Wellington’s Crown Observer issues warning over party politics round the council table

• Wellington’s Crown Observer believes party politics has been strongly in play at Wellington City Council.
• In a leaked memo, the Observer says it poses governance challenges, but also offers benefits to candidates and voters.
• Recent polling shows a majority of Wellingtonians believe party politics don’t belong around the council table.

Wellington City Council‘s Crown-appointed Observer has warned of the risks of party politics around the council table.

In a leaked memo, Lindsay McKenzie has provided observations and advice on the issue of party-aligned councillors and candidates running in local elections, noting “eroded trust in the system” and the potential for councillors to be whipped into supporting the party line.

The place of party politics in local councils has long been debated, with several current Wellington City Councillors and candidates blaming party politics for issues on council.

Recent Curia polling of 1000 Wellingtonians commissioned by right-wing campaign group Better Wellington showed 64% of people disagreed with party politics on council. 14% support it, with 21% either neutral on the issue or unsure.

It follows the Act Party announcing it plans to run candidates in this year’s local government elections for the first time.

Lindsay McKenzie, who was appointed to the council last year after it had to re-write its Long Term Plan, wrote that endorsement of candidates is not necessarily a good or bad thing, but notes it poses a risk of “predetermination bias”.

Wellington City Councillors meeting at the council building on The Terrace in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell.

“Despite some public sentiment against political parties being involved in local government elections, I accept that party political endorsement of candidates in local government elections and a party’s influence over certain elected members is a current reality”, McKenzie said.

The observer noted a handful of issues with party-endorsed councillors, saying they could “prioritise a party’s position on a national agenda over the local community’s wants”, pose leadership issues if they’re “issue driven as opposed to supporting a common vision”, and “contribute to eroded trust in the system” if the candidate is perceived to be making decisions based off party policy rather than the electorate’s best interest.

But McKenzie also highlighted positive aspects to parties running candidates.

This included more aligned “local and national strategy and agendas”, better “collaboration and cooperation” between local and central governments, and “clarity to voters about what candidates stand for and provide some assurance that they will generally hold to that view or philosophy.”

Lindsay McKenzie is the former CEO of Tasman District Council and now serves as the Crown Observer at Wellington City Council.

There is a difference between being an endorsed candidate and running on a party ticket.

Candidates are able to run with a party’s endorsement while still being an independent candidate, as current Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau did in 2022.

Running on the ticket however binds candidates to a party’s policy agenda.

McKenzie wrote that this “subjects them to whipping, whether formal or informal.”

Despite this, McKenzie believes, significant pressure is still put on party endorsed candidates to vote with their party blocs.

“While voters have a right to know what candidates stand for and to expect members to generally hold to that view or philosophy, as an ideal (and in law) they must also be prepared to consider the decisions they take objectively and with an open mind. Good local democracy and governance depends on it.”

He noted that it is not only candidates tied to a political party that can be political.

“Individuals (typically single-issue types) can espouse ideologies and ad hoc local groupings often claim them.”

When elected, councillors are made to declare they will act in the best interests of their district, region, or city.

The Observer noted there could be legal ramifications for council decisions if there is evidence a decision was made with a closed mind by candidates or dictated by a party they are tied to.

He suggests it could open a council up to a legal challenge like a judicial review over a particular decision.

McKenzie’s memo ends with a list of advice for candidates based on his experience at Wellington City Council where he said party politics “has been strongly in play” during major decisions.

It includes avoiding pledges that could create the perception of predetermination, act with an open mind in decision-making, “avoid pillorying colleagues for the way they vote”, beware of the risk of “replicating Parliamentary party politics in local authorities”, and value good faith interpersonal relationships.

Mayor Tory Whanau, who secured support for a run on the Green Party ticket earlier this year before dropping out of the race, said she “always appreciate[s] the Crown Observer’s insights”.

“As Mayor, my priority has been to ensure that all Council decisions serve the needs and best interests of Wellingtonians.

“All Councillors must be wary of predetermination bias regardless of whether they are aligned to a political party or have run as an independent on specific policy platforms,” Whanau said.

Current Wellington City Councillor and mayoral candidate Ray Chung is leading a campaign group of candidates running on a shared platform of political independence, named Independent Together.

Chung, who says he has never been a member of a political party, said Wellington City Council is rife with party politics, and the city is suffering because of it.

“You can’t pledge allegiance to a political party to get elected to council on the one hand and expect people to believe that your city or district will come first in your decision-making”.

Chung believes Wellington “is a perfect example of what happens when party politics takes precedence and the negative impact it brings”, noting the council’s recent vote to submit on Act’s Treaty Principles Bill as an example of this.

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Former Labour Party leader Andrew Little is running on the Labour ticket and said there are benefits to party association.

“Standing on the basis of a party gives voters a clear view about a candidate’s values and priorities, and should provide assurance that those values and principles will guide the candidate if elected,” Little said.

“If elected Mayor, my entire focus will be on getting the best for Wellington.”

Little “totally rejects” McKenzie’s observations about the issue of perceived predetermination bias, and believes councillors and candidates should be able to express views on issues before a decision is made.

“Councillors are elected. They are responsible to the people who elect them. It is their job to maintain the confidence of the people who elect them. That’s not predetermination. That’s democracy and it is what the Local Government Act says local government is.”

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