Capital Conversation: A tough phase but Wellington will get back on track, says mayor

Thursday, 19 September 2024

The Post editor Tracy Watkins has a sit-down interview with Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau.

Wellington mayor Tory Whanau took part in a live chat with The Post editor Tracy Watkins on Thursday afternoon - and one thing that was made amply clear was that there’s trouble brewing between the capital’s local and central governments.

Much has happened since the mayor last sat down with The Post in March during our Capital Crisis series.

Now, we’ve launched a new series, Capital Conversation, digging even deeper into the issues holding Wellington back, while continuing to champion what’s great.

‘Wellington is not dying’

Whanau started the Q&A by acknowledging the well-documented “low mood” that had been felt by the capital in recent months.

“Like every other city, we’re experiencing this tough phase of high interest rates, job losses from the pub service and the general cost of living crisis. We’ve not been immune to that at all.

“However, there’s just so much good stuff going on. I want to make sure we don’t keep talking ourselves further into that doom and gloom.

“You hear people saying that Wellington is dying. It is not dying. We’re going through a tough phase, but we will get back on track again,” the mayor said.

Through initiatives like Capital Conversation, Whanau said she was beginning to see more conversations about why people still love the Wellington.

The Post editor Tracy Watkins sat down with Wellington mayor Tory Whanau for a live Q&A.

From parklets to cycleways, Whanau wanted to hear from Wellingtonians about what levers they though the council could be pulling to buoy the city.

Despite substantial backlash throughout her mayoralty, Whanau vowed to stand again to represent the city.

“It’s really, really hard right now - and I get it and am going to take the blame for all of this and maybe I won’t get re-elected - but I’m making a promise that I’m going to stay the course and make sure that we develop this city.”

‘I’m not here to talk about my personal life’

While no question was off limits to The Post, some clearly were to Whanau who remained tight-lipped when it came to anything personal during the Q&A.

Whanau made headlines on Tuesday when said that she too was feeling the financial crunch and had sold her car to help pay the bills - despite earning $189,799 a year.

But when asked about this comment, Whanau wouldn’t be drawn.

Topics from parklets to cycleways to increasing rates were canvassed by the duo.

“I’m not here to talk about my personal life. I’m here to talk about the rest of Wellington,” she said.

While Whanau said she hadn’t “directly” received any feedback for her earlier comments, she added: “I think a lot of people don’t care about my personal life”.

When asked what it was about living in Wellington that she was finding tough, Whanau again doubled down: “I’m not going to talk about my personal life”.

But what about rate increases? Was Whanau feeling the pinch of those too? Even that was far too personal for the mayor, who branded the question “deeply personal”.

Public property records show Whanau’s rates are likely to be approximately $7500.

“I just really want to talk about how we’re going to get out of this feeling of difficulty. We do have our long term plan, that I’m committed to seeing through.”

For those finding it tough, Whanau said rates rebates and payment plans directly with the council were on offer.

“Please let us help you,” she said.

Much has happened since Whanau mayor last sat down with The Post, with many accussing the capital of becoming a dying city.

‘A spicy wee debate’

Another thing Whanau was keen to clamp down on was anyone “punching down on Wellington”.

“What I don’t like is when other leaders, other figures, punch down on Wellington city without offering solutions. In fact, they lay off several thousand people instead,” the mayor said.

While Finance Minister Nicola Willis had been “really great with some of her comments”, Whanau made it clear that she hadn’t seen eye-to-eye with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently.

“Don’t come to Wellington city and say ‘cut your budget, Tākina is terrible’, and then lay off thousands of people.

“I want us all to be working together to cheerlead for our city and come up with solutions together.”

At the end of August, Luxon used Tākina, Wellington's new convention centre, as an prime example of “wasteful spending”.

Whanau said she and the Prime Minister hadn’t met since those comments, but the “spicy wee debate” that played out in public after his comments didn’t necessarily reflect the “polite and constructive” conversations they’d had behind closed doors.

The mayor said she had spoken to Luxon about the effect mass cuts to public services had had on the capital too.

“They have a different outcome they want for the city and that their prerogative. We essentially disagree on that outcome, and that’s ok.”