Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt's new personal assistant Marie Auckram started her busy job last week.

Ms Auckram, who started the role on February 4, said while it had been a busy first week, she was thoroughly enjoying the challenge. Preparations for the Kumagaya sister-city visit tomorrow had also kept her busy.

"I love the job and I am starting to settle in now," she said.

She said Mr Shadbolt was proving to be a very interesting man to work for and living up to his living legend status. She was happy to move to Invercargill and live closer to her parents, who relocated back to the city after the Christchurch earthquakes.

Ms Auckram has worked on Norfolk Island for the past seven years as a stock controller for a building supply company. She has a background in administration and legal secretarial work and had been a personal assistant to Solid Energy's lawyer. She was understood to have been among 30 applicants for the job on the Trade Me website in October.

Mr Shadbolt could not be reached yesterday.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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