Andrew Little's campaign launch speech, promising change at council
17 May 2025 (Speech)
I was asked in an interview recently: “What makes you a quintessential Wellingtonian?”
It’s a fair question — and a good one.
Like most people who live in Wellington, I came here from somewhere else. And I’m not the first to migrate from Taranaki, as Taranaki whanui will attest. For most of us, we have chosen to make Wellington our home.
We love the city for its dramatic landscape, its weather that goes from gale force to breathless calm in a day, the fact that in 15 minutes you can go from a glassy harbour to roaring south coast seas.
This city of contrast and drama makes it ideal to be the nation’s capital, the place for competing ideas and political protest. Even the land on which we stand can’t avoid conflict with itself, as the occasional earthquake reminds us.
So, after most of my adulthood living here, I’m weatherproof and wind-hardened. I’ve mastered the sideways walk in a southerly, and I know exactly when to carry an umbrella... and when there’s absolutely no point.
I’m highly caffeinated —I enjoy good coffee and am no good to anyone until I’ve picked up my morning espresso from my favourite local.
Some might say, like many Wellingtonians, I have an above-average understanding of politics and am pretty good at navigating my way around the Beehive.
I care deeply about housing, climate change, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. And I’ll never turn down a policy debate over brunch, or while doing a lap of the city to sea walk.
But being a Wellingtonian isn’t just about strong coffee or strong convictions.
It’s something more. The connection we’ve made.
To this place.
Our choice to belong here.
To invest in this place.
To call it home.
I chose Wellington years ago when I came here for university.
I chose it again when I built a life here — raised a family, grew a career, and made myself part of this city in every way that matters.
And today, I’m choosing it again — by putting my hand up to lead it as its Mayor.
Wellington deserves leadership that’s bold, honest, and focused on results. Leadership that brings people together and gets things done. My vision for Wellington is simple:
- A city that works: Where basic services are reliable, the pipes stop bursting, public transport is resilient, and job creation is a focus.
- A city that builds: With more affordable housing whether renting or buying while ensuring those without a home get the help they need.
- A city that cares: About people’s safety and security and livelihoods, about the planet, and about leaving no one behind.
- And a city that thrives: Where businesses can grow, culture can flourish, and communities can feel proud and safe.
This city is creative. Rebellious. Beautiful — and fiercely local.
It’s the capital of Aotearoa, and it should be a capital in every sense of the word.
A capital of ideas. A capital of innovation. A capital of climate action — and conscience.
But cities don’t become great by accident.
It takes clear priorities, strong leadership and collaboration.
The courage to make hard calls — to stand up to the Beehive when we need to, and to work alongside them when we must.
It takes something simple, yet too often overlooked: listening.
Truly listening to the people who call this place home.
Since I made the decision to run for Mayor, I’ve spent my time doing just that.
Listening.
To community groups working tirelessly with limited resources.
To students dreaming about their futures — and worrying about whether they can afford to build them here.
To hospitality workers, business owners, artists and musicians — who bring this city to life, and want to see it thrive.
To climate advocates, renters, cyclists, parents, taxi drivers, neighbours, friends and to my favourite barista.
And what I’ve heard is this: Wellingtonians have ideas. Big ones. Smart ones. Innovative solutions — for the kind of city we all want to live in.
But what’s disheartening is that I’m not the first person they’ve shared those ideas with.
Many of them have already gone to the Council for support, guidance and help.
Some have been trying for years — knocking on doors, attending meetings, making submissions.
They’ve done the mahi. They’ve followed the process.
And still — nothing. No support. No real engagement. Just silence or a raft of complicated excuses.
The truth is: our council is facing a crisis of confidence because our Council has stopped listening.
It’s become inward-looking when the answers are just outside their office doors.
It’s forgotten that local government isn’t just about consents and long-term plans.
It’s about people. Their lives. Their hopes. Their home.
Wellingtonians are smart. We’re creative. We’re deeply invested in this place.
But more and more people are feeling shut out of the process.
Many people feel like consultation is just a box to tick when a decision has already been made instead of a conversation that leads to inclusive action and decision-making.
And that — that has to stop.
I want to make the council more transparent, more democratic and most importantly, more accountable to the people of Wellington.
First, I’ll make public engagement real.
No more rushed decisions.
No more shutting people out.
Every major decision will require a Community Impact Statement — showing who was consulted, what they said, and how it influenced the outcome. Second, I’ll end the misuse of “commercial confidentiality.”
