Has Tory Whanau changed her mind about running again for Wellington’s mayoralty?- A Capital Letter

Tory Whanau has always maintained she wants to spend three terms as the Mayor of Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

THREE KEY FACTS

• Tory Whanau has previously said she is committed to three terms as Wellington’s mayor
• Her council has been under intense pressure recently leading to a Crown observer being appointed
• The mayor now says she wants to talk to family and friends about running again

Senior journalist Georgina Campbell’s A Capital Letter column takes a deeper look at issues in Wellington, where she is based. She has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.

ANALYSIS

Tory Whanau and her office insist her position has not changed on wanting another term in Wellington’s top job, but how she answered a recent question suggests otherwise.

Whanau has always maintained she wants to spend three terms as the Mayor of Wellington.

However, her first term is not going the way she would have planned.

Whanau’s personal problems have been an unwelcome distraction from the city’s major issues such as ageing infrastructure, what should have been major wins, like a deal to reopen Reading Cinemas, have failed and now, the Government has appointed a Crown observer.

She has been open about the “disgusting” abuse she receives online and fears for her personal security.

There have been plenty of reasons to ask Whanau over the past two years whether she is still committed to at least a second term.

Whanau has always responded with fighting talk. She has always said “yes”, she plans on running again.

But her tone changed when Newstalk ZB Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills asked her this question recently.

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau’s personal problems have been an unwelcome distraction from the city’s major issues, such as ageing infrastructure. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Mills wanted to know if she was still keen on a second term, given everything that had happened in recent months (the drama over whether she had sold her car to help pay the bills, the failed airport shares sale, the upending of the Long-term Plan, the resulting budget cuts and the Government intervening at her council).

“Nothing has changed,” Whanau replied.

But then she said: “I’ll be having those conversations with family and friends at the right time.”

Mills questioned this response given that, on previous occasions, she had always said standing again was a “non-negotiable”.

“I’ve been so busy,” Whanau said.

“I very rarely get the opportunity to meet with my family and that will probably be something towards the end of the year.”

Mills probed again: “With all that’s happened, you’re still happy to try and do it again?”

Whanau said she loved the city.

“I will do whatever I can for it to stay on track. I believe in our Long-term Plan, even an amended one.

“There’s no doubt about it, this job has a lot of challenges but it doesn’t bother me how difficult it is. I love this city too much.”

Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has appointed Lindsay McKenzie to be Wellington City Council's Crown observer.

In early October, immediately after the failed airport shares sale, Whanau was also asked if she was committed to a second term.

“Yes, I am,” she said.

“I’m actually less focused on the election, however, now that we’re dealing with a change to our Long-term Plan. I just want to get this right and I just want to make sure that we’re still delivering the best outcomes for Wellington city and I believe we can do that.”

Asked whether she was worried about what the legacy of her first term would be, she said: “Of course”.

“It’s been a difficult couple of years but again, for this last year I’m just going to be super focused, hyper-focused on delivering a successful Long-term Plan.”

When her controversial Reading Cinemas deal failed in April, Whanau said she “certainly hoped” to be the mayor for more than one term.

“I’m going to have a number of failures under my mayoralty, and that’s because you have to fail fast, or give something a go, to try to make something work.”

Whanau said she was frequently being asked whether she still hoped to serve three terms as mayor.

“Because people have seen, especially last year, just how relentless and brutal this role can be. This job is not easy and it’s probably been the most unpleasant role I’ve ever had, but it’s been the most meaningful role I’ve ever had.”

If she didn’t do the job, she worried about who else would and the possibility they would take the city in the wrong direction, Whanau said.

There was no question that she would be running for the mayoralty in next year’s local body elections, she said.

“I’ve been through the worst in my mayoralty and that was last year, so nothing fazes me now.”

When Whanau discussed her drinking problem in December, she said she had “absolutely not” considered resigning at any point and remained committed to serving three terms as mayor if she is re-elected.

“It’s been a very challenging year overall. It’s almost like all the things that could have happened in a public political career have happened in one year.”

The experience had made her more resilient and stronger, she said.

After the recent interview with Mills, the Herald sent questions to Whanau’s office querying her change in tone and whether she was having second thoughts about running again.

Whanau’s chief of staff reiterated the mayor’s stance hadn’t changed.

But something has changed – the mayor’s language.

This is the first time Whanau has told NZME she needs to talk to her friends and family over the summer about running again.

It wouldn’t be the first time a politician used this time of year to reflect on their job. That’s exactly what former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern did before she resigned.