Naureen Palmer

Porirua City Council will be holding a memorial service in honour of Naureen Palmer's loyalty to the people of Porirua.

Saturday 24th April 2010 @ 11am

Performing Arts Studio Space (off Pataka Spine), Porirua

Music and Refreshments will follow in the Helen Smith Room =Porirua loses loyal stalwart= ==== By KRIS DANDO - Kapi-Mana News Last updated 05:00 30/03/2010One of Porirua City Council's longest-serving councillors was laid to rest last week.

Naureen Palmer, who served six terms (1989 to 2007), died of cancer at Mary Potter Hospice in Wellington on March 20, aged 61. Her tangi was held at Nukuhau Marae, Taupo, and she was buried at the Nukuhau Urupa on March 23.

Just before she left New Zealand for Brisbane in 2007, Mrs Palmer told Kapi-Mana News that being a councillor was a huge part of her life and she was sad to have to put it behind her.

Leaving the community organisation Family Start, where she was the long-time manager, was no easy thing either.

Mrs Palmer was genuinely crestfallen that after "countless years" there, she only had a small shopping bag of things to take away with her on her final day.

She was most proud of helping to get the green light for Transmission Gully, and her one regret was the sad state of Waitangirua Mall.

She said watching Porirua grow in her six terms gave her great satisfaction.

"I've been so lucky. People used to look down on our city but look at it today, it's amazing.

"We've planned well and it's gone ahead."

Porirua Mayor Jenny Brash says Mrs Palmer "was always a very positive councillor, supportive of developments in the city" such as Pataka, the Aquatic Centre, Trust Porirua Park and the Aotea Block.

Ms Brash was hopeful a memorial service would be held in Porirua sometime in the coming weeks because of the impact Mrs Palmer made in people's lives here.