Wellington mayor Tory Whanau gets Green backing despite breaking ranks over airport

Monday, 7 April 2025

Wellington mayor Tory Whanau and her deputy Laurie Foon are being backed by the Green Party for this upcoming local body elections.

Wellington mayor Tory Whanau and her deputy Laurie Foon have earned Green Party backing despite breaking ranks over the sale of airport shares.

Whanau on Monday confirmed the Green Party backing with the party also tying its wagon to current city councillor Geordie Rogers and newcomer Jonny Osborne. For the Greater Wellington Regional Council, the Green Party has backed current councillor Yadana Saw and Henry Peach.

Whanau ran as an independent in 2022 but with Green Party support, while Foon was a Green nominee. But they found themselves in 2024 voting against the Green manifesto, signed by candidates pre-election, which opposed selling of the council’s 34% stake in Wellington Airport.

Greater Wellington Regional councillor Yadana Saw has secured the Green Party backing for the 2025 local body elections.

The sale was eventually voted down after causing a major rift in the council, the 10-year budget needing a re-write and the Government appointing an observer to watch over the council.

Wellington Central Green MP Tamatha Paul in May said opposition to privatisation was “fundamental” to Green principles. Any Green elected member who voted for selling shares would “undermine the credibility” of the party and damage its relationship with unions, who also opposed selling the shares, she said.

Paul on Monday said “valuable lessons” had been learned from the stand-off and there would be a “mechanism of accountability” from the party to prevent future asset sales.

Whanau confirmed the issue with the airport share sale issue was brought up in the nomination and she gave a commitment to the party not to sell the shares if it came up again. Other asset sales, such as council land, were still possible, she said.

Green backing was not dependent on her airport guarantee, she said.

Wellington City councillor Geordie Rogers has also secured a Green nomination.

Of those already confirmed to be in the running, Whanau is arguably the most left-leaning but the big question now is whether Labour will find a candidate to run. It is understood that Labour hierarchy have been struggling to find a willing Wellington mayoral candidate.

Whanau said she had not yet talked to Labour about getting its backing but “I’m certainly here if they want to reach out”. She confirmed she was not hedging her bets with a run for a seat as a councillor.

“We’ve worked hard to deliver for Wellington, and I’m proud of the progress we’ve achieved in the last two years in water infrastructure, housing, and climate resilience,” she said in a statement on Monday.

“We’ve also championed policies that ensure Wellington remains a diverse and inclusive city, protecting the rights of our LGBTQ+ communities.

“I’m confident Wellingtonians want to see this momentum continue, and I am the right person to keep delivering for our city,” she said.

Already confirmed to be running against Whanau are business owner Karl Tiefenbacher, conservationist Kelvin Hastie, city councillor Ray Chung, former councillor Rob Goulden and Wellington Live owner Graham Bloxham, who says he has sold the page. Radio host Nick Mills is also considering a run.

Foon will run again in the Paekawakawa/Southern ward, Rogers will again run in the Pukehīnau/Lambton ward, while Osborne will run in the Motukairangi/Eastern ward.