Sukhi Turner
{{short description|New Zealand politician}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Dame Sukhi Turner
|honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|DNZM|size=100%}}
|image = Sukhi Turner 2009.jpg
|alt =
|caption = Turner in 2009
|order = 55th
|office = Mayor of Dunedin
|term_start = 1995
|term_end = 2004
|predecessor = Richard Walls
|successor = Peter Chin
|birth_name = Sukhinder Kaur Gill
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1952|04|13|df=y}}
|birth_place = Ludhiana, India
|death_date =
|death_place =
|restingplace =
|restingplacecoordinates =
|nationality = New Zealand
|party = Green
|otherparty =
|spouse = {{marriage|Glenn Turner|1973}}
|children = 2
|relatives = {{ubl|Brian Turner (brother-in-law)|Greg Turner (brother-in-law)}}
}}
Dame Sukhinder Kaur Gill Turner {{post-nominals|country=NZL|DNZM}} (born Sukhinder Kaur Gill, 13 April 1952), commonly known as Sukhi Turner, is a New Zealand politician who served as the Mayor of Dunedin, New Zealand, from 1995 until her retirement from the position in 2004. She was also regarded by some as New Zealand's most prominent politician from the country's Indian community.
Early life
Turner was born in Ludhiana, the largest city in the Indian state of Punjab, to Squadron Leader Jasbir Singh Gill and Premjit Kaur on 13 April 1952.{{cite web | url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011202/herworld.htm#2 | title=Ludhiana girl's hat-trick as mayor in New Zealand | work=The Tribune, Chandigarh | date=2 December 2001 | access-date=10 January 2013 | author=Singh, Teena}}{{cite web |url=http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=try&db=NZNaturalisations&h=102041 |title=New Zealand, naturalisations |year=2010 |publisher=Ancestry.com Operations |access-date=10 November 2016 |url-access=subscription }}
Born as Sukhinder Kaur Gill, she is a Sikh. She attended Bethany College, West Virginia, United States, gaining qualifications in history and political science. She moved to New Zealand after marrying Glenn Turner, a prominent New Zealand cricket player, in July 1973, and became a naturalised New Zealander in August 1973. Sukhi and Glenn Turner settled in Dunedin in 1982. They have two children.{{cite web|last1=Kumar|first1=Rajesh|title=Bowling 'em over|url=http://indiaempire.com/v2/magazine/2004/Oct/sukhi-turner.html|website=India Empire|access-date=1 February 2017}}
Political career
Turner has taken part in a wide range of community work, focusing particularly on education. She has taken an active role in school committees and associations, and in 1992,{{Cite news|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sukhi-turner-politician-by-choice-punjabi-at-heart-kiwi-by-nature-43031|title=Sukhi Turner: Politician by choice, Punjabi at heart, Kiwi by nature|date=18 February 2020|work=The Tribune|access-date=18 February 2020}} successfully stood for election to the Dunedin City Council. After a three-year term on the council, Turner chose to contest the mayoralty, challenging long-serving incumbent Richard Walls. She was successful, and was subsequently re-elected twice. Her win over sitting mayor Richard Walls was reported on widely and she was noted for bringing diversity to the mayoralty, with Wellington newspaper The Evening Post stating of Turner "Dunedin voters broke new ground. Their new mayor is a woman, an Indian and a Green."{{cite news |first=Caroline |last=Martin |title=Shaking the old guard |work=The Evening Post |date=25 October 1995 |page=7 }} Turner announced that she would retire from the position in October 2004, when her third term expired. She was replaced by Peter Chin.{{cite web|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/396995/mayoralty-campaign-heats-up-in-cold-southern-winter-with-record-candidates |title=Mayoralty campaign heats up in cold southern winter with record candidates |date= 19 August 2019 |access-date= 11 February 2021}}
In 1993, Turner was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.{{cite web |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/our-programmes/new-zealand-royal-honours/new-zealand-royal-honours-system/types-new-zealand-royal-honours/other-distinctive-new-zealand-honours/suffrage-medal-register |title=The New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 – register of recipients |date=26 July 2018 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=18 September 2018}}
Life after politics
In the 2002 Queen's Birthday and Golden Jubilee Honours, Turner was appointed a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to local government.{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-and-golden-jubilee-honours-list-2002 |title=Queen's Birthday and Golden Jubilee honours list 2002 |date=3 June 2002 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=25 June 2020}} Following the reinstatement of titular honours by the New Zealand government in 2009, she accepted redesignation as a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/special-honours-list-1-august-2009 |title=Special honours list 1 August 2009 |date=5 April 2011 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=25 June 2020}}
In early 2004, Turner was among the recipients of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, an award given by the Indian government to honour those who have made a significant contribution to Indian immigrant communities in other countries.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.cityofdunedin.com/city/?page=profiles_turner Official profile]
- [http://www.rediff.com/us/2001/oct/16nz.htm News report after Turner was re-elected for a third term]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060522055012/http://moia.gov.in/shared/sublinkimages/441.htm Reasons for award of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman]
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Richard Walls}}
{{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Dunedin|years=1995–2004}}
{{s-aft|after=Peter Chin}}
{{end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Turner, Sukhi}}
Category:New Zealand people of Indian descent
Category:Indian emigrants to New Zealand
Category:Politicians from Ludhiana
Category:New Zealand people of Punjabi descent
Category:Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand politicians
Category:Women mayors of places in New Zealand
Category:Bethany College (West Virginia) alumni
Category:Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Category:Dunedin City Councillors
Category:Naturalised citizens of New Zealand
Category:Recipients of the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993