Wellington Mayor Andrew Little scraps Tory Whanau-era mayoral business advisory group
Wellington Mayor Andrew Little is getting rid of a high-profile business advisory group set up by former Mayor Tory Whanau, saying it “didn’t work that well” and business leaders involved did not feel listened to.
Whanau announced mid-last year she was calling in a group of high-flyers to advise her directly under a new Mayoral Business Group.
It was made up of 10 leaders from the retail, hospitality, tech, property development and creative sectors.
The initiative was praised at the time, but before long was plagued by two high-profile resignations and claims that the council wasn’t listening.
Now, in an interview with the Herald, Little has shared he does not plan to continue with the group.
“The general feedback is that it didn’t work that well,” he said.
“They turned up and there was a discussion, but they don’t think it made any difference.”
“They didn’t feel listened to, which is not a very constructive place to be in, so it is about finding something that is more meaningful.”
He plans to shake up Wellington City Council’s engagement with business, and is looking at an approach that includes a wider range of sectors and perspectives.
The Wellington Chamber of Commerce would be involved in discussions over a new approach, which he said would aim to keep businesses informed of council decisions, offer an opportunity for meaningful feedback, and not get bogged down in “agendas and minutes and all that sort of stuff”.
“We always have to be careful that we’re not listening to one group over another,” he said, “particularly for those who are making big investments in the city, running their businesses here, trying to keep that viable, we do have a responsibility to find an effective way to exchange over common issues.”
Wellington Chamber of Commerce and Business Central new CEO Hayley Horan told the Herald they want an “apolitical advisory group that can work at arm’s length from council with tangible impact,” and are keen to work with Little on this.
The chamber recently called for a new approach, pitching a “Business Advisory Council”.
“Wellington has a strong private sector and a number of seasoned, successful business leaders who are keen to contribute to the city’s future,” Horan said.
“The key for any new advisory group will be in its makeup and terms of reference – particularly when it comes to giving it a meaningful role in contributing to economic development strategy and investment, to ensure a business-informed approach to city growth,“ she said.
Local hospitality operator Grieg Wilson, who was subbed in after the departures, said while the group was generally positive, it was not perfect.
“It was hard to measure the success of the group,” he said. “I think the goals of the group could have been made a bit clearer.”
Wilson, who owns central city bars El Barrio and Shady Lady, said it did achieve some wins in advocating for improvements to anti-social behaviour and safety on Courtenay Pl.
While he believed the council was listening in the monthly meetings, “some of the outcomes weren’t fast enough.”
“Business owners often get frustrated by slow progress, with the bureaucracy.”
Brooke Roberts, who founded investing platform Sharesies in Wellington in 2016, sat around the table for Whanau’s business group, and said she was willing to keep working with the council to support businesses “wherever it’s helpful”.
Multiple world-leading, innovative companies have emerged from “New Zealand’s cultural and creative capital”, and she and many in the business community ”want to help wherever we can to retain and build on this reputation", she said.
“The actual survivability of our business was more important to me than sitting around the table having a cup of tea and a cheese board,” McKenzie told the Herald at the time.
Emails later released to the Herald show prior to leaving, McGuinness had raised concerns about the council’s Golden Mile plan and the issue of homelessness in the CBD.
A spokesman for Little’s office confirmed the group had its last meeting under Whanau’s leadership in July.
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.