Labour MP O'Connor eyes independent run at vacant Wellington Council seat

Labour MP Greg O’Connor says he is more likely than not to run for Wellington City Council in a byelection triggered by the death of councillor Tony Randle.

O’Connor, who is facing the end of his parliamentary career after the abolition of his Ōhāriu electorate, told the Herald he would probably run as an independent if he contested the Northern ward seat, but insisted there was no bad blood with the Labour Party.

Mayor Andrew Little has offered his support, saying his former caucus colleague would be ”great" as a councillor.

Electorate boundary changes mean the Ōhāriu seat O’Connor has held for nine years is being absorbed by neighbouring electorates.

He sought to stay on, seeking Labour’s candidacy in the Wellington North electorate, but lost to Ayesha Verrall. He then eyed a list spot but was not included on the list when the party announced its line-up in June.

He said the decision to potentially run as an independent was not a result of any rifts with the Labour Party.

“Absolutely not. New job, new role, even the implications of being an independent I’d have to understand too.

“There’s already a Labour councillor in the north and I’d just think I’d more likely run as an independent,” he said.

Greg O’Connor has been as a Labour MP for three terms and currently serves as Assistant Speaker. Photo / Mark Mitchell

He said he had not previously considered running for council until Randle’s unexpected death just over two weeks ago.

The 65-year-old died in hospital due to heart complications.

O’Connor said he knew Randle well and met with him frequently.

“People are still sort of coming to terms with Tony’s passing,” he said.

“There was no vacancy on the Wellington City Council two weeks ago and now there is, I have been looking at other options across a range of activities, there’s no point declaring when there is still no vacancy at the moment,” O’Connor said.

The council is yet to formally notify the electoral officer of the vacancy made by Randle’s death, which is expected to happen next week.

It will be required to hold a byelection before the end of the year.

He said he was “certainly giving it serious consideration”, putting his odds of running “higher than 50/50″, but would not confirm a position until after the council listed the vacancy.

“I haven’t confirmed yet, just sort of out of respect for Tony,” he said.

In the Wellington City Council chamber, Tony Randle’s blazer hangs over his empty seat, with flowers, a framed photo and his calculator placed beside his nameplate. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Despite not having officially made up his mind, O’Connor had already established a pitch to prospective voters, saying he would want to join the council to be a “cheerleader” for the capital.

“I’d like to get Wellington where it needs to be,” he said.

“This is a great city ... and we need to be our best advocates.

“If I stand, whoever stands, it’s going to be about getting the city making sure that there are jobs and people here because that’s what’s going to make it thrive.”

Residing in Khandallah, O’Connor lives outside the Northern ward boundary but said “living a kilometre outside, I don’t think it makes a great deal of difference”.

Mayor Andrew Little said he regarded O’Connor as a friend and would back him in a bid for a council seat.

“I was the one when I was party leader that recruited him to Parliament for Labour, so yes, absolutely I think he’s got great skills, I think he’s well in touch with his community and so he’s somebody I think would be a good councillor,” Little said.

He said O’Connor was “highly regarded in the party” and could be endorsed by Labour even if he ran as an independent candidate.

“I think he’d be great around the council table,” Little said.

Former Northern ward councillor John Apanowicz, who lost his seat in October’s election, is also considering running for the byelection, saying he has “unfinished business” on the council.

“I live in the ward, I’m there all the time, but I think local body politics is completely different from central government politics,” he said.

The council is expected to announce the byelection date next week, a council spokesman said.

Early estimates suggest the byelection could cost $250,000, the spokesman said.

Ethan Manera is a Wellington-based journalist covering Wellington issues, local politics and business in the capital. He can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.