Crown Observer issues warning after Ray Chung’s lewd Tory Whanau email, council CEO investigating

The fallout from Ray Chung’s explicit email about Tory Whanau continues, with the Prime Minister calling it “vile and unacceptable”.

Wellington City Council’s Crown observer has raised the issue with the Local Government Minister’s office, and the council’s CEO is investigating a possible code of conduct breach.

The Herald on Friday revealed Chung had sent an email to fellow councillors in 2023 sharing a rumour of Tory Whanau having drug-fuelled “tempestuous sex” and making reference to her having “pendulous soft breasts”.

Whanau denies the incident ever took place and has described the email, titled “A sordid night on the town”, as “creepy”.

She said Chung emailed her an apology this afternoon.

The email’s existence has already cost Chung an important backer, with rich-list philanthropist Sir Mark Dunajtschik officially withdrawing his support for the mayoral candidate.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today condemned Chung’s comments.

“That was unacceptable content in that email, really pretty vile and unacceptable stuff”, Luxon said when asked about it at his post-Cabinet press conference.

He said he typically did not comment on local election races but said residents “get what you deserve” when it comes to the quality of council candidates, pointing to low voter turnout in local body elections.

“Ultimately as to who the good people of Wellington choose to vote for, that’s up to them,” Luxon said.

The Prime Minister said he did not know Chung personally and could not recall ever meeting him.

“I wouldn’t be able to tell you who he is or point out who he is,” he said.

Lindsay McKenzie was appointed as a Crown observer to Wellington City Council last year by then Local Government Minister Simeon Brown after the council had to re-write its Long Term Plan.

McKenzie said while this latest incident is not technically within his remit as an observer, he has been in contact with Whanau, councillors, council CEO Matt Prosser and the Local Government Minister’s office after news of the unsavoury email.

Lindsay McKenzie was called in to oversee Wellington City Council last year.

“I do have a stake in seeing that the gains of the past seven months or so are not lost and Council successfully navigates its way to the end of this term of office.

“It is likely that community perceptions of elected members will be further harmed by what has gone on and will adversely affect the organisation,” McKenzie said.

He believes “strained interpersonal relationships” risk undermining the work that has been achieved over the past eight months on council.

“Despite their focus on the election ahead, candidates who are councillors have been reminded that they are still elected members, are still being remunerated and should be focused on the duties and obligations that go with that status.

“I have sought reassurances that elected members will stay focused on the interests of the community they are there to serve,” he said.

Wellington City Council CEO Matt Prosser told the Herald a number of complaints have been received about Chung regarding the email.

A number of those complaints relate to the council’s code of conduct, Prosser said.

“Those complaints are currently being reviewed. We will provide an update as appropriate.”

Chung issued a video statement last night, where he called the situation a “blatant political attack” and a “smear campaign”.

He said he regrets writing the email and regrets sharing it with people who he thought he could trust.

Interviewed by Newstalk ZB’s Ryan Bridge on Friday, Chung said he would not quit the mayoral race.

Asked by Bridge if he believes the rumour, he said: “I don’t see why he should actually tell me these things without being some substance behind it.”

Local Government Minister Simon Watts has been approached for comment.

Ethan Manera is a New Zealand Herald journalist based in Wellington. He joined NZME in 2023 as a broadcast journalist with Newstalk ZB and is interested in local issues, politics, and property in the capital. Ethan can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.