Paul Matheson


Paul Kenneth Matheson is a New Zealand politician. He was mayor of Nelson from 1998 to 2007, and has subsequently been a Nelson city councillor since 2010. He is currently the deputy mayor of Nelson.

Early life and family

Born in Huntly in 1947, the son of an accountant, Matheson was raised in Auckland from about the age of five.

Political career

He first became involved in politics through membership of the New Zealand Young Nationals in the late 1960s, and served as that organisation's president from 1972 to 1973. He stood as the National candidate for the Sydenham electorate at the 1975 general election, but was defeated by the incumbent, John Kirk.
Matheson was elected to the Nelson City Council in 1989. At the next local-body election in 1992 he did not stand for council, but instead ran for the mayoralty and was defeated by Philip Woollaston. Matheson was returned as a city councillor in 1995 and was elected mayor of Nelson in 1998, this time defeating Woollaston. He was re-elected mayor in 2001 and 2004, but stood down at the 2007 election. He also served as the national chair of the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs youth scheme.
In the 2008 New Year Honours, Matheson was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for services to local-body affairs and the community.
In 2010, Matheson returned to local-body politics and was elected once again as a Nelson city councillor. He was, however, unsuccessful in his bid for a seat on the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board. He was re-elected as a city councillor in 2013 and was appointed deputy mayor of Nelson.
Matheson was the campaign manager for Nelson MP Nick Smith at the 2011 general election.

Personal life

Matheson's wife, Juliana, died of cancer just six weeks before he took office as mayor, and since that time he has been a fundraiser for the Nelson Cancer Society's Daffodil Day appeal. He has three adult children.