Greater Wellington Regional Council

The Greater Wellington Regional Council makes decisions about managing resources in the region, such as air, water, soil and the coastline. It also carries out plant and pest control, helps prepare for natural disasters, and is involved in regional transport. The council is made up of 14 councillors. Councillors are elected to represent constituencies (areas in the region). five councillors will be elected from the Pōneke/Wellington constituency. This is a single transferable vote (STV) election, so you vote by ranking the candidates on your ballot paper. Compare the candidates and their policies to decide who to vote for in the Greater Wellington Regional Council election.

Greater Wellington Regional Council candidates

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Tom James

Labour

Why I'm standing

I was alarmed when the Coalition Government introduced their policy to force regional councils to raise public transport fares during a cost of living crisis. Good, affordable public transport encourages better housing development and helps fight climate change through reducing emissions and easing congestion. So I am putting my hand up to fight against fare hikes and to improve our public transport network.

About me

I believe in everyone getting a fair go and working collaboratively. I was lucky enough to work in the last Labour government for two transport ministers and now I continue to work in transport policy - so I have a strong grasp of how the system works and how to make change.

My priorities

  1. Reduce the cost of public transport with a weekly fare cap to help ease the cost of living.
  2. Expand the bus network and make services more reliable to encourage more people to get on board.
  3. Work to keep rates down by making sure we are getting value for money in future projects.

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Don’t know who to vote for? Policy.nz is the complete guide to the 2025 local elections. Compare the candidates and policies to see where you stand.

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