Wellington’s mayor, Tory Whanau, has decided not to run for a second term. She had initially won the mayoralty in 2022 as an independent candidate and had the support of the Green Party for her re-election bid. However, she recently announced that she would not be seeking another term in office.
The decision came after former Labour MP Andrew Little confirmed that he would be running for the mayoralty with the backing of the Labour Party. Whanau expressed her respect for Little and his leadership skills, stating that he has the support and experience to unite the council. She also mentioned that she did not want the election to become a Green vs. Labour battle and believed that the focus should be on what is best for the city.
As a result of her decision not to run for mayor, Whanau announced that she would instead be running for the council’s Māori Ward. She also pledged her support for other Green candidates running for council seats. Whanau emphasized her commitment to making Wellington a city that embraces Te Tiriti, works closely with mana whenua, and focuses on issues like affordable housing, nature, and water.
During her time as mayor, Whanau highlighted several key achievements, including the Golden Mile Courtenay Place precinct upgrade, significant investments in water infrastructure, the implementation of new cycleways and bus priority lanes, tree planting initiatives, and efforts to transition the city’s pool network to renewable energy sources. She also mentioned funding for city safety measures, homelessness initiatives, and the establishment of New Zealand’s first wet house by supporting the City Mission.
Whanau’s term also saw progress on projects such as the Moa Point waste minimisation plant, the reopening of Te Matapihi/Central Library and Town Hall, the completion of Te Ngākau Civic Square, and the regeneration of Courtenay Place. Despite facing scrutiny for political and personal challenges during her time in office, Whanau remained committed to the vision she was elected to deliver.
With Whanau stepping down, Andrew Little will now be competing against several other candidates for the mayoralty, including current councillor Ray Chung, former councillor Rob Goulden, conservationist Kelvin Hastie, businessman Karl Tiefenbacher, and Wellington Live’s Graham Bloxham. Little expressed his gratitude for receiving the Labour Party’s backing and vowed to run a campaign driven by volunteers and community support.
In a statement, Little acknowledged the challenges facing Wellington, from infrastructure issues to housing affordability and rising rates. He called for a new direction to address these issues and urged those who supported Whanau to support his candidacy. Little also condemned the online abuse that Whanau faced during her mayoralty, emphasizing the need to maintain respectful discourse in public spaces.
As the mayoral race heats up in Wellington, voters will have the opportunity to choose a candidate who can address the city’s pressing issues and lead it in a new direction. The decision not to seek re-election by Tory Whanau and the entry of Andrew Little into the race have set the stage for a competitive and dynamic election campaign.