Mayor apologises as past alcohol-related claims surface

Friday, 1 December 2023

A person with a front row seat to Tory Whanau’s Wellington mayoral campaign has talked of her missing meetings after nights out drinking and of how volunteers had to police her alcohol intake.

The former campaign volunteer originally spoke in July after The Post broke a story about the mayor leaving a central city restaurant without paying the bill after staff allegedly refused to serve her any more alcohol.

The comments were not published at the time but, with the former volunteer’s permission, are running now after Whanau this week publicly admitted having a drinking problem. A night out at Havana Bar two weeks ago appears to have sparked the apology, although the co-owner told The Post he wasn’t aware of any specific incident.

While some colleagues praised her bravery yesterday, councillor Nicola Young said the mayor should step down while she took care of herself.

Fellow councillor Diane Calvert called for a meeting with councillors, the mayor, and someone from her office to discuss the situation. Her time as mayor has been marred by rumours about drinking – at least some with no seeming veracity – and missed meetings.

Councillor Ray Chung was on Thursday evening looking into whether there were the numbers for a code of conduct investigation or vote of no confidence, but Young dismissed the idea as a “waste of time” with a Green-Labour majority on council “circling the wagons”.

The campaign volunteer, who spoke anonymously to protect job prospects, said Whanau would frequently cancel morning events after nights out drinking.

During the campaign, Whanau switched from drinking wine to cider, with a lower alcohol content, but this did not last long, the volunteer said.

The claims were put to Whanau who responded in an email: “When you are struggling with alcohol it can mean you do things that are embarrassing or harmful. I recognise that and apologise to anyone who has been upset by my behaviour.”

MP for Rongotai Julie Anne Genter, who worked with Whanau during her time as a Green Party staffer, said many politicians, “mainly men”, had been drunk in public. “Nobody is calling for their resignation,” she said.

Councillor Rebecca Matthews said she knew of no evidence of drinking affecting Whanau’s work.

Questions were raised in in May when Whanau missed a regional mayoral forum to discuss water reforms.

Her frequent absence at civic functions – including monthly citizenship ceremonies, in which the mayor welcomes new residents – had also been noted. Also in May, she pulled out of a Government House ceremony for young Duke of Edinburgh award winners.

On the same day, dignitaries were embarrassed when she was missing from a commemoration of the 1941 Battle of Crete.

'If I'm not attending something, it's because I'm at something else,' Whanau said earlier this year.

Otago University, Christchurch Emeritus Professor of psychiatry and addiction Doug Sellman, described alcohol addiction as working on three levels: A mild addict could recover through controlled drinking, a moderate alcoholic could recover after a period of abstinence of up to a year then possibly some drinking with strict guidelines, but a severe alcoholic needed complete abstinence.

The contrite wording Whanau used in her public statement looked good for her recovery as it was humble and acknowledged she had a problem, he said.

That, mixed with people with a greater 'internal reason' to get better – such as doctors, nurses, and lawyers – tending to have greater success led Sellman to believe her chances of recovery 'look good'.

A prominent city leader, who had an alcohol-related fall from grace, said Whanau’s recent admissions and behaviour “didn’t have to be career-ending”.

The leader, who agreed to speak anonymously, managed to return to public life.

“She has taken the first step in admitting there is something wrong. She can rise above it and continue to be a productive city leader,” the person said.

“She has a lot to offer.”