Labour announces Wellington local body election candidates

Wellington City. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Labour Party has selected ward candidates for Wellington's city and regional councils ahead of this year's local body elections.

A selection meeting was held yesterday and the party is putting forward a mix of experienced councillors and new candidates.

Incumbent city councillor Rebecca Matthews has been reselected for the Wharangi/Onslow-Western ward, as has councillor Teri O'Neill for the Motukairangi/Eastern Ward.

Daran Ponter, who is currently chairman of the regional council, has also been re-selected to run in the Pōneke Wellington constituency.

But Labour is remaining tight-lipped on a mayoral candidate for the capital.

The party's general-secretary Rob Salmond said yesterday's selection meeting only covered ward candidates.

"The New Zealand Council is making decisions around the process for the Wellington mayoralty and we will have more to say in the near future."

Last year Wellington City councillors voted to establish a Māori ward amid "changing times".

Labour has selected Matthew Reweti as its candidate for Te Whanganui a Tara.

He whakapapas to Te Āti Awa and said he was standing to make Pōneke the high wage, cultural, business, and knowledge capital for all tangata whenua.

Reweti said it was a historic local body election.

"Since the signing of Te Tiriti, local iwi have not always had the voice that you would expect from a partnership."

Meanwhile, local small business owner and president of the African Community Council Nureddin Abdurahman has been selected for the Paekawakawa/Southern ward.

"I am standing for council because I want to help build social cohesion in Wellington. At our best our city is inclusive, welcoming and joyful. It's so important that our council continues to invest to provide spaces and facilities where our community can come together."

Wellington City councillor Rebecca Matthews. Photo / Mark Mitchell

As a former minimum wage worker, Abdurahman said he wanted to continue work to make the city a place where every working person could live with dignity and fairness.

Finally, financial services marketer Ben McNulty has been selected for the Takapū/ Northern Ward.

He said he wanted Wellington to be a vibrant place for his son to grow up in, which meant building affordable housing, tackling climate change, and doing more to help people get around the city.

"Our northern suburbs have suffered from underinvestment in local facilities and infrastructure – but they're also where the growth in our population is happening. We need to ensure that this part of Wellington is getting its fair share."