Wellington Regional Council, branded as Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), is the regional council overseeing the Wellington Region of New Zealand's lower North Island. It is responsible for public transport under the brand Metlink, environmental and flood protection, and the region's water supply. As of 2023, it is the majority owner of CentrePort Wellington with a 77% shareholding.
The Wellington Regional Council was first formed in 1980 from the amalgamation of the functions of the Wellington Regional Planning Authority with those of the Wellington Regional Water Board, before taking its current form with the local government reforms of 1989. The council adopted the promotional name "Greater Wellington" in 2003.
A proposal made in 2013 that nine territorial authorities amalgamate to form a single supercity met substantial local opposition and was abandoned in June 2015.
Council members The governing body of the regional council is made up of 14 councillors, representing six constituencies: Pōneke/Wellington – 5 councillors Kāpiti Coast – 1 Porirua-Tawa – 2 Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai/Lower Hutt – 3 Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta/Upper Hutt – 1 Wairarapa – 1 Te Upoko o te ika a Māui Māori constituency – 1
The Te Upoko o te ika a Māui Māori constituency was established for the 2025 local body elections by council vote in October 2023.
The most recent elections to the council took place in October 2025.
Wairarapa councillor and deputy chair Adrienne Staples died on 20 April 2026, meaning that a by-election was held in the Wairarapa constituency to fill her seat. Voting opened on 20 July and closed on 21 August. The by-election was won by independent candidate John Hart.
the regional councillors are:
Key
Name Portrait Position Constituency Daran PonterChairpersonPōneke/WellingtonRos ConnellyDeputy Chairperson after 19 May 2026Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta/Upper HuttJohn HartCouncillor WairarapaSimon WoolfCouncillor Pōneke/WellingtonYadana SawCouncillor Pōneke/WellingtonTom JamesCouncillorPōneke/WellingtonSarah FreeCouncillor Pōneke/WellingtonGabriel TupouCouncillorTe Awa Kairangi ki Tai/Lower HuttNigel ElderCouncillorTe Awa Kairangi ki Tai/Lower HuttQuentin DuthieCouncillorTe Awa Kairangi ki Tai/Lower Hutt Phil RhodesCouncillor Porirua-TawaClaire JohnstoneCouncillorPorirua-Tawa Penny GaylorCouncillorKāpiti Coast Shamia Makarini Councillor Te Upoko o te ika a Māui
Chairs
Name PortraitTerm Constituency 1 Mervyn Kemp 1980 1986 Tawa 2 Stuart Macaskill 1986 2001 Upper Hutt 3 Margaret Shields 2001 2004 Porirua 4 Ian Buchanan 2004 2007 Wairarapa 5 Fran Wilde 2007 2015 Wellington City 6 Chris Laidlaw 2015 2019 Wellington City 7 Daran Ponter 2019 present Wellington City
Deputy chairs
Died in office +NamePortraitTermConstituencyChairKeith Spry?1989Wellington CityMacaskillKen Gray19891992PoriruaAlison Lawson19921995Lower HuttEuan McQueen19951998Wellington NorthMargaret Shields 19982001PoriruaTerry McDavitt20012007Wellington City Shields BuchananPeter Glensor20072013Lower HuttWildeBarbara Donaldson20132019Porirua-TawaLaidlawAdrienne Staples20192026WairarapaPonterPosition vacant (20 April – 19 May 2026)Ros Connelly 2026presentTe Awa Kairangi ki Uta/Upper Hutt
Regional parks
The council administers several regional parks.
Akatarawa Forest Baring Head/Orua-pouanui Battle Hill Farm Forest Park Belmont Regional Park East Harbour Regional Park Hutt River Trail Hutt Water Collection Area Kaitoke Regional Park Pakuratahi Forest Queen Elizabeth Park Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour Wainuiomata Recreation Area Wainuiomata Water Collection Area Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Wellington Harbour Whitireia Park
Elections
See also Manawatū-Whanganui Regional council – neighbouring regional council Territorial authorities within the Greater Wellington region: Wellington City Council Porirua City Council Hutt City Council Upper Hutt City Council Kāpiti Coast District Council South Wairarapa District Council Carterton District Council Masterton District Council
References