Lianne Dalziel has served over 30 years in public office, first as a Member of Parliament, including time as a cabinet minister, and has recently stepped down as Mayor of Christchurch having served in that role for nine years.

Having represented an electorate that was hard hit by the 2010-2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence, Lianne has become a respected champion of resilience with a strong understanding of post-disaster challenges and opportunities.

The city faced a number of challenges during Lianne’s time as Mayor, and she played a pivotal role in establishing the Christchurch Foundation. This meant that the city was much better prepared for the philanthropic giving that accompanied the outpouring of compassion in the wake of the March 15, 2019, terrorist attack on the city’s mosques, than it had been after the earthquakes.

As a result the Foundation has been able to formulate a model of practice in times of disaster that is worthy of sharing.