Greater Wellington Regional Council
Regional council in New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wellington Regional Council, branded as Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), is the regional council overseeing the Wellington Region of New Zealand's lower North Island.[5] It is responsible for public transport under the brand Metlink, environmental and flood protection, and the region's water supply.[6] As of 2023, it is the majority owner of CentrePort Wellington with a 77% shareholding.[7]
Greater Wellington Regional Council Te Pane Matua Taiao[1] | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1980/1989 |
| Leadership | |
Chair | |
Deputy Chair | Ros Connelly |
Nigel Corry[3] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 14 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
| STV | |
Last election | 11 October 2025 |
Next election | 2028 |
| Meeting place | |
| 100 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington 1056 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt 34 Chapel Street, Masterton[4] | |
| Website | |
| gw.govt.nz | |
The Wellington Regional Council was first formed in 1980 from the amalgamation of the functions of the Wellington Regional Planning Authority with those of the Wellington Regional Water Board,[8] before taking its current form with the local government reforms of 1989.[9] The council adopted the promotional name "Greater Wellington" in 2003.[10]
A proposal made in 2013 that nine territorial authorities amalgamate to form a single supercity met substantial local opposition and was abandoned in June 2015.[11]
Council members
The governing body of the regional council is made up of 14 councillors, representing six constituencies:[12]
- Pōneke/Wellington – 5 councillors
- Kāpiti Coast – 1
- Porirua-Tawa – 2
- Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai/Lower Hutt – 3
- Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta/Upper Hutt – 1
- Wairarapa – 1
- Te Upoko o te ika a Māui Māori constituency – 1
The Te Upoko o te ika a Māui Māori constituency was established for the 2025 local body elections by council vote in October 2023.[13]
The most recent elections to the council took place in October 2025.[14] As of April 2026,[update] the regional councillors were:
- Key
Labour Green Independent ACT Local
| Name | Portrait | Position | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daran Ponter |  |
Chairperson | Pōneke/Wellington | |
| Ros Connelly |  |
Deputy Chairperson after 19 May 2026 | Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta/Upper Hutt | |
| vacant | Previously Adrienne Staples; she died in April 2026 | Wairarapa | ||
| Simon Woolf |  |
Councillor | Pōneke/Wellington | |
| Yadana Saw |  |
Councillor | Pōneke/Wellington | |
| Tom James | .jpg) |
Councillor | Pōneke/Wellington | |
| Sarah Free | .jpg) |
Councillor | Pōneke/Wellington | |
| Gabriel Tupou | .jpg) |
Councillor | Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai/Lower Hutt | |
| Nigel Elder | .jpg) |
Councillor | Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai/Lower Hutt | |
| Quentin Duthie |  |
Councillor | Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai/Lower Hutt | |
| Phil Rhodes | .jpg) |
Councillor | Porirua-Tawa | |
| Claire Johnstone | .jpg) |
Councillor | Porirua-Tawa | |
| Penny Gaylor |  |
Councillor | Kāpiti Coast | |
| Shamia Makarini | .jpg) |
Councillor | Te Upoko o te ika a Māui | |
Wairarapa councillor and deputy chair Adrienne Staples died on 20 April 2026,[15][16] meaning that a by-election will be held in the Wairarapa constituency to fill her seat.[17] Nominations for the by-election open on 14 May 2026 and close on 11 June 2026. If multiple candidates are received, an election will be held from 20 July to 21 August 2026.[18]
Chairs
| No. | Name | Portrait | Term | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mervyn Kemp[19] | 1980 | 1986 | Tawa | |
| 2 | Stuart Macaskill[20] | 1986 | 2001 | Upper Hutt | |
| 3 | Margaret Shields[21] | .jpg) |
2001 | 2004 | Porirua |
| 4 | Ian Buchanan[22][23] | 2004 | 2007 | Wairarapa | |
| 5 | Fran Wilde[24] |  |
2007 | 2015 | Wellington City |
| 6 | Chris Laidlaw[25] |  |
2015 | 2019 | Wellington City |
| 7 | Daran Ponter[26] | |
2019 | present | Wellington City |
Deputy chairs
† Died in office
| Name | Portrait | Term | Constituency | Chair | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keith Spry[27] |  |
? | 1989 | Wellington City | Macaskill |
| Ken Gray[28] |  |
1989 | 1992[†] | Porirua | |
| Alison Lawson[29] | 1992 | 1995 | Lower Hutt | ||
| Euan McQueen[30] | 1995 | 1998 | Wellington North | ||
| Margaret Shields[31][32] | |
1998 | 2001 | Porirua | |
| Terry McDavitt[22] |  |
2001 | 2007 | Wellington City[33] | Shields |
| Buchanan | |||||
| Peter Glensor[34][35] | 2007 | 2013 | Lower Hutt[36] | Wilde | |
| Barbara Donaldson[37][38] | 2013 | 2019 | Porirua-Tawa | ||
| Laidlaw | |||||
| Adrienne Staples[39][15] |  |
2019 | 2026[†] | Wairarapa | Ponter |
| Position vacant (20 April – 19 May 2026) | |||||
| Ros Connelly[40] | .jpg) |
2026 | present | Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta/Upper Hutt | |
Regional parks
The council administers several regional parks.[41]
- Akatarawa Forest
- Baring Head/Orua-pouanui
- Battle Hill Farm Forest Park
- Belmont Regional Park
- East Harbour Regional Park
- Hutt River Trail
- Hutt Water Collection Area
- Kaitoke Regional Park
- Pakuratahi Forest
- Queen Elizabeth Park
- Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour
- Wainuiomata Recreation Area
- Wainuiomata Water Collection Area
- Wairarapa Moana Wetlands
- Wellington Harbour
- Whitireia Park
Elections
See also
- Manawatū-Whanganui Regional council – neighbouring regional council
- Territorial authorities within the Greater Wellington region: