Barry Curtis (mayor)
Sir Barry John Curtis (born 27 February 1939) is a retired New Zealand local-body politician, who served as mayor of Manukau City from 1983 until 2007. When he announced his intention to retire in 2007, he was New Zealand's longest-serving mayor at that time. Early life and family Curtis was born in Auckland on 27 February 1939, the son of John Dixon Cory Curtis and Vera Gladys Curtis (née Johnson), and educated at Otahuhu College. He undertook further study through the Technical Correspondence Institute, Wellington, and the University of Auckland, gaining a Diploma of Town Planning, and eventually becoming a town planning consultant and registered surveyor. Career Curtis was first elected as a Manukau City councillor in 1968, three years after Manukau City was formed and was re-elected in 1971, 1974, 1977 and 1980. He was also elected in 1971 to the Auckland Regional Authority, the predecessor of the Auckland Regional Council and was re-elected in 1974, 1977, 1980 and 1983. From 1977 to 1983 he was chairman of the Authority's regional planning committee. In 1974, Curtis challenged Gavin Downie for the National Party nomination for the seat of Pakuranga after many local party members became dissatisfied with Downie's performance.