Local body elections 2025: Who is challenging Tory Whanau for Wellington’s mayoralty
Several high-profile names are being floated as possible candidates to challenge Tory Whanau for Wellington’s mayoralty following a tumultuous fortnight for the council.
Whanau is dealing with the threat of Government intervention after the council decided to stop the sale of its 34% share in the airport- upending the long-term plan (LTP) and potentially triggering hundreds of millions of dollars in budget cuts.
Whanau has said she will run for a second term in next year’s local body elections but is less focused on her campaign now the LTP needs re-doing.
She could not be reached for further comment about her re-election plans.
The Greens endorsed Whanau for the mayoralty last time but the party would not say whether it will do so again.
“Wellington branches are still working on plans for the local body elections and are not in a position to share any details on processes or potential candidates”, a spokesman for the party’s Wellington province said.
Rumours are swirling in the capital of possible rivals for the mayoralty - from current councillors, local business people, and even a New Zealand TV legend. At least one councillor has confirmed they are running for the top job.
It is understood some in the Wellington Labour Party are also keen to run a candidate against Whanau.
In 2022, the Labour Party endorsed former Rongotai MP Paul Eagle for the mayoralty.
Labour Party general secretary Rob Salmond would not say whether the party was intending to run a candidate this year.
“Labour runs a democratic internal selection process for all our local body candidates across New Zealand. That process has not yet commenced. We’ll announce our suite of Wellington local body candidates once our party members have selected them,” Salmond said.
Ray Chung
First-term independent councillor Ray Chung is the only candidate to officially announce a mayoral campaign, so far.
Chung told the Herald he wanted to save council money, work more closely with businesses, and make the city safer.
He felt the city was heading in the wrong direction and was frustrated with Whanau’s leadership.
“We’re spending money like it’s going out of fashion; we don’t care about ratepayers,” he said.
Chung said he was keen on hiring a PR firm for his campaign, after observing the success of Tory Whanau’s 2022 political marketing.
Chung claimed he had a lot of supporters including high-profile backers who he refused to name.
Mayoral candidates can spend up to $60,000 on their campaigns during the three months leading up to the elections.
Chung said he had already raised funds “significantly higher” than that but donations thus far were only pledges.
Karl Tiefenbacher
Wellington’s self-proclaimed “ice cream guy” Karl Tiefenbacher, owner of cafe and gelato shop Kaffee Eis, said he’ll definitely campaign to be a councillor.
He told the Herald he’s also “leaning towards” running for the mayoralty, but hasn’t made his mind up, and will likely make a call in February.
If Tiefenbacher did run, he said he would campaign on being pro-business and ending the Golden Mile project.
Tiefenbacher has run twice unsuccessfully for the Lambton Ward. In February he was announced the provisional winner of a byelection before narrowly losing to Green candidate Geordie Rogers.
John Apanowicz
First-term independent councillor John Apanowicz said he’s “seriously considering running” for the mayoralty and would “more than likely” throw his hat in the ring.
The National Party member, who is a chartered accountant of 25 years, has backed Whanau on big projects like the Reading Cinema deal and a bid to sell the council’s airport shares, which both subsequently failed.
He also attended Whanau’s meeting last week with Local Government Minister Simeon Brown about the state of the current council.
Apanowicz claimed councillors from the political left and right have asked him to run.
If he did, he would campaign on better financial management and focus on the positives, Apanowicz said.
Nicola Young
Nicola Young’s name has been floated as a potential contender for the mayoralty. The independent fourth-term councillor would not comment on whether she intended to run.
Young, a National Party member, ran unsuccessfully for the top job in 2016, ranking fourth.
Diane Calvert
Independent councillor Diane Calvert hasn’t yet decided whether she will run again as a councillor.
“I will be taking the summer break to consider my options and whether I re-stand or not”.
She would not rule out a bid for the mayoralty either.
Calvert has been on the council for three terms and last ran for the mayoralty in 2019, ranking third.
