Wellington set for Living Wage

Wellington City Council looks set to become the country’s first Living Wage council following last night’s election.

Last year it voted in principle to support the idea, and put aside $250,000 for it. Now, on the new fifteen-strong council (including the mayor), nine are in support.

Six councillors who voted for the Living Wage in June were re-elected: Celia Wade-Brown, Ray Ahipene-Mercer, Paul Eagle, Justin Lester, Helene Ritchie and Iona Pannett.

Of the six new councillors, Sarah Free and David Lee are both Greens, and Mark Peck is Labour, and are understood to support the Living Wage.

Also elected were three existing councillors who voted against the Living Wage – Jo Coughlan, Andy Foster and Simon Marsh – and three new councillors who either oppose the Living Wage or whose position isn’t known: Nicola Young, Simon Woolf and Malcolm Sparrow.