Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Outgoing Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says from now on she intends to call out "meanspirited bullying behaviour", and isn't ruling out another tilt at the mayoral chains down the line.
Whanau announced Tuesday morning that she would not seek a second term in the capital's top job and would instead run as a city councillor in the Māori ward.
In an interview on Midday Report the mayor said that people had appreciated her speaking out about her drinking problem and ADHD diagnoses.
"They are issues that many people have experienced and have helped me become a compassionate and empathetic leader, and people in the community have appreciated that," she said.
"I don't see them as low points."
When questioned about her lowest points in the role she said that her comments around selling her car, being under the influence and not paying for a restaurant bill were not the lowest.
"As you've described them those are very normal issues that most people are experiencing right now," she said.
"I think since I said I had ADHD I've had ten friends be diagnosed for ADHD as well."
Whanau said it was pretty standard for politicians to be out drinking.
She intended to call out bad behaviour around the council table.
"I will no longer tolerate, you know, mean spirited bullying behaviour and as it comes from now, I will be calling it out."
She said she had been undermined by councillors "quite significantly".
Whanau did not rule out running for mayor again in the 2028 local body election.
"Who knows? Perhaps I could give it another go the term after, I did promise two to three terms on council, I'm still committed to doing that."
She made the decision to not run over the Easter period.
Whanau said she had "felt quite bad" because up until Monday people were coming up to her and supporting her and wanting to volunteer for her campaign but she could not say anything.
On Morning Report mayoral candidate and current councillor Ray Chung claimed that he believed a deal was being done Whanau and Labour's candidate former cabinet minister Andrew Little.
Chung believed Whanau would become Little's deputy mayor.
She denied she has made a deal where she would step aside in return for the deputy mayoralty.
"Later down the track what would be typical is if he wanted to seek an official endorsement from the Green Party that's when we would have those discussions around potential roles or policy commitments.
"That hasn't happened because it's early days, but I would hope that we could have that conversation perhaps in two months' time."
She said the Green Party was not planning to run another candidate, but said it was not off the cards.
"But there is no desire to."
RNZ has approached the Green Party for comment.
Whanau hoped that political failures such as the $32 million Reading Cinemas deal, and the airport share sales did not set the tone for her legacy as mayor.
"It has been a dramatic couple of years but that's because change, transformation and perhaps a couple of decision I wouldn't make again have caused a lot of noise."
She hoped that people looked back on her time as mayor positively in due course.
"I can understand that won't be the case anytime soon."
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