Luke Pierson
Wellington entrepreneur Luke Pierson is understood to be seriously considering a bid for the mayoralty.
He founded digital agency Heyday, and now works as a business adviser and sits on a couple of company boards.
Pierson said he didn’t have any comment to make on a potential mayoral bid.
“I’m just one of many Wellingtonians in love with this city, but deeply worried about the direction we’re heading.
“With the growing negativity, I decided I either needed to stop complaining or try to do something about it”, he said.
He said he has previously publicly raised issues about Wellington City Council’s finances, water infrastructure, and cycleways.
“I love this city. I grew up here, studied here, built a business here, and now I’m raising my own children here.
“I want a future where they feel proud of where they come from – and want to stay”, he said.
Ben McNulty
Ben McNulty’s name has also been thrown around as a potential Labour candidate to take on Whanau.
The first-term Takapū/Northern Ward councillor previously worked in financial services and marketing. He lives in Johnsonville with his young family.
McNulty has long said he has no intention to run.
Councillor Nicola Young told Nick Mills on Newstalk ZB Wellington Mornings in June that she was certain McNulty was going to stand. She bet lunch on the fact McNulty’s name would be on the ballot paper.
McNulty admitted: “Every councillor who has sat at the table has at some stage thought they could do a better job as mayor”.
“With my very young family, I’m simply not at a point where I’d be able to perform the role with the enthusiasm and commitment it requires.”
Tim Brown
Councillor Tim Brown felt that after one term, local government wasn’t for him.
He said he has no interest in the mayoralty.
The former Wellington Airport board chairman also said none of his colleagues around the council table have “the required leadership qualities” to be mayor.
Fleur Fitzsimons
Former Wellington City Councillor Fleur Fitzsimons said she won’t be running.
Fitzsimons entered council in 2017 and chose not to stand again in 2022 to instead vie for a place in central Government, contesting the Rongotai electorate on the Labour Party ticket. She lost to the Green’s Julie Anne Genter and now works as the assistant secretary at the Public Service Association.
Fitzsimons said she’s busy defending the Government’s attacks on public service.
Thomas Nash
Second-term Greater Wellington Regional Councillor Thomas Nash is the council’s Transport Committee chairman and is involved in the Wellington branch of the Green Party.
Some have floated his name as a potential replacement to take over from Whanau as the Green candidate.
In response to questions regarding whether he would be willing to challenge Whanau for either the Green’s endorsement or ticket, Nash said: “Thanks for asking, but I am not intending to run for the Wellington mayoralty”.
Greg O’Connor
Labour’s Greg O’Connor has been rumoured to be eyeing up a move to local government.
When first approached about the rumour, O’Connor laughed, saying it was the first he’d heard of it and he does not intend to run.
O’Connor said he was very happy as the MP for Ōhāriu.
Andrea Compton
In June, Andrea Compton announced she intended to run for the mayoralty. Compton works as a finance manager for Transmission Gully through HEB Construction.
She told NZME in an interview last month that she was “committed” to running and would campaign on restoring the council’s finances and ripping up the Island Bay cycleway.
However, Compton now says she has bailed on the idea, instead going for a seat in the Takapū / Northern Ward. She has endorsed Chung for the mayoralty.
Craig Renney
Trade unionist and economist Craig Renney, who also sits on Labour’s Policy Council, told the Herald he has “no intention or desire” to be mayor of Wellington.
Mark Sainsbury
TV legend and long-time Wellingtonian Mark Sainsbury said he wasn’t running.
The former 1News political editor acknowledged his name has been swirling as a potential contender.
He has received several calls from people asking him if it was true.
Sainsbury said he didn’t want to fuel rumours, but acknowledged the capital is seriously struggling and said he wants to help fix it.
Ethan Manera is a multimedia journalist based in Wellington. He joined NZME in 2023 and is interested in politics, local issues and the public service. Ethan is always on the lookout for a story and can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz or messaged on X (formerly Twitter) via the handle @ethanjmanera.