ... He was quite a colourful character and I learnt a lot from him about how to not allow the stress of the job to get on top of you.

"I’m real sad to hear that he’s passed [and] my thoughts go out to his partner and son."

His partner Asha Dutt described Sir Tim as "a kind-hearted man who cared deeply about the people around him".

"Today we lost the cornerstone of our family and the man who has devoted himself to promoting the city of Invercargill for almost 30 years.

"He was a champion for the underdog and an active political campaigner from his student days of anti-war protest, his activism for Māori rights and his fight to keep the Southern Institute of Technology and zero fees autonomous.

"Tim will be remembered with gratitude, respect, and affection for his commitment to the South and his passion for life."

Long-serving Invercargill councillor Ian Pottinger said he was very privileged to have been part of the era when Sir Tim was at the helm.

"Obviously, he was a very interesting character — he was a legend by the time I started back in 2010."

He said what he appreciated most about Sir Tim was that he was a "real team player" who truly cared about doing what was best for Invercargill.

"Even though he was a bit of a celebrity, he took his job seriously and would listen to all the other councillors ... I really enjoyed working with him and feel lucky to have been part of his era."

Former Dunedin mayor Aaron Hawkins said growing up in Invercargill in the 1990s was "bloody grim," and you could not underestimate the value of the civic pride he built, in a community that had become used to being treated as a punchline.

laine.priestley@odt.co.nz