The ceremony marked the formal induction of councillors Kylie Wihapi, Nathan Waddle, Ross Leggett, Kathleen Filo, Geoff Hayward, Hemi Fermanis, Moira Lawler, Josh Trlin, Mike Duncan and Izzy Ford, alongside Mayor Anita Baker. The event provided a moment of civic tradition before the real work begins around the council table.

Following the ceremony, Mayor Anita Baker delivered her inaugural address, setting a collaborative and realistic tone for the term ahead.

Acknowledging a delayed start due to a judicial recount of the Māori ward vote, Baker praised the integrity of the process and formally welcomed new councillors Hemi Fermanis and Moira Lawler, describing them as “deeply grounded in community” with a “clear commitment to serving Porirua.”

She also reflected on the importance of civic participation, noting declining voter turnout across the city and the country. “Our community will only engage if they believe their council is listening, explaining its decisions clearly, and operating transparently. That is a collective responsibility,” she said.

The city’s strong vote to retain the Māori ward and to support greater regional cooperation were described as clear signals for inclusive and joined-up governance. Baker said she was encouraged by early signs of constructive intent from Wellington’s new leadership.

Turning to the challenges ahead, Baker highlighted pressures on household budgets and the major shift represented by the transition of water services to Tiaki Wai. “This restructures our budgets on a scale none of us have dealt with before,” she said, warning that while Council’s rates portion may drop on paper, residents would still feel increases due to new water charges.

She welcomed the Government’s announcement of sweeping reforms to local government, calling it the most significant since 1989, and pledged to advocate for local voices during that process.

Baker thanked Chief Executive Wendy Walker and staff across all departments for their service, emphasising the role of expert advice and delivery in supporting elected members.

“If there is one principle I want to underline tonight, it is teamwork,” she said. “We won’t always agree, but we can commit to working respectfully, constructively, and with the shared purpose of serving this city well.”

Baker closed with a reminder of Porirua’s unique spirit and strength. “Serving a place like this isn’t a burden; it’s an honour and a privilege. The work ahead won’t always be easy, but it will always be worth it, because Porirua is worth it, and so are the people who live here.”

Returning Deputy Mayor Kylie Wihapi was reappointed, continuing her trailblazing role as the city’s first Māori ward councillor and now serving a second term in the deputy position.

“Kylie will be reappointed as my Deputy Mayor, recognising her teamwork, work ethic, leadership and contribution during the previous term,” Baker said. “She was a great support to me in that role. I’m sure she will build on that experience.”

Among the changes this term is the appointment of Councillors Josh Trlin and Geoff Hayward as co-chairs of Te Puna Kōrero, the committee responsible for overseeing major policy and strategy decisions.

“They have earnt these positions showing tremendous teamwork, knowledge, experience and a great attitude during their time on Council,” Baker said.

Councillor Ross Leggett will lead the Chief Executive’s Employment Committee, which monitors senior leadership performance, while Councillor Nathan Waddle retains his role as Deputy Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.

“These appointments reflect a Council focused on teamwork, experience, collaboration, continuity, and action,” Baker said. “We’ve lost a few weeks to the recount process, but we’ll more than make up for it with the energy, focus and teamwork Porirua deserves.”

The committee rosters include a mix of returning councillors and external appointments. Notably, Councillor Wihapi takes on several leadership responsibilities, chairing the District Licensing Committee and representing Porirua in regional transport, water, and leadership forums.

The full Council committee structure includes:

• Deputy Mayor: Kylie Wihapi
• Te Puna Kōrero Co-Chairs: Josh Trlin and Geoff Hayward
• Audit and Risk Committee: Chair Warren Allen, Deputy Chair Nathan Waddle
• Chief Executive’s Employment Committee: Chair Ross Leggett, Deputy Chair Anita Baker
• District Licensing Committee: Chair Kylie Wihapi, Deputy Chair Mike Duncan

Mayor Baker also acknowledged Taku Parai, Council Kaumātua from Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, who continues to play an integral role in Council proceedings.

