Barry Curtis

Sir Barry John Curtis (27 February 1939 – 30 March 2026) was a New Zealand 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.

Background 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. Curtis placed a distant fifth out of seven candidates with 356 votes (1.46% of the vote). Downie was re-elected.

Curtis was elected Mayor of Manukau City in 1983, and was re-elected in 1986, 1989, 1992, 1995, 1998, 2001 and 2004. He stood down in October 2007 at the triennial elections, succeeded by Len Brown. He was the longest serving Mayor of Manukau City with 39 years of continuous service to the people of Manukau and the Auckland Region.

In 1990, Curtis was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal,

Later life and death When he retired, Curtis moved to Eastern Beach, having lived most of his life in nearby Bucklands Beach.

Curtis died on 30 March 2026, at the age of 87.

Honorific eponym Barry Curtis Park in Flat Bush is named in his honour.

Positions held Mayor of Manukau City (1983–2007) Member of the Auckland Regional Authority (1971–1983) Chairman of the Auckland Regional Authority Planning Committee (1977–1983) Chair of the Auckland Mayoral Forum Patron of South Auckland Hospice, Auckland Hockey Association and many other community organisations in Manukau City Chairman of the National Taskforce for the Reduction of Community Violence Leaders Group Member of the Auckland Regional Land Transport Committee (1990–2007) Deputy Chairman of Auckland Regional Growth Strategy Forum (1996–2007) Chairman of the Auckland Regional Economic Development Strategy (AREDS) Establishment Group (2002–2006) Trustee of the TelstraClear Pacific Events Trust Board Patron of the Pakuranga Tennis Club