Andrew Little’s new challenge as Wellington mayor

Saturday, 11 October 2025

Wellington's new mayor Andrew Little elated by landslide win.

Let’s get the homes built, the buses moving, the buzz back in our city.

Andrew Little has delivered a clear message to the capital, after what appears to be a resounding victory in Wellington’s mayoralty.

And he’s keen to end the one-term mayoral-go-round and unite what has long been a fractured council table.

“This city is something truly special. It’s creative, it’s rebellious, dramatic and it’s beautiful. It’s a place of bold ideas and strong opinions. And now we have the chance to build a council that reflects that spirit and deliverance for its people. That starts now,” he told supporters at his victory party on Saturday.

The former Labour Party MP, leader and Cabinet minister was a shock entrant to the race in May. So much so incumbent mayor Tory Whanau pulled out and backed Little.

Andrew Little greets his team at his election night party.

Now, Whanau is gone altogether having failed to win Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori Ward seat.

“It would have been an absolute honour, but democracy has spoken,” Whanau said in a social media post.

Little said running for the mayoralty “wasn't on my life plan a year or so ago”, but was “thrilled, excited and somewhat daunted” by the job ahead.

He also acknowledged Whanau’s “courage”. “She has faced toxic behaviour that no-one should ever have to endure.”

As of Saturday evening, he had 34,240 votes ‒ streets ahead of Karl Tiefenbacher, with 8807 votes, and third-placed Ray Chung, with 6838 votes.

Tiefenbacher and Chung, who both campaigned on lowering rates rises, will sit at the council table ‒ Tiefenbacher for the first time.

Chung, who ran a campaign dogged by controversy, congratulated Little, but immediately issued a warning.

Andrew Little is Wellington's new mayor after sweeping to victory.

“I will hold you to account. You have promised to get rates down and you have promised to continue with the spending. Both of those promises cannot hold true.”

Little was confident he could unite this council.

The lineup now includes five Labour councillors, plus the Labour mayor, and four Green councillors ‒ an increased majority for the left bloc with 10 out of 16 votes, compared to eight under the previous council.

“It's now actually the duty of every elected councillor and myself as mayor to work together to find that spirit, to get stuff done, to rise to the challenges that Wellington has,” Little said.

“It's not about all fawning over each other and not having any disagreement, but it’s about being able to debate maturely, make decisions and stick to those decisions and for those decisions to be reflective of the needs of all Wellingtonians.”

The newcomers are Sam O'Brien, ex-Independent Together member Andrea Compton, Green-endorsed Jonny Osborne and Afnan Al-Rubayee.

Compton’s win has ousted John Apanowicz from the council, the only current councillor to lose his job.

The past council’s relationship with central government was essentially broken with the appointment of a Crown observer. Little believed knowing most of the ministers from his time in Parliament would help.

“The relationship with central government is very important, and that's going to be a constructive relationship, and it's not about always agreeing.”

It was about aligning the needs of the council with policies the Government could assist with, he said.

On rates capping, his message to Government was to pause, take a deep breath and have a good think about it as he said capping rates removed accountability from councils.

As a city that had a stagnant population over years, Little said his priority was delivering affordable housing, and keeping rates rises under control by controlling council spending.

The council’s new jointly managed water entity is set to take effect next year, which is expected to put additional strain on household budgets, and Little said it was the council’s responsibility to advocate strongly on behalf of its residents.

In greater Wellington the big upset was the likely end of Wayne Guppy’s 24-year reign as Upper Hutt mayor. He looked set to overtake Sir Tim Shadbolt as the country’s longest serving mayor.

Peri Zee, a 33-year-old urban planner and transport advisor, was about 1000 votes ahead after 85% of the count.

She said being the city’s new mayor was “super exciting” and the beginning of a new chapter.

Her aim was improve transparency and end the council’s public excluded workshops within her first 100 days in office.

“From day one we're in a reset mode, so we need to make sure those expectations are set from quite literally, day one.”

Zee also committed to not holding the mayoral chains as long as her predecessors.

There is also a new mayor in Hutt City, with well-known Wainuiomata identity Ken Laban at the helm. Campbell Barry did not seek re-election.

Anita Baker and Janet Holborow provisionally return as the mayors of Porirua and Kāpiti Coast respectively.

Former MP, Wellington mayoral and regional council chairperson Dame Fran Wilde is leading South Wairarapa’s mayoral race.

With 85% of votes counted, Wilde has secured 2572 votes, with Leah Hawkins on 1523 votes. Martin Connelly did not seek re-election.