Tory Whanau has revealed that she’s struggling so much financially that she may have to part with her beloved mayoralty, that of New Zealand’s capital city, if she’s to fund her ever-diminishing lifestyle.

Whanau was elected to lead Wellington in 2022, winning an overwhelming victory against the incumbent mayor: the evil version of Jason Gunn.

But since then, Whanau has struggled to survive on her modest salary of $201*. She recently found herself having to sell her car in order to help pay for her mortgage, as well as interest on a 2kg Pascall party pack purchased with Afterpay on Mighty Ape.

*(short of $190,000.)

Whanau’s struggle reflects those of many across the country as the cost of living crisis continues to hit pocketbooks, but while selling your car to pay for Wattie’s baked beans instead of those weird Oak ones is a common story around the motu, selling an essential household asset like a mayoralty is a much more dramatic step.

But Gemma Rasmussen of Consumer NZ says in today’s economy, it isn’t as rare as you’d think.

“From Invercargill to [the top of the country], families have considered jettisoning their own mayoralties in hopes of feeding their families, in some cases settling for a backbench seat in Parliament, or in truly difficult times, a seat on a major council,” she said. 

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst has considered the move.

“Just ten years ago, it was absolutely unthinkable that we’d have to choose between going without hot water, or going without a six figure elected leadership position,” said Hazlehurst. “But there are nights when you sit down with [my husband] Mark, and you say ‘do you think we could manage without it?’ It could pay for groceries for months.”

Horowhenua mayor Bernie Warden already has his mayoralty listed on TradeMe with a $10 reserve.

“It’s a very attractive mayoralty,” he said. “It’s good as new, really. I’m only selling it because I don’t need it anymore. You don’t have to do much. I suppose the only thing you have to be careful of is to make sure people don’t leave the district. Sometimes people will see the world outside Levin, and they’ll start saying things like ‘Hey, why don’t we have any of that?’ You really want to avoid that. Those are very hard conversations.”

But just who is in the market for a mayoralty in 2024, and would it really net Whanau enough to keep herself afloat? 

The Wellington mayoralty pays $190,000 a year, but would require a significant amount of maintenance. Mayors may be required to do upwards of several hours of work every week for months on end. It’s these drawbacks that have led to the significant cooling of mayoralty prices, which allowed Peter Jackson to purchase the Wellington mayoralty in 2019 for just $30,000. What it’s worth today is anyone’s guess.

Whanau was available for comment, but wouldn’t speak to media for any less than $8.50 a word.