The current mayor Tory Whanau was seeking reelection.
Photo: RNZ / SAMUEL RILLSTONE
More people are throwing their hat in the Ring by Wellington City Hall as local body elections approach.
The public will vote on October 11.
Check out the list of RNZ (in alphabetical order) of those who are competing for the best job of the capital and what they are defending.
Graham bloxam
Graham Bloxam, who managed the prominent Facebook page Wellington Live, said he wanted to cut rates, increase tourism, introduce better financial discipline and make the capital more biodiverse.
He said the complaint council team – about 800, he calculated – would be the best way to save money.
He described Wellington as being “in the S …”, facing declining property values and a hard hospitality sector.
He wanted to “look very good” to the council culture and end “pet projects, the fools”, such as the city’s updates, the cyclists and the MOA sludge minimization project.
Ray Chung
Wellington city councilman Ray Chung was making his second mayor offer.
Photo: Supplied / Facebook
Wellington city councilor Ray Chung announced his second mayor offer in early May last year.
He hoped that by announcing his candidacy, the first voters had time to consider what they wanted to see in the city before the election campaign’s “hoopla”.
He said that the city’s economic, social and cultural state was the worst that it has been and wanted to reduce costs and improve fiscal understanding around the board table.
Chung was fourth in his 2022 mayor offer behind Tory Whanau, Andy Foster and Paul Eagle.
Rob Goulden
Wellington City Councilman, Rob Goulden, was running for mayor.
Photo: Rob Goulden / Provided
Former Wellington City Councilman Rob Goulden said he wanted to manage advice that was not divided by politics and had better relationships.
“I want to lead an intelligent constructive team with a future vision that has Wellington’s interests in the heart.”
He told RNZ that he wanted to ask the central government what he would do for the capital, how to invest in a four -track road to the airport.
Goulden said some projects should be postponed – such as Mile Golden’s Lambton Quay section – or Retough, as cyclists. He was a professional cycle, but they didn’t have to be so expensive, he said. For example, paint can be used instead of digging up roads and changing layouts.
Goulden also suggested a new safety measure on natural disasters – placing a first aid kit on all cars in Wellington.
Kelvin Hastie
Kelvin Hastie began Predator Free Crofton Downs.
Photo: Provided
Conservationist Kelvin Hastie, who began predator Free Crofton Downs to eliminate suburb pests, said he was running to make Wellington “the best he could be.”
He ran in 2022, but it was “the last minute” to see how he felt about the campaign process – so that he can effort this time.
He was sixth at that slope.
Hastie said she reduced rates as low as possible, without selling the actions of the board airport and wanted to “pause all projects”, including Golden Mile, the composting scheme and the demolition of the city of Bridge.
“I think we need to consult, practically, everything and have a new vision.”
He also wanted to consult the public about amalgamating the region’s advice – Wellington, Porirua, Hutt City and Upper Hutt – to reduce rates and work duplication.
KARL TIEFENBACHER
KARL TIEFENBACHER, Founder of the Kaffee Cream brand.
Photo: Provided
Businessman Karl Tiefenbacher, who founded the Icecream brand Kaffee, announced his city hall offer on Monday.
He ran for the board last year in an election to fill a set left by Green Deputy Tamatha Paul when she was elected to Parliament. He narrowly lost to the Green candidate Geordie Rogers.
Tiefenbacher told RNZ that he would not seek a political party endorsement, but would have a conversation if he was approached.
He said he wanted to put the city “back on the rails”, which included changing board culture and the way counselors work with officers, managing debt levels, keeping rates increasing at least, focusing on the main infrastructure and interrupting some “pet projects”, such as cyclists, Golden Mile and the composting program.
“There is a lot of money that we are spending that we don’t have to spend, and this needs to be done with a ‘need to’ instead of a ‘want’ base.”
Tory Whanau
Current Mayor Tory Whanau.
Photo: RNZ / SAMUEL RILLSTONE
The current mayor Tory Whanau was seeking reelection and said she was proud of her service record and progress done during her first term at work.
“I am confident that Wellingtonians want to see this moment continues and that I am the right person to continue delivering to our city,” she said.
The priorities of Whanau’s campaign were the same as their priorities for 2025.
“We need to keep the moment, keep the course with our long -term plan and continue investing in water, climate initiatives and housing.
“I would like to work with the government to increase urban development around the basin reserve and increase investment in the creative industry of our city.”
Whanau said he also wanted to encourage a strong participation of voters and keep Wellington’s maori wing in the referendum.
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