Tory Whanau won the Wellington City Council mayoralty in October 2022. 

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As the council’s first wahine Maori mayor, she’s also the first Mayor to be elected without council experience since Mark Blumsky took office 27 years ago. 

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Originally from Pātea in South Taranaki, Tory is of Pakakohe and Ngā Ruahine descent. 

She lived in the small town before moving to Wellington to study Media Studies at Victoria University at age 20. 
 
Tory has worked as a film censor, a marketing executive for AXA New Zealand and a marketing manager at an Australian superannuation provider and a digital marketing manager for Signa Insurance.  More recently she spent 6 years as the chief of staff for the Green Party. 

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Tory lives in Wellington with her dog Teddy. She is learning to love the Phoenix football team.