Dame Kerry Prendergast: Former Wellington Mayor on Tory Whanau bowing out of the mayoral race

Tory Whanau's shock U-turn not to run for the Wellington mayoralty again marks three consecutive one-term mayors for the capital. 

Whanau has this morning revealed she's dropping out of the race, saying she wants to give Andrew Little a clearer run to victory. 

It means Whanau, along with the two previous mayors Andy Foster and Justin Lester, only served one term in the job. 

Former Mayor Dame Kerry Prendergast told Mike Hosking that's bad for the city, which needs stability. 

Tory Whanau will stand for the city's Māori ward. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So the Willington mayoral races, taking a turn of the
incumbent's gone Tory finales pulled the plug and throne who
support behind Andrew Little. The former Wellington mayor, Dame Kerry
prientergrasters with us. Kerry, morning to you, Good morning to you.
Given all that's happened to the city in the last
few years, do you think this is going to drive
bigger turnout, more interest in general?

Speaker 2 (00:20):
One would hope. So, I mean the bad news is
three one two mayors is not good for Wellington. We
need stability. We need somebody with good governance experience, someone
who understands the importance of working with government. We need
someone who can pull a team together and lead our
city with honesty and integrity. Because when we see polls

(00:42):
earlier this year that so show forty eight percent have
lost trust in Wellington City and forty eight percent of
lat confidence and decision making. There has to be something
done to turn our city back to the way it was,
get our mojo back, that's what we want.

Speaker 1 (00:58):
Having said that, does this open now the field for
a classic left right split or not?

Speaker 2 (01:04):
I think it does. Andrew Little's key put his hand up.
He's clearly been a labor Minister of the Crown. There
are a number of center center right candidates standing. We
have STV here, so I think what you will see
is that with the Greens bowing out in favor of
Andrew Little, does.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
The party endorsement that we've seen so far does that
help or hinder?

Speaker 2 (01:31):
You mean for Andrew Little?

Speaker 1 (01:34):
I mean now the Greens in central government being involved
in local politics.

Speaker 2 (01:38):
Well, personally I don't believe in party politics at local
government level, but it is certainly crept and strongly, particularly
in Wellington over the last decade or so, and you
do need to work with central government. Andrew would have
that advantage. There are lots of rumors about why Tory

(01:59):
stepped aside. Did she not get the Green endorsement? Did
polling show she wasn't going to win? We will wait
and see. There won't be any endorsement I suspect from
any of their candidates on the center scent right.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Good Insight appreciate it very much, Dame Kerrie prendergastwhen we're
willing to mirror, and of course we mustn't forget this
endless focus we seem to place on MEAs as though
they're presidents. They're just a single vote in the council.
You can vote for whoever you want. They don't get
the council they want. It's a problem.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
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