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Incoming Wellington Mayor Andrew Little has announced second-term Labour ally Ben McNulty as his deputy mayor, and has announced shorter terms for council appointments.

“I’ve been impressed with Ben’s grasp of the important issues facing Wellington, such as housing affordability, transport and community facilities,” Little said at the announcement this afternoon.

“Crucially, he was among councillors who consistently advocated for public transparency, including issues like the sale of the airport shares.”

McNulty is a second-term Labour councillor representing the Takapū Northern ward, and was the top-polling councillor in Wellington’s recent elections.

“I’m grateful for the trust and faith that Andrew Little has placed in me,” McNulty said.

“The challenge in front of this council is huge. Public trust must be restored, rates need to be brought under control and Wellington needs to grow out of its current malaise.

“I’ll be throwing absolutely everything I’ve got into this role to ensure we build a cohesive team and positive council culture where all voices are heard.”

He previously worked in financial services and digital marketing, as well as owning a boutique film lab business before turning to local politics.

Councillor Ben McNulty during a Wellington City Council meeting in 2024. Photo / Mark Mitchell

He grew up in Ngaio, attending Onslow College and currently lives in Johnsonville with his wife and young family.

Last term, McNulty was deputy chair of the council’s regulatory processes committee.

He was one of three left-wing councillors who withdrew their unconditional support for then-Mayor Tory Whanau amid a bitter disagreement about the proposed sale of the council’s airport shares.

He has a strong social media presence and was recently elected with the largest vote majority for a Wellington City councillor since the single transferable voting system was introduced.

Yesterday he posted to social media that he’d “splashed out”, treating himself to a new watch before the council’s swearing in.

The deputy mayor is tasked with acting as a conduit between the Mayor’s office and councillors and standing in for the mayor when they are unavailable.

Upon her election in 2022, former Mayor Tory Whanau chose Green Party ally Laurie Foon as her deputy, citing the pair’s shared vision and Foon’s business connections.

Other former deputies include Dame Kerry Prendergast and Justin Lester, who both went on to lead the capital themselves, as well as Paul Eagle who later became Rongotai MP before an unsuccessful run for the mayoralty.

There was “definitely more than one” councillor who put the name forward for the current role, and there were multiple candidates Little had in mind before making his selection.

Little has also introduced 18-month terms for key council appointments, including the deputy position.

He said the appointments will change after the half-term mark, noting “we will see how the next 18 months go.”

The shorter appointments were one way to achieve a transparent and accountable council, he said, and would keep staff “sharply focused on providing the best service for residents and what’s best for the growth of our city”.

Andrew Little during his press conference at the Wharewaka Function Centre after the results came in naming him mayor-elect. Photo / Mark Mitchell.

“We have a lot of talent around the council table and it is important that there are opportunities for councillors to grow and flourish.”

He also said he tried to strike a good balance of skills, background, and experience in his committee chair appointments.

Little, alongside the rest of Wellington City Council, will be officially sworn in tomorrow at a pōwhiri and inaugural council meeting at Pipitea Marae.

The first proper council meeting will be on November 20.

Little was announced as mayor-elect with a landslide 25,000 vote majority earlier this month.

Little and the left bloc have a commanding majority around the council table 10 to six, with five Labour councillors, plus Little, four Green councillors and six independent councillors firmly on the centre right.

Since his election Little said he has been having “very fruitful” discussions about the term ahead, including one-on-one meetings with all elected councillors about their priorities.

Little campaigned on bringing “serious leadership and real change” to the council. including doing a line-by-line review of spending to keep rates increases down, and protecting community facilities.

Ethan Manera is a Wellington-based journalist covering Wellington issues, local politics and business in the capital. He can be emailed at [email protected].