Whanau, a member of the Green Party who ran as an independent, won the 2022 Wellington mayoral election in a landslide.

The first attempt to establish governmental institutions, the so-called "Wellington Republic", was short-lived and based on rules written by the New Zealand Company.

[4] When the self-proclaimed government arrested a ship's captain for a violation of Wellington law, the Governor William Hobson quickly asserted British sovereignty over the whole of New Zealand, sending a warship and contingent of soldiers to Wellington Harbour and disbanding the council through a show of force.

George Hunter received the most votes in the election for 12 Burgesses to the new council on 3 October 1842 and was declared mayor.

[8] On 16 September 1870, Wellington was officially incorporated as a city, and a new mayoralty created, which continues to be in place.

[9] The establishment of the new council was primarily driven by John Plimmer, called by some the Father of Wellington.