The Green-endorsed mayor’s personal issues have been a distraction during her first year in the city’s top job.
She has admitted she has a problem with alcohol after being seen intoxicated in public at Havana Bar, sparking calls for her resignation. She has since vowed to give up alcohol and has sought professional help.
Whanau has not been willing to speculate on gossip circulating in Wellington or be drawn on details about the night in question.
“There are rumours out there of what happened that did not happen. There’s a lot of speculation but all I can say is I was out, I was intoxicated, and I shortly after admitted to a drinking problem.”
Last year, Whanau’s dog Teddy made headlines and faced being sent out of town after it was revealed he wasn’t allowed in her office.
But her personal life is not all doom and gloom. The new year is bringing a change of scene for the mayor, who is preparing to move into her new townhouse in Mt Cook.
“Suburb life isn’t quite for me, it’s very family orientated, it’s wonderful, but I like to be in walking distance to everything in the city ... I’m still a young, single, professional so the city centre is much more suited to me,” she said.
With a new focus on health, Whanau has become “one of those sickening kind of gym cult type people”.
She turned 40 last year, which she said had taken some time to adjust to.
“I feel proud of what I have accomplished for a 40-year-old. I’m growing up, I’m getting older, and that’s okay.”
However, Whanau hoped she could still refer to herself as being young.
Whanau is close to her 2-year-old dog Staffordshire bull terrier Teddy, who was almost hounded out of town after his visits to the office were found to be in breach of the council’s tenancy agreement.
At one point Whanau thought she would have to send Teddy to Levin to live with her sister because she had such a busy schedule and couldn’t be home to look after him.
After the New Zealand Herald revealed Teddy’s fate, Whanau was flooded with offers of help.
He now stays at a doggy daycare three days a week and friends chip in on other days.
“He remains my little baby,” she said.
Whanau has revamped her wardrobe from the stiletto heels and pencil skirts she wore in her former role as the Green Party’s chief of staff.
“Since becoming mayor I did opt a little bit for comfort. As you can see I’m wearing sneakers now and I kind of just like this look a bit more.”
The mayor is having a staycation this summer after feeling a bit burnt out and grizzly from the year. She plans to catch up on sleep, go to the gym, and take Teddy for hikes.
“I won’t be socialising a lot. I’ll be seeing family but I just kind of want to recharge, re-centre, be healthy.”
