PHOTO: As salacious political gossip rocks Wellington’s halls of power, the capital’s property market spirals deeper into crisis — has the city finally hit rock bottom? Tory Whanau. FILE
🧨 Political Smear Campaign Explodes as Mayoral Hopeful Emails Sex Claims About Tory Whanau
In an explosive escalation of Wellington’s political circus, City Councillor and mayoral candidate Ray Chung has admitted to circulating a graphic, unverified email alleging sexual encounters involving Mayor Tory Whanau at a New Year’s Eve party.
The email — riddled with terms like “pendulous soft breasts” and “a bout of tempestuous sex” — was sent to fellow councillors just weeks after Whanau was elected in 2022. Chung claims he was merely relaying gossip from a neighbour encountered while “walking the dog.”
“This was directly what I was told,” Chung told RNZ. “I would call it gossip.”
Chung, who launched his mayoral campaign last month, told RNZ he never fact-checked the email, which was sent under the subject line “A Sordid Night on the Town.” He later admitted he feared a code of conduct charge if it became public.
Meanwhile, Whanau — who vehemently denies the claims — has sought legal advice and slammed the allegations as malicious, sexist, and politically motivated.
“These lies are designed to dehumanise and discourage good people from public office,” she said.
https://www.propertynoise.co.nz/is-this-the-worst-property-market-in-new-zealand-q2-data-confirms-the-freefall-continues-in-the-capital-watch/
💔 A City in Chaos: From Political Gutter-Fighting to a Collapsing Property Market
While the council tears itself apart over scandal and innuendo, Wellington’s housing market is in freefall — with plummeting buyer confidence, a flood of listings, and investors walking away from the capital.
In our recent report “Why Wellington’s Property Market Is in Serious Trouble”, we outlined:
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📉 Staggering price drops across key Wellington suburbs
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🚪 A mass exodus of property owners, including developers and landlords
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🔨 Skyrocketing insurance, compliance, and seismic upgrade costs
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🛑 A complete standstill in major commercial and residential projects
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💼 Investor flight to regions like Kapiti, Horowhenua, and Wairarapa
The Wellington market is no longer just “cooling.” It’s frozen solid — and the dysfunction at City Hall is doing little to thaw it.
🗳️ From Governance to Gossip: Wellington Council Hits New Low
The email from Ray Chung was sent to councillors Nicola Young, Tony Randle, and John Apanowicz. Young called it “tawdry and unwise.” Randle said the situation “shows why it’s important not to write some things down.”
The email described how a woman — allegedly the mayor — seduced a young man, then later revealed her identity by showing her phone.
Whanau has blasted Chung’s actions as part of a “dirty politics” campaign meant to undermine women in leadership, warning of wider damage to the city’s democratic health.
“Politics has changed,” Whanau said. “In my first campaign, we saw respectful debate. Now, smear tactics are the norm.”
🏙️ A Power Vacuum in a City Without Direction
The political dysfunction, lack of vision, and now sexualised mudslinging isn’t just embarrassing — it’s economically destructive. Developers, buyers, and investors are losing faith in a council that seems more focused on vendettas than viable city planning.
This latest scandal lands at a time when Wellington’s economic lifeblood — real estate, tourism, hospitality, and film — are starved of confidence and leadership.
And with Mayor Whanau under siege and Ray Chung now battling a PR disaster of his own making, Wellington voters are left asking:
“Who exactly is steering the ship — and where are we going?”
⚠️ Wellington at Breaking Point
Between a property crash, political chaos, and a crisis of leadership, the capital is facing a reckoning. Wellingtonians deserve real answers, not whispered gossip and late-night smear emails.