The triennium officially begins as the Council looks ahead to its first full business meetings in the coming weeks.

The recount, overseen by a District Court judge and scrutineers appointed by recount applicant Jess Te Huia, resulted in a slight adjustment to the vote count. Two special votes previously allowed were disallowed during the process. The final tally gave Wihapi 934 votes, followed closely by Te Huia with 925. Other candidates, Raniera Albert and Rawinia Rimene, received 319 and 208 votes respectively.

The Electoral Officer issued an amended declaration following the judge’s decision. Planning is now underway for the inaugural meeting and swearing in of the new council.

The recount brought clarity to what had been one of the closest contests in the recent local elections, underscoring the importance of every vote in shaping community representation.

The recount was granted after candidate Jess Te Huia filed an application challenging the initial results. The court found that Te Huia presented an “objective and credible basis” for believing the outcome may have been incorrect.

The recount is scheduled for Thursday, 13 November.

Porirua City Council confirmed the decision and will oversee the recount process in accordance with electoral law.

Further updates will be provided as new information becomes available.

This week, councillors-elect met with our senior staff to talk about the next three years: what we want to see, what we bring to the table, and what we’ll need to make it all happen.

My message was simple: Get Sh*t Done. (Apologies for the language, but sometimes you have to be that blunt before people pay attention.)

There’s a lot that I would like us to focus on, and plenty of work ahead, but the first rule of politics is to count: I am only one person around that table, so you have to bind like a scrum with others if you want to see change. It was heartening to see how much common ground there already is across the table. There’s a sense of shared purpose that can take us a long way if we stay focused on you, not ourselves.

The biggest challenge we face isn’t whether the ideas are good or the policies sound. It’s how we move from good intentions to real delivery. Too often councils get stuck in the theatre of local politics: the lines, the posturing, the same old arguments reheated from term to term. I think most people are over that. They don’t want drama; they want delivery.

If we’re serious about earning the trust of our communities, then we have to resist the clichés that play out around council tables across the motu. We can’t hide behind the easy line that “rates are too high” and use it as an excuse to delay decisions that should have been made years ago. Everyone feels the pinch, but the answer isn’t to do less. It’s to do better, and to do it together.

It’s also easy to say you’re not political, and then play politics. I mentioned that the phrase “line-by-line review” came up in the election campaign more frequently than the lines on Clint Eastwood’s face. We can’t afford that kind of performance. Porirua deserves substance.

We’re here to make decisions that matter: to invest wisely, to act fairly, and to show people what progress looks like. That takes courage, collaboration, and a bit of good humour along the way.

Now, this isn’t an appeal for kumbaya around the council table (a phrase I am going to credit to my colleague Kylie Wihapi), and I know that trust has to be earned, not declared. The plan I put forward with my colleague Josh Trlin during the campaign hasn’t changed: no surprises, no tricks, just action. That’s why we put our focus for the next three years out early in the recent election campaign.

Here’s my two cents: if we do this right, Porirua will continue to be a city of opportunity, inclusion, and pride. Not just for now, but for generations to come.

So that’s my message for the next three years. Less posturing, more progress. It’s time for GSD.

Column by Porirua Mayor, Anita Baker

With the election period concluded and after the result of special votes I want to express my deep gratitude to the people of Porirua for the opportunity to serve as your mayor once again. And even if you didn’t vote for me, but still took the time to return your ballot papers, thank you for participating in the democratic process at a time when many are opting out.

It was noteworthy this year that of the five mayors in the Wellington region, only myself and Janet Holborow from Kāpiti are returning after this election. We have new mayors from the Hutt, Wellington, and Upper Hutt, Ken Laban, Andrew Little, and Peri Zee respectively (as well as three brand-new mayors from the Wairarapa). I look forward to working with them all and benefiting from their fresh ideas.

