During a tense interview on TVNZ’s Q+A, Jack Tame pressed Whanau about her recent remarks. Last week, when discussing the rising cost of living and the state of downtown Wellington, Whanau mentioned that she had recently sold her car.
She stated, “However, I’ve just sold my car recently to kind of help pay the bills, I walk to work again, my mortgage rates have doubled in the past few years. So I’m feeling the crunch as well, but I also recognize the privilege that I have,” during an interview on Newstalk ZB’s Wellington Mornings.
Despite her annual salary increase to $189,799 and a $1.4 million Lotto win in 2002, Whanau clarified to The New Zealand Herald that the car had been sold “a few months ago,” and she now resides in a townhouse in the city.
When questioned by Tame about the comments, Whanau emphasized that the issue had been extensively discussed and was detracting from the real concerns facing Wellington. She confirmed that she did not sell her car to cover expenses.
She explained, “No, I actually didn’t. It’s a shame, because it was taken out of context. It was an hour-long interview – you get a bit relaxed.” Whanau stated that the main reason for selling the car was the walkability of Wellington as a city center resident.
Whanau expressed frustration with Tame’s continued interrogation, stating, “Do we really think the public need to know about the reason why I sold my car? I answered a question and I think how it’s generated six, seven different headlines is a distraction from the real issues of Wellington city.”
When asked if she had misled anyone with her comments, Whanau denied this, attributing it to an “offhand comment” during the Newstalk ZB interview.
Regarding the upcoming local body elections in 2025, Whanau acknowledged the challenges but remained optimistic about her chances. She emphasized the importance of addressing costly issues such as water infrastructure, public transport, and earthquake-prone buildings in the region.
Whanau highlighted the necessity of maintaining major projects for the city’s transformation, stating, “When you pause … big, transformational projects, they end up escalating in cost, and you end up with a crumbling city. That is not what I want.”
She reassured the public that despite the current expenses, the rates would eventually decrease, and the city’s transformation would continue under her leadership.
