Local body elections: 'Appetite for change' - New mayors in most major centres in strong election for right-leaning candidates

Tory Whanau celebrates her Wellington mayoralty race win. Photo / Mark Mitchell

New mayors have been elected in most major centres around New Zealand as voters overwhelmingly opted for a change of direction.

Right-leaning mayors triumphed in Auckland, Christchurch, Rotorua and other regions in a contest which could signal a broader mood for change ahead of next year's general election.

Amid poor results for left-leaning candidates, Tory Whanau bucked the national trend by winning the Wellington mayoralty.

"I almost had to ask, 'Is this a prank? Is this a dream?'," the former Green Party chief of staff told the Herald. "I almost slapped myself because it was so wild."

Whanau, who ran as an independent and was endorsed by the Greens, placed first ahead of incumbent Andy Foster and independent candidate Ray Chung.

In a humiliating result, sitting Labour MP Paul Eagle, who ran on an independent ticket and was endorsed by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, placed fourth.

Whanau said she started gaining traction in the contest after people were put off by her rivals "bickering" and began turning to her "positive" campaign. Her first priority would be to unify the council and build trust with her councillors, she said.

Whanau became tearful when told she was the capital's first Māori mayor, and said she wished her koro (grandfather) could have been alive to see it.

Businessman and one-term councillor Phil Mauger is Christchurch's new mayor. Photo / George Heard

Christchurch city councillor and former construction company owner Phil Mauger won the mayoralty in Christchurch in a close race with his nearest rival David Meates, a former Canterbury DHB boss.

Mauger, who has served one term as councillor, said he was "relieved, humbled and excited" to be mayor and had "punched the air" when he heard the result.

Mauger ran on a platform of making rates affordable, reducing debt, delivering core services better, finishing roading and footpaths in the city, and caring for the environment.

He takes over from Lianne Dalziel, who decided against standing again after nearly 10 years as mayor - a tumultuous period which included the earthquake recovery, mosque attacks, fires, floods and the pandemic.

Paula Southgate said she was tired but happy after being re-elected Hamilton mayor. Photo / Supplied

Hamilton voters re-elected Paula Southgate as mayor. She had a 1300-vote lead over Geoff Taylor in the provisional election result.

"I'm happy but also very tired," Southgate said. "It is hard running a campaign if you are also the current mayor because you have the work with the council during the day and the campaign in the evenings, but at the end of the day, I am here because people voted for me."

In Dunedin, councillor Jules Radich had a landslide victory over the incumbent Green Party mayor Aaron Hawkins, who was elected in 2019 after two terms as a councillor.

Radich said he felt a sense of vindication because there had been public dissatisfaction with the council's direction in the past term.

Hawkins admitted there was an appetite for change across the country.

"I'm devastated, obviously, at the outcome," he told Radio New Zealand. "But it would appear we are seeing around the country a concerted push against the establishment, whatever that looks like in different parts of the motu, and we are not immune to that."

Tania Tapsell claimed the Rotorua mayoralty. The 30-year-old councillor, who ran for the National Party, is the first Māori woman elected to the role in Rotorua.

"I look forward to being that strong voice for you. I look forward to tackling those issues for you as soon as possible," she said. "We did good, Rotorua."

Tapsell, a three-term Rotorua Lakes councillor, announced her mayoral bid in May on a platform of stopping "the spend", building a safer community and "smart" investment.

Rotorua's new mayor Tania Tapsell and her supporters celebrating at a function in Rotorua yesterday. Photograph / Alan Gibson

A former National Party candidate for the East Coast, she is the great-niece of Sir Peter Tapsell, a former Labour Party Speaker of the House and cabinet minister.

Former National MP Nick Smith marked a return to politics by winning the Nelson mayoralty. Smith quit Parliament last year while being investigated over bullying allegations.

Former National MP Nick Smith has returned to politics as mayor of Nelson. Photo / Mark Mitchell

In Invercargill, former deputy mayor Nobby Clark beat NZME broadcaster Marcus Lush in the mayoral race, bringing an end to Tim Shadbolt's 24-year leadership. Shadbolt placed a distant fifth.

Tauranga did not hold local elections because its dysfunctional council was sacked in 2020 and is now run by commissioners. The four commissioners, chaired by former National MP Anne Tolley, will be in place until at least 2024.