Beyond electing our mayor and council, there were two important referendum questions included on the ballot papers this year. The results were instructive and uplifting in what they say about us as a community. On the question of Māori wards, about 69 percent of voters said “Yes” to keeping them, one of the strongest endorsements in the country. That’s a clear reflection of our values as a community: inclusion, representation, and genuine partnership.

On the second question, greater regional cooperation, a strong majority of about 58 percent also supported exploring closer ties with our neighboring councils, and possibly some form of amalgamation in the future. That shows people are open to practical collaboration on shared issues like transport, housing, and infrastructure.

I’d also like to note with gratitude the departure of two former colleagues, Tracey Johnson and Moze Galo, and welcome Hemi Fermanis and Moira Lawler on  to the council. Once we’re all sworn in, the task ahead of us remains the same: to deliver on the priorities that matter to Porirua.

Thank you once again for your trust and participation. Let’s get on with the work ahead.

The inaugural meeting, where Mayor Anita Baker and elected councillors were set to be sworn in on Thursday, has been postponed until the outcome of the recount is confirmed. Democratic services manager Jack Marshall said the delay was necessary under electoral law.

The recount request comes from Māori ward candidate Jess Te Huia, who narrowly missed out on a seat by just 11 votes to incumbent councillor Kylie Wihapi. Te Huia said concerns over unallocated and missing votes prompted the legal challenge.

“The electoral officer has shown there are unallocated and missing votes,” Te Huia said. “It is important that where they have gone is reported publicly.”

Election results showed 12 informal votes and 28 blank votes in the Māori ward contest, where Raniera Albert and Rawinia Rimene placed third and fourth.

Under the Local Electoral Act, a District Court judge must be satisfied there are “reasonable grounds” to proceed with a recount, including possible counting errors or irregularities.

According to the Local Government Act, councils may not hold their first meeting until final results are declared or any recounts are completed.

Porirua’s council for the 2025–2028 term includes returning and new members: Kathleen Filo, Geoff Hayward, Mike Duncan, Izzy Ford, Hemi Fermanis, Josh Trlin, Nathan Waddle, Moira Lawler, Ross Leggett, and Māori ward representative Kylie Wihapi, pending the court’s decision.

The result ensures Māori representation on Porirua City Council will continue, a decision welcomed by many across the city who see the ward as vital to inclusive local democracy.

In the Parirua Māori Ward, Kylie Wihapi was elected as councillor, receiving 790 votes.
She narrowly edged out Jess Te Huia (731), with Raniera (Daniel) Albert and Rawinia Rimene also standing in the race.

“This result shows our community values representation and the voices of mana whenua and Māori residents in decision-making,” one local observer said following the count.

The Māori Ward was first introduced for the 2022 local elections. This year’s referendum confirms its place in Porirua’s political landscape for future elections.

Poll Results – Māori Ward Referendum

Alongside the mayoral result, Porirua voters have chosen their new council for the next three years.

Voters also backed keeping the Māori Ward (8,897 to 4,150) and supported exploring council amalgamation with neighbouring cities (7,404 to 5,622).

Porirua, The 2025 local election results are in. We’re tracking live updates for the Porirua mayoral race, ward councillors, referendum results, and voter turnout as progress results are released.

Voting closed at 12pm on Saturday, 11 October. Progress results, which include around 90% of votes, are expected throughout the afternoon.

Latest update:

Mayor of Porirua City

Councillors of Porirua City

Parirua Māori Ward

Onepoto General Ward

Pāuatahanui General Ward

Poll Results

Māori Ward Poll

Amalgamation Poll

Voting closed at 12pm on Saturday, 11 October. Progress results, which include around 90% of votes, are expected throughout the afternoon.

Latest update:

Mayor of Porirua City

Councillors of Porirua City

Parirua Māori Ward

Onepoto General Ward

Pāuatahanui General Ward

Poll Results

Māori Ward Poll

Amalgamation Poll