A brief rundown of what the Beehive said about Ray Chung in the past 24 hours
Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Wellington mayoral hopeful Ray Chung has attracted condemnation from the highest quarters after his unfounded claims about mayor Tory Whanau, which he followed up with both an apology and claims of a political attack.
Chung’s intimately described claims of Whanau’s “night of debauchery” in an email to three councillors have seen him lose donor support, while Whanau was seeking legal advice.
Last night Chung, at an Independent Together public meeting, said he had been the victim of a smear campaign by opposition parties.
Previously he had expressed regret about sending the email, and believed he was just passing on information he believed would be of interest to his council colleagues.
“You can’t change anything that happened two years ago. It was a different world then,” Chung said last week.
“I was six weeks into being a councillor [and heard the gossip] so I passed it on to my colleagues.”
The Post asked senior ministers and MPs about his email.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon: “I think that email was entirely inappropriate and utterly unacceptable … pretty vile.”
Finance Minister and Wellingtonian Nicola Willis: “Just the most stupid, silly email.”
Hutt South MP Chris Bishop: “I think it's embarrassing for Wellington, but what Ray does is over to him.”
Remutaka MP and Labour leader Chris Hipkins: “Absolutely disgusting…I don’t think there’s any place for that in good, civilised democratic debate. Critiquing an opponent is one thing. Those kind of personal, abusive, denigratory messages are just totally unacceptable.”
ACT leader and deputy prime minister David Seymour: “All I'd say is that politics is a people business. And you won't be successful if you can't create an environment where good people want to come and work with you. I think it's fair to say his comments do the opposite.”
Wellingtonian issues spokesperson and Labour MP Ayesha Verrall: “I believe Wellingtonians will make up their mind on what sort of person does that in order to pursue a shot at the mayoralty. … who on earth is going to vote for this guy?”
Wellingtonian and former Hutt South MP Labour MP Ginny Andersen: “It was unprofessional. It was unneeded. I think it's good that he has, I understand, apologised to Tory Whanau. That sort of politics is not necessary.”
Former deputy mayor and Labour president Jill Day: “I think it's over the top and it's personal, it's not the sort of behaviour that we should have in this in this country at all in any form, in any workplace at all. It's inappropriate.”
*CORRECTION: Jill Day’s role in the Labour party has been corrected. (Amended July 16, 2025. 10.16am.)