Independent Together
Independent Together | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Ray Chung |
| Founded | 2025 |
| Colours | Gold/Yellow Black |
| Website | |
| voteforit | |
Independent Together (IT) are a local-body political ticket that was established to contest the 2025 Wellington City Council election. There leader and mayoral candidate is incumbent Wellington city councillor Ray Chung.
Positions and platform
[edit]The group was formed by incumbent Wellington city councillor Ray Chung. The key promise made by the group is that they will not increase rates in the following term, if elected.[1] As of April 2025, the group had yet to decide what would be cut to achieve this.[1][2] Incumbent Green mayor Tory Whanau and other left of centre city councillors rebutted the group's stance on rates increases,[1] councillor Rebecca Matthews going as far to say that to claim you could achieve zero rates increases whilst maintaining city services was "a lie".[2] Chung himself would personally campaign against the Golden Mile project.[1][2]
The group would campaign on ensuring council is only funding the "basics" (water infrastructure, rubbish collection, parks, and roads), bringing back "accessibility" to the city by restoring removed car parks, and making the city safer.[1] The group would also campaign on opposing party politics on the city council.[1] The contradiction of a political group forming to oppose political groups was mocked in an op-ed for The Post by playwright and satirist Dave Armstrong, with him likening it to previous "independent" groups of right wing councillors.[3]
Criticism
[edit]Independent Together and Chung have been accused of having links to controversial conspiracy groups.[4]
Candidates
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For mayor
[edit]For council
[edit]- Ken Ah Kuoi - standing in the Motukairangi/Eastern Ward[7]
- Lily Brown
- Andrea Compton
- Phil McConchie
- Michelle McGuire
- Melissa Moore
- Paula Muollo
- Mike Petrie
- Stuart Wong
- Dan Milward[8][9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Hunt, Tom (14 April 2025). "Wellington political group pledges no rates rises, can't say how". www.thepost.co.nz. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ a b c Ricketts, Emma (16 April 2025). "The Wellington council candidates promising to freeze rates, but they won't say how". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ Armstrong, Dave (15 April 2025). "Wellington City Council and the power of independent thinking". The Post.
- ^ Hunt, Tom (28 May 2025). "Call for please-explain as Wellington mayoral candidate linked to conspiracy group". The Post. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ Crimp, Lauren (31 March 2025). "Wellington local elections: Who's running for mayor?". RNZ. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ "Ray Chung". voteforit.nz. Independent Together. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ Afemata, Mary (20 May 2025). "After nearly 30 years, Wellington could see a Pasifika councillor again". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ "Eleven candidates promise zero WCC rates increases". Wellington.Scoop. 10 April 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ "Our Team". voteforit.nz. Independent Together. Retrieved 2 June 2025.