Source: Radio New Zealand
Former Wellington mayor Tory Whanau RNZ / Mark Papalii
Wellington’s former mayor says her plan to move across the ditch isn’t an abandonment of the city.
In a social media post, Tory Whanau said a combination of economic, professional, and personal reasons have prompted the decision to move to Melbourne.
She said public service cuts have reduced job opportunities, and she was aware her public profile created “political risk” for some organisations.
A large international environment will remove those constraints, she said.
Whanau also said she wanted to remove herself from the increasingly personal and ongoing scrutiny that came with political life and public office.
She said she genuinely loved Melbourne – where she has lived before – and it was a place she could “simply enjoy life again”.
“Importantly, my move isn’t an abandonment of Wellington or Aotearoa.”
Whanau said she would continue to support causes from afar and fully expected to return.
“This is not a permanent goodbye – it’s an intentional step toward growth, opportunity, and sustainability.”
Whanau, who won the mayoralty in 2022 as an independent and had secured the Green Party’s backing for re-election, quit the mayoral race in April, saying she backed Andrew Little’s bid.
She ran for the council’s Māori Ward but was unsuccessful at the local body elections in October.
When he was elected mayor, Little said Whanau had faced “toxic behaviour that no one should ever have to endure” during her time in office.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
