Photo: RNZ
More people are throwing their hat into the ring for Wellington's mayoralty as local body elections draw nearer.
The capital will have a new leader after the public vote on 11 October, with current mayor Tory Whanau withdrawing from the race in April.
Check out RNZ's list (in alphabetical order) of who's running for the capital's top job, and what they are standing for.
Alex Baker
Alex Baker. Photo: Alex Baker
Alex Baker is a Chartered Accountant and has also worked in urban development.
He has previously worked at KPMG and Kāinga Ora, and is running as an independent candidate.
Baker described himself as "unapologetically progressive" with " a strong background in strategy, finance and leadership".
He said his goals for the city were to set it up for growth, improve sustainability and resilience and build a more effective Wellington City Council.
Other key areas of focus he had included changing the way Wellington set rates to be fair and sustainable, and facilitating an innovative and productive commercial environment.
Scott Caldwell
Scott Caldwell is running in the Wellington mayoral race. Photo: Supplied
Scott Caldwell describes himself as an outsider who has become familiar with the capital's issues through his work with the Wellingtonians.
Born in what he calls a faceless suburb, Caldwell said discovering a compact, walkable city as a child left a lasting impression on him and inspired his belief that Wellington could be an enjoyable place for everyone to live in.
He said Wellington needed a shake-up and a fresh vision to revitalise the city.
Caldwell's campaign focuses on three main priorities - embracing growth and change to make the city more liveable, expanding the rates base by pushing for government buildings to pay commercial rates and tackling housing and infrastructure challenges.
He said he wanted to reject what he called "curtain-twitching" opposition to progress and focus on affordable housing, great infrastructure and thriving businesses.
Diane Calvert
Diane Calvert. Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas
Wellington city councillor Diane Calvert announced she would run for the Wellington mayoralty in July and said at the time that she had been encouraged to stand for mayor to offer "a credible alternative".
Calvert said her campaign's focus would include getting the basics right, respecting ratepayers and "restoring a council that listens, engages and delivers".
She said Wellington faced "one of its most challenging and defining periods" due to the major reform facing local government, and other "key issues" including rates affordability, care of infrastructure and community engagement.
"As a three-term councillor, I know the council and how the system works. I also know what needs fixing and how to navigate the challenges ahead."
Ray Chung
Wellington City Councillor Ray Chung was making his second mayoralty bid. Photo: Supplied / Facebook
Wellington City Councillor Ray Chung announced his second mayoralty bid early, in May last year.
He hoped by announcing his candidacy early voters would have time to consider what they wanted to see in the city before the "hoopla" of the electoral campaign.
He said the city's economic, social and cultural state was the worst it's ever been, and wanted to bring costs down and improve fiscal understanding around the council table.
Chung came fourth in his 2022 mayoral bid, behind Tory Whanau, Andy Foster, and Paul Eagle.
Rob Goulden
Former Wellington City Councillor Rob Goulden was running for mayor. Photo: ROB GOULDEN / SUPPLIED
Former Wellington City Councillor Rob Goulden said he wanted to run a council that was not divided by politics, and had better relationships.
"I want to lead a constructive, forward thinking, smart team that's got Wellington's interests at heart."
He told RNZ he wanted to ask central government what it would do for the capital, like investing in a four lane road to the airport.
Goulden said some projects should be deferred - like the Lambton Quay section of the Golden Mile - or rethought, like cycleways. He was pro cycleways, but they did not need to be so expensive, he said. For instance, paint could be used rather than digging up roads and changing layouts.
Goulden also suggested a new measure for safety in natural disasters - putting a first aid kit in every car in Wellington.
Josh Harford
Josh Harford, of the Silly Hat Party, is aiming to bring some humour to the Wellington mayoral race. Photo: Supplied
Josh Harford, of the Silly Hat Party, is aiming to bring some humour to the mayoral campaign.
He said he was standing because none of the "serious candidates offer solutions for the issues that really matter".
His campaign promises include mandating optimism on the council, constructing a lazy river on Courtenay Place, and taking "immediate action" to improve Wellington's weather.
Kelvin Hastie
Kelvin Hastie started Predator Free Crofton Downs. Photo: Supplied
Conservationist Kelvin Hastie, who started Predator Free Crofton Downs to eliminate pests from the suburb, said he was running to make Wellington "the best it could be".
