{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Penny Bright | image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing brackets --> | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{Birth date|1954|09|08|df=yes}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|10|04|1954|09|08|df=yes}} | death_place = | nationality = | other_names = | occupation = Activist | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = }} '''Penelope Mary Bright''' (8 September 1954 – 4 October 2018) was a New Zealand activist who protested for increased government transparency, against the 1981 Springbok tour, and for other left-wing issues.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Herald|first=Bernard Orsman, NZ|title=Penny Bright speaks from hospital: "I'm not going anywhere"|url=https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/activisit-penny-bright-talks-from-hospital-bed-as-she-fights-death/|access-date=2021-10-24|website=ZB|language=en-nz}}</ref>
==Biography== Bright studied at Kuranui College, and organised Halt All Racist Tours while she was a high school student.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/politics-central/mourners-gather-to-farewell-penny-bright/ |title=Mourners gather to farewell Penny Bright |agency=NZ Herald |publisher=Newstalk ZB |access-date=8 November 2019}}</ref> Following high school, Bright worked as a sheet-metal welder and as a welding tutor at Manukau Polytechnic.<ref name="Hard-boiled">{{Cite news|last=Orsman|first=Bernard|date=4 October 2018|title='Hard-boiled' Auckland activist Penny Bright has died in hospital this evening|journal=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ|publisher=NZ Herald|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12129427|access-date=8 November 2019|issn=1170-0777}}</ref>
In 1998, Bright and others founded the Water Pressure Group.<ref name="Hard-boiled" /> The Water Pressure Group was formed to challenge Auckland City Council's water company Metrowater and its use of user pays charges.<ref name="Hard-boiled" /> In 2000, Bright and the Water Pressure Group attempted to hose the Bolivian embassy in Remuera using a vintage firetruck in protest against locked-out workers in Bolivia.<ref name="Hard-boiled" />
Bright was arrested multiple times during her time as an activist, and by 2010 she had been arrested 22 times.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-07-07|title=Loyal activist runs for mayor|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/western-leader/3893964/Loyal-activist-runs-for-mayor|access-date=2021-10-24|website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref> Two notable arrests were when she was forcibly removed from two different Auckland City Council meeting by then mayors John Banks and Dick Hubbard.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/107617028/auckland-will-miss-penny-bright--a-tireless-and-reliable-advocate |title=Auckland will miss Penny Bright, a 'tireless and reliable advocate' |publisher=Stuff |language=en |access-date=8 November 2019}}</ref>
Bright received considerable media coverage for her use of the Privacy Act and Official Information Act, under which she filed many requests, particularly about how the different Auckland territorial and unitary authorities (e.g., Auckland Council) spent money, and about their relationship with private business.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018661445/penny-bright-i-wouldn-t-change-anything |title=Penny Bright: 'I wouldn't change anything' |date=6 September 2018 |publisher=RNZ |language=en-nz |access-date=8 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Fisher |first1=David |title=Penny Bloody Bright and the words she wants on her gravestone |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/aucklander/news/penny-bloody-bright-and-the-words-she-wants-on-her-gravestone/DVTDWLLAQNYT4E4J5X75HPQKAM/ |access-date=13 February 2021 |agency=NZ Herald |publisher=The Aucklander |date=6 September 2018 |language=en-NZ}}</ref>
In 2007, Bright stopped paying the rates on her house in Kingsland as a protest against what she perceived to be corruption in Auckland Council. In 2018, the Auckland High Court ordered the sale of Bright's house to recoup the missing rates and legal fees of $90,000.<ref name="Radio NZ" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Activist Penny Bright's home listed for mortgagee sale over unpaid rates|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/activist-penny-brights-home-listed-for-mortgagee-sale-over-unpaid-rates/XMFHYSMGE3TAZB3F45RSXERJHQ/|access-date=2021-10-24|website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref> In 2018, Bright resolved the outstanding debts by agreeing to a rates postponement.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-05-17|title=Activist Penny Bright resolves outstanding rates bill, stopping forced sale of home|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/104001288/activist-penny-bright-resolves-outstanding-rates-bill-stopping-forced-sale-of-home|access-date=2021-10-24|website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref>
In 2010, 2013 and 2016, Bright was a candidate for the Auckland mayoralty.<ref name="Radio NZ">{{Cite news |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/367961/auckland-activist-penny-bright-has-died|title=Auckland activist Penny Bright has died|date=5 October 2018|website=RNZ|language=en-nz|access-date=8 November 2019}}</ref> Bright was also a candidate for the 2017 Mount Albert by-election.<ref name="Radio NZ" /> Her best electoral showing was in a 2000 by-election for the Avondale/Roskill Ward of the Auckland City Council, in which Bright finished a close second with 31.61% of the vote, beating the City Vision candidate into third place.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bassett |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Bassett |date=2013 |title=City of sails: the history of Auckland City Council, 1989–2010 |page=386 |isbn=978-1927262009}}</ref>
In May 2018, Bright announced she had inoperable and incurable ovarian cancer.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-05-10|title=Auckland activist Penny Bright says she has 'incurable and inoperable' cancer|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/103809270/auckland-activist-penny-bright-says-she-has-incurable-and-inoperable-cancer|access-date=2021-10-24|website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref> Bright died on 4 October 2018, aged 64.<ref name="Hard-boiled" />
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bright, Penny}} Category:1954 births Category:2018 deaths Category:New Zealand activists Category:Activists from Auckland Category:New Zealand political candidates Category:Independent politicians in New Zealand Category:Deaths from ovarian cancer Category:People educated at Kuranui College