Newly appointed CEO of the Christchurch City Council, Mary Richardson, says she’s focused on fostering stability within the organisation, improving engagement with the community, and ensuring transparency in council operations.

In an interview with chrislynchmedia.com, she said she aims to create a work environment where staff are empowered to provide the best service to the people of Christchurch while working to rebuild public trust in the Council’s decision-making processes.

“It’s our responsibility to make this a good place to work and to ensure we’re doing the best for the city,” she said.

Richardson’s appointment followed a selection process involving 37 candidates. Initially, she ruled herself out of the role, but the Council asked her to re-consider. “Mary went through the same process as all the other candidates,” Mayor Phil Mauger said. She accepted on the condition that she could work a shorter two-year term rather than the usual five-year appointment.

Richardson said “when I stepped into the interim role, I wanted the councillors to be confident that my decisions were based on what was best for the city, not influenced by being in a prolonged job interview. Integrity is very important to me.” She also felt that she wasn’t ready to commit to a five-year term, but when the opportunity for a shorter commitment arose, she reconsidered.

Beyond professional reasons, Richardson’s connection to the Council played a part in her decision. “I owe the council a lot. They gave me my first real job many decades ago. I’ve left Christchurch and even the country, but they’ve always welcomed me back. It’s fantastic to serve the people of Christchurch—who wouldn’t want this job?”

Richardson took a $100,000 pay cut to assume the role, a decision she described as part of her commitment to public service. “As I’ve said many times, I’m a public servant. It’s an honour to serve the public, and I am very mindful that the ratepayers who pay my salary are facing tough times right now. This is one way I could contribute.”

Mayor Mauger highlighted the qualities that set Richardson apart from other candidates. “Mary brings stability, which is exactly what we need right now. The staff have faced a lot of upheaval in recent years, and Mary’s leadership provides the consistency that’s crucial at this time. The whole place is running very well under her.”

When it comes to the morale of Council staff, Richardson and Mauger see it as a shared responsibility. “I think it’s every staff member’s responsibility to maintain morale,” Richardson said. “That starts with me, the executive leadership team, right down through to our heads of service and all our staff. When people are happy, they work better and go the extra mile.” She also praised Mayor Mauger’s efforts to engage with staff, adding, “Phil is always walking the floors, meeting with staff, visiting different teams, and offering encouragement.”

Addressing the public perception that some of the Council’s decisions were predetermined, both leaders acknowledged the need to rebuild trust. “This isn’t unique to Christchurch—it’s a challenge faced by democracies around the world,” Richardson said. She noted that the Council is working to reconnect with the community, including bringing park staff back into the Council to provide a more direct interface with the public.

“What people trust is the last person they spoke to at the Council. If we can have more people engaging face-to-face or over the phone, it will make a bigger difference than any PR campaign we could run,” she said.

Mauger pointed to increased transparency in Council operations as another step towards rebuilding public confidence. “One of the good things that’s happened is that we’re now doing our briefings in public. There’s a lot less material under public exclusion because we want to be as transparent as possible. If people want to watch, they can.”