Incoming Wellington Mayor Andrew Little has announced second-term Labour ally Ben McNulty as his deputy mayor, but only for a half-term appointment.
“I’ve been impressed with Ben’s grasp of the important issues facing Wellington, such as housing affordability, transport and community facilities,” Little said at the announcement this afternoon.
“Crucially, he was among councillors who consistently advocated for public transparency, including issues like the sale of the airport shares.”
McNulty was re-elected to the Takapū Northern ward with the largest vote majority for a Wellington City councillor since the single transferable voting system was introduced.
“I’m grateful for the trust and faith that Andrew Little has placed in me,” McNulty said.
“The challenge in front of this council is huge. Public trust must be restored, rates need to be brought under control and Wellington needs to grow out of its current malaise.
“I’ll be throwing absolutely everything I’ve got into this role to ensure we build a cohesive team and positive council culture where all voices are heard.”
He previously worked in financial services and digital marketing, as well as owning a boutique film lab business before turning to local politics.
He grew up in Ngaio, attending Onslow College and currently lives in Johnsonville with his wife and young family.
Last term, McNulty was deputy chair of the council’s regulatory processes committee and is known for his strong social media presence.
He was one of three left-wing councillors who withdrew their unconditional support for then-Mayor Tory Whanau amid a bitter disagreement about the proposed sale of the council’s airport shares.
Yesterday he posted to social media that he’d “splashed out”, treating himself to a new watch before the council’s swearing in.
He today joked the new $80 Casio is the limit of self-congratulation he will allow himself.
The deputy mayor is tasked with acting as a conduit between the Mayor’s office and councillors and standing in for the mayor when they are unavailable.
Little has also announced a shake-up to the appointment process, with the deputy mayor role and committee chairs only being appointed for a half-term.
He said it is a chance to utilise all the talent across the council table and give others the opportunity to grow.
At the half-term mark, Little will announce a new suite of appointments, he said.
“Ben has indicated he doesn’t want more than 18 months, my expectation is that the Deputy Mayor will change halfway through the triennium.”
Other appointments include mayoral opponent and fourth-term councillor Diane Calvert to chair the council planning and finance committee, second-term Labour councillor Nurreddin Abdurahman will chair the city strategy and delivery committee, and former Deputy Mayor Green councillor Laurie Foon will chair the social, cultural, and environment committee.
Upon her election in 2022, former Mayor Tory Whanau chose Green Party ally Foon as her deputy, citing the pair’s shared vision and Foon’s business connections.
Other former deputies include Dame Kerry Prendergast and Justin Lester, who both went on to lead the capital themselves, as well as Paul Eagle who later became Rongotai MP before an unsuccessful run for the mayoralty.
There was “definitely more than one” councillor who put the name forward for the current role, and there were multiple candidates Little had in mind before making his selection.
Little, alongside the rest of Wellington City Council, will be officially sworn in tomorrow at a pōwhiri and inaugural council meeting at Pipitea Marae.
The first proper council meeting will be on November 20.
Little was announced as mayor-elect with a landslide 25,000 vote majority earlier this month.
Little and the left bloc have a commanding majority around the council table 10 to six, with five Labour councillors, plus Little, four Green councillors and six independent councillors firmly on the centre right.
Since his election Little said he has been having “very fruitful” discussions about the term ahead, including one-on-one meetings with all elected councillors about their priorities.
Little campaigned on bringing “serious leadership and real change” to the council. including doing a line-by-line review of spending to keep rates increases down, and protecting community facilities.
Ethan Manera is a Wellington-based journalist covering Wellington issues, local politics and business in the capital. He can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.