Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau’s communications adviser Pearl Little quits after nine months

Pearl Little is leaving her job as a principal communications specialist in Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau's office.

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau’s communications adviser has announced she is quitting after nine months in the job.

Pearl Little previously worked as a press secretary for the Green Party and as a communications manager for Whanau’s successful mayoral campaign.

She joined Whanau’s office as principal communications specialist in December in the aftermath of the mayor publicly admitting she had a problem with alcohol.

More recently, Little has supported Whanau to get the long-term plan signed off.

The controversial plan divided the council to the extent there was speculation that government intervention may be required. In the end, Whanau had a majority and her casting vote was not required.

Little would also have been involved in helping Whanau to reorganise her work arrangements after the mayor revealed she had been diagnosed with ADHD and “significant traits of autism”.

The two previously worked together when Whanau was the Green Party’s chief of staff.

They are not the only two with Green links in the mayor’s office. Whanau’s chief of staff Nadine Walker was previously the party’s director of communications.

Little’s resignation follows council chief executive Barbara McKerrow’s exit. Last week the mayor’s office announced McKerrow would not seek an extension to her five-year term, which will conclude in March 2025.

Wellington City Council chief executive Barbara McKerrow is also leaving. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Little said in a statement that after an “awesome stint” in the mayor’s office and four-and-a-half years in politics, she was changing tack and starting with Octopus Energy NZ in September as their communications manager.

“I have immensely enjoyed my time working under the leadership of our wonderful Mayor, Tory Whanau. The mayor, management and the wider team here at WCC have been an absolute dream to work with,” Little said.

“It has been great to see up close all the hard work the amazingly smart and talented people at Wellington City Council do to make our city thrive.”

Whanau said she had known Little for almost her entire career in politics.

“I am so proud of her taking this next step and spreading her wings in a new industry. She has been an awesome asset to our office and we will all be sad to see her go.

“I’ve loved working with Pearl at the Green Party, on my campaign, as mayor, and I have no doubt we will work together again in the future.”

Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.