Speech by Andrew Little

Kia ora koutou katoa -- and thank you, Wellington. Well... what a day, what a campaign. We did it!

Five months ago, we gathered in this very room with a shared belief that Wellington was ready for real change. That our city could do better. And that together, we could make it happen.

Since then, we've worked tirelessly. We launched our policies. We shared our vision for Wellington's future. We debated, we did the TikToks, we knocked on doors, and most importantly -- we listened. We listened to the people of this city and let their ideas and priorities shape ours.

And tonight -- tonight -- we see what that mahi has achieved. Tonight we celebrate our team, our city, and the future we are ready to build together. This result is the work of an extraordinary team. You, who have given your time, your energy, and your aroha to this campaign.

Thank you to my campaign manager Alex Marett. Alex, you have set a new standard in local body campaigning in New Zealand and I am so grateful for everything you have done.

Thank you to Neale Jones for the communications and strategy support. And my deputy campaign manager Chrissy Real-Scott, and Dave Hawkins for making sure all the pieces came together day after day.

To our content, creative and policy team: Sam Gribben, Reed Fleming, Ally Carline, Phil Reed, Andrew Burns, Talisa Kupenga, Lisa Petraschuk, Dan Ohs, Mike Jaspers, Deborah Mahuta-Coyle. And everyone else who else who've contributed -- you all just did an outstanding job.

To the tireless Regan Sayer, and everyone who knocked on doors. Steve Maran and our phone bank volunteers. Beth Houston for fundraising - and everyone who's made a small donation. Lauren Hourigan and all our flyer deliverers. Todd Valster, Connor and Max, Alan Platt, Vienna van Heeswyck and the rest of the hoardings team -- this victory belongs to you.

There's three people who've been my 24/7 support team. My wife Leigh, my son Cam and his partner Kendal. You've been a tower of strength to me.

And I want to take a moment to acknowledge and remember Hilary Stace, an incredible volunteer, a stalwart member of the Labour Party and a fierce advocate for the disability community -- who sadly passed away during this campaign.

To the Labour local body team, and to all our Labour candidates for City and Regional Councils -- it's been an honour to campaign beside you. We campaigned hard. We have worked for every vote. Together, we've knocked on 31,000 doors. We've made 8,300 phone calls. We've delivered more than 100,000 flyers. I took part in 37 public debates. · Held over 100 meetings with community and business leaders. · And in the last month alone, we made over 2 million impressions on social media.

We've worked hard for every single vote, and tonight our team has delivered.

I also want to acknowledge Tory Whanau. He mihi nui ki a koe, Tory. Public service demands courage, and Tory has shown it. She has faced toxic behaviour that no one should ever have to endure. That must never be normalised, and every councillor, every single one of us, has a duty to call it out and shut it down. That's how we build a council worthy of the people it serves.

Wellington, this city is something truly special. It's creative, rebellious, dramatic, and beautiful. It's a place of bold ideas and strong opinions.

And now, we have the chance to build a council that reflects that spirit and delivers for its people. That starts now. We're going to build a city that works - with better public transport and with the basics done well. A city that builds more affordable homes, and provides real support for those without one. A city that cares - about people's safety and livelihoods, about the climate, about Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and leaving no one behind. And a city that thrives - where businesses grow, culture flourishes, and everyone can find their place.

We'll back the innovators, the wealth creators, the dreamers and the artists - and the workers who make Wellington hum.

We'll protect the community facilities that bring people together.

We'll work alongside community leaders to tackle homelessness.

We'll celebrate the diversity that makes this city unique.

And above all, we will listen. Truly listen.

Because Wellingtonians are smart, creative, and deeply invested in this beautiful place. You have ideas - big, clever, innovative ideas worth acting on.

I'm committed to a council that will be open, transparent, and accountable. A council that makes engagement real. A council that explains its decisions and owns its mistakes. And as your Mayor, I will hold myself to the same standard. I know we face big challenges. Fixing them won't happen overnight. But I also know this: the solutions are here among us. In our communities. In our businesses. In our neighbourhoods.

Our job now is simple: to listen, to work together, and to deliver.

So tonight, Wellington, we celebrate. Tomorrow, the real work begins.

We roll up our sleeves.

Let's get the homes built, the buses moving, the buzz back in our city.

We are proudly the capital city, but we more than just the seat of government -- but a capital of ideas, of innovation, of climate action, of culture, and of conscience.

This is the city where everybody comes to be their best selves. A city that listens. A council that delivers. Serious leadership. Real change. And a Wellington that reflects the very best of who we are.

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa - thank you, Te Whānganui a Tara Wellington.