Whanau, now living in Melbourne, said she specifically asked about the mayor’s office having the top floor. “I was advised that, for safety reasons, the mayor’s office needed to be located near ground level,” she said in a statement. Wellington Mayor Andrew Little is said to be "fuming" over his office at the new HQ, but concedes to it too late to change anything. The old mayor’s office in the Wellington Town Hall was said to be much larger, with mustard-yellow walls, a chandelier, ornate drapes and an array of grand and traditional furnishings. At the current site, the mayor’s office features a corner-room view of Lambton Quay from level eight, with modern office furnishings.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 20, 2026 02:38 UTC