Because too often, that’s just code for: “We don’t want to tell you.”
If we’re spending public money, the public deserves honest answers.
And third, I’ll hold myself to account.
Each year, I’ll release a public Mayor’s Accountability Report — updating you on progress, challenges, and where we’re heading.
This is all aimed at ensuring the Council’s priorities reflect the priorities of the city it serves.
We all know we have some big issues to tackle. And I am up for that challenge.
But its not just about pointing a finger at the problem - its finding out what’s gone wrong and how we will fix it so we don’t continue to repeat the same mistakes over and over again.
We see a lot of areas where the Council has wasted millions with little oversight.
$150 million rushed through Council for the town hall blowout.
$32 million of corporate welfare for an international cinema chain.
Paying three times as much as we should have for water repairs because no one was asking the hard questions.
At the same time, despite their modest cost, some of our most important community facilities are under constant threat.
Places like Khandallah Pool, the Begonia House and last year even our suburban libraries.
These aren’t just buildings.
They’re places that bring people together.
They help our communities thrive.
Now this is where things have gone wrong. The Council’s decisions, its priorities are out of step with what Wellingtonians want.
I know how much these facilities mean to Wellingtonians, because you’ve told me.
That’s why I have a plan to get our priorities back in line with what Wellingtonians want which is:
- To save Khandallah Pool and the Begonia House.
- To complete the Karori Event Centre.
- And to ensure there are no cuts to library or swimming pool hours.
I’ll also make community facilities in high-use areas a priority for new investment moving forward.
That starts with delivering on the short-term projects already identified in the Te Awe Māpara Community Facility Plan — focusing on areas where high-use facilities urgently need redevelopment.
The first projects will begin with business cases for:
- The Kilbirnie community facilities upgrade — redeveloping the recreation centre, starting the master plan for the park and upgrading the aquatic centre.
- And the Tawa Anchor Project — bringing the Tawa library and community centre together into a modern community hub.
In the context of the Council’s nearly $5 billion capital budget over the next 10 years, the cost of these projects is a drop in the ocean.
What’s been missing is leadership that makes community facilities a priority.
And as we work to apply stronger financial controls on our capital projects we can free up money to start these community facilities, and more.
I know many Wellingtonians have lost confidence in the Council’s ability to keep capital costs under control.
That’s why I will establish an external Capital Advisory Group, made up of professionals in construction, engineering, and project management.
They’ll be tasked with ensuring project budgets are realistic, costs are well managed, and blowouts are avoided.
These are realistic and deliverable policies — but more importantly, they’re changes that Wellingtonians have been calling for, for far too long.
The job of the Council is to lead and care for this city.
And you cannot do that if you are not listening to — and learning from — the people who live here.
As well as listening, it’s also about being open with Wellingtonians about what’s happening.
This city doesn’t run on plans and spreadsheets and hidden decisions.
It runs on people.
People who give their time, who build businesses, who raise kids, who run events, ride bikes, grow gardens and pour pints.
We belong to this city. And this city belongs to all of us.
That’s the Wellington I believe in.
One where leadership isn’t about control — it’s about connection.
Where Mayors don’t just talk at people – they listen and they act.
And that’s the kind of Mayor I want to be.
October is not that far away. And between now and the election, I’ll be putting forward my plan and other policies for our city's future – but not before I listen to more of its people.
I truly believe that the solutions to the many challenges we face as a city – whether it’s pipes or pathways, are right here amongst our own.
I intend to run my campaign the same way I hope to lead Wellington: open, transparent, and helpful. It will be people-focused, priority-driven, and action-oriented.
Like the council table, I will welcome all ideas and opinions. And, like the council, we may not always agree—but that does not mean we aren’t on the same side.
As long as we are connected by the same kaupapa, as long as we continue to choose Wellington, back our city, and do our best for its future, we will continue to be part of the same team playing for the same end goal.
At the beginning of this speech, I spoke about the choice we all made — to make Wellington our home.
Now, I’m asking you to make another choice.
This year, every Wellingtonian will have the opportunity to choose what kind of leadership this city deserves.
I’ve made my choice — to put my hand up, to do the work.
And now, I’m asking you to choose with me.
Choose a city that is heard.
A Council that listens.
And leadership that reflects the best of who we are.
I am asking you to choose me to be the next Mayor of Wellington.
Ngā mihi nui — thank you.
Read more about the policies announced in this speech: