Geordie Rogers. Photo: Supplied / Wellington City Council
Wellington's newest councillor says the council must find a balance between the current crisis with the city's water pipes and looming future problems.
Green candidate Geordie Rogers won the Wellington City Council by-election for the Pukehīnau/Lambton ward by 45 votes after provisional results had the seat going to local businessman Karl Tiefenbacher.
Tiefenbacher was considering applying for a recount.
Rogers told Morning Report he was confident in his majority and that he would be sworn in on Thursday.
Wellington's woeful water infrastructure has been the subject of much debate recently.
"I think certainly discussions around how we invest in infrastructure has had some influence on the voting. What I do know is that we're continuing to invest massive amounts into our water infrastructure and we're also doing it in a way where we're not trading off the current crisis for future crises," Rogers said.
Green candidate Geordie Rogers wins WCC by-election
"People did still want progress on housing, public transport and responding to the climate crisis. But they wanted both the future thinking and the immediate action and I think as a council we have to be thinking about how we deliver that immediate action as well."
He said the council was "finding that balance at the moment".
Rogers said "very few people" turned out to the polls - turnout was just 25 percent of enrolled voters - and so not too much should be read into the narrow margin.
Despite recent tensions around the council table, he said he was looking forward to working with everyone.