He ran in 2022, but it was "last minute" to see how he felt about the campaign process - so he would put in a lot more effort this time around.
He placed sixth in that tilt.
Hastie said he would bring rates rises down as low as possible without selling the council's airport shares and he wanted to "pause all projects" including the Golden Mile, the composting scheme and the City to Sea bridge demolition.
"I think we need to re-consult, pretty much, on everything and take a fresh view."
He also wanted to consult the public on amalgamating the region's councils - Wellington, Porirua, Hutt City and Upper Hutt - to cut rates and duplication of work.
Andrew Little
Former Labour Party leader and minister Andrew Little. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The former Labour Party leader and minister said he would prioritise fixing the pipes, making public transport cheaper, investing in parks, swimming pools and libraries, and developing more housing.
Little - currently a consultant for a law firm in Wellington - left Parliament following Labour's 2023 election defeat after first entering politics in 2011.
He said Wellingtonians did not vote for asset sales or closing community facilities - if elected mayor, he would keep the Khandallah Pool, the Begonia House, and honour commitments for Karori community facilities.
With plans for a new water entity consisting of all the region's councils underway, he said he would ensure Wellington got a good deal.
He said he would "rephase" the Golden Mile project to reduce disruption to local businesses, amid a difficult time for retail and hospitality.
"My focus as mayor will be getting the best for Wellington. That means being able to work constructively with the government in the city's interests and it means standing up to the Beehive when needed," he said.
Donald Mcdonald
Donald Mcdonald said he has run for council eight times.
His party affiliation is listed as "Mcdone waiting 2coming terms Passover".
When asked by RNZ why he was running for mayor and what his policies were, he replied with an email including: "Petrol cars and electric. All end. The roads will be wipe out pedestrians."
"Phone allowance. For Age 16 - Reasonable talk text data. Participate."
He described himself as "zero honest", like everyone, but also said "cannot do better than Don".
William Pennywize
James Barber is running as William Pennywize - Pennywize the Rewilding Clown in the Wellington mayoral race. Photo: Supplied
James Barber is running as William Pennywize in the Wellington Mayoral race - as Pennywize the Rewilding Clown. He said he wanted to bring bold ideas to Wellington's leadership.
According to him, his priorities include "rewilding" the city - daylighting streams, restoring wetlands and even introducing giant genetically engineered tuna and moa as forms of public transport.
Pennywize said his vision was aimed at tackling Wellington's water, climate and well-being challenges in a creative way, contrasting his approach with what he called a lack of ambition from other candidates.
"The Pennywize campaign is a bright oasis of opportunity and aspiration in an otherwise boring and depressing landscape. So far the Pennywize campaign has received a grand total of $750.70 in donations. We plan to spend every cent of it."
Joan Shi
Joan Shi is running as an independent candidate in the Wellington mayoral race. Photo: Supplied
Independent candidate Joan Shi is an immigrant and single mother of two who has lived in Wellington for 13 years.
She said her experience as a working parent had taught her resilience, problem-solving and the importance of listening to others.
Shi's campaign priorities include focusing council spending on core infrastructure, especially leaking pipes, improving affordable transport and creating a business-friendly environment.
She said she wanted to represent the community and make herself available to residents.
Karl Tiefenbacher
Karl Tiefenbacher, founder of ice cream brand Kaffee Eis. Photo: Supplied
Businessman Karl Tiefenbacher, who founded icecream brand Kaffee Eis, announced his mayoralty bid on Monday.
He ran for council last year in a by-election to fill a set left empty by Green MP Tamatha Paul when she was elected to parliament. He narrowly lost to the Greens' candidate Geordie Rogers.
Tiefenbacher told RNZ he would not seek a political party endorsement, but would have a conversation if he was approached.
He said he wanted to get the city "back on track" which included changing the council's culture and the way councillors work with officers, managing debt levels, keeping rates rises to a minimum, focusing on core infrastructure and stopping some "pet projects" like cycleways, the Golden Mile, and the composting programme.
"There's a lot of money that we're actually spending that we don't need to be spending, and it has to be done on a 'need to' rather than a 'want to' basis."
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