logo
Ray Chung vile email scandal: Two more Independent Together candidates quit

Ray Chung vile email scandal: Two more Independent Together candidates quit

NZ Herald5 days ago
At 9:05pm last night, Northern Takapu ward candidate Andrea Compton said in a statement she too was ending her association with the group.
Within the hour Pukehīnau Lambton ward candidate Dan Milward also quit the group.
'Like many others, I was surprised by the recent allegations and the subsequent media coverage storm' he said.
'When my wife was threatened by the agitators at our final roadshow event in Wellington CBD on Tuesday night, I knew it was time to take a different approach.'
Wellington City Councillor Ray Chung at a rally. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Videos posted to social media have seen public meetings held by the group descend into chaos with hecklers and event organisers clashing.
When contacted for comment, Chung said he 'didn't know' about the departures.
He was at the Local Government New Zealand conference on Thursday and said he hadn't communicated with anyone all day.
In a statement, an Independent Together spokesman blamed the media scrutiny over the email scandal - rather than the lewd email itself - for the departures.
'The political machinations at play have an enormous psychological impact for all of the candidates', the statement said.
'The accompanying media coverage and the scrutiny on the team has been intense.'
They are not the first to leave the group.
Engineering firm director Phil McConchie, Cuba Barbers owner Mike Petrie, and Melissa Moore had all disappeared from the group's website before Chung's official campaign launch in June.
Wellington mayoral candidate Ray Chung at his campaign launch. Photo / Ethan Manera.
Chung said at the time that they each left after the group was launched in April, as they struggled to manage the commitments needed to run for council with their own professional demands.
Chung said he was 'not fussed' by the departures and didn't think it was a bad look for Independent Together. He said he was glad they left before they had officially declared their candidacy with the council.
Tory Whanau said Chung emailed her an apology on Monday, the same day Prime Minister Christopher Luxon slammed Chung's comments.
'That was unacceptable content in that email, really pretty vile and unacceptable stuff', Luxon said when asked about it at his post-Cabinet press conference.
The email's existence has also cost Chung an important backer, with rich-list philanthropist Sir Mark Dunajtschik officially withdrawing his support for the mayoral candidate.
Chung has called the situation a 'blatant political attack' and a 'smear campaign'.
Six candidates, including Chung, remain on the Independent Together ticket for the upcoming Wellington City Council election.
Ethan Manera is a New Zealand Herald journalist based in Wellington. He joined NZME in 2023 as a broadcast journalist with Newstalk ZB and is interested in local issues, politics, and property in the capital. Ethan can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Alley, Quinn to contest mayoralty
Alley, Quinn to contest mayoralty

Otago Daily Times

time3 hours ago

  • Otago Daily Times

Alley, Quinn to contest mayoralty

Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley. PHOTO: ODT FILES The race is on with two candidates putting up their hand for the mayoral chains in Central Otago. It will the first election either contestant has faced because sitting mayor Tamah Alley was appointed by her fellow councillors following the resignation of her mentor Tim Cadogan. Mr Cadogan left office at Labour Weekend last year, timing his resignation to avoid a by-election as it was within a year of the next round of local body elections. Mrs Alley, a former police officer and two-term councillor, was appointed by the district councillors at a meeting on October 30. Before being appointed as interim mayor, Mrs Alley was the only Local Government New Zealand zone chair who was not a mayor or deputy mayor. Challenging Mrs Alley is Roxburgh resident Mark Quinn. He is the founder of Challenging Councils — a movement set up to reclaim control over local government decisions and ensure councils are operating in a fair and transparent manner. He could not be contacted yesterday. Mr Quinn's LinkedIn profile says he worked as a self-employed troubleshooting business consultant, as a quotes administrator for Mitre 10 in Rangiora, and as a shellfish manager for Talleys in Motueka before being self-employed for the past 10 years. Currently, Mr Quinn has an almond orchard in Roxburgh. He has been travelling the country holding meetings for Challenging Councils. Challenging Councils' website says it is time for action and to hold councils to account for rising rates and council debt. It says Challenging Councils is not political, incorporated, funded or conspiracy theorists.

More candidates quit Ray Chung's campaign group
More candidates quit Ray Chung's campaign group

1News

time5 days ago

  • 1News

More candidates quit Ray Chung's campaign group

Two more Wellington council candidates running under the Independent Together ticket have left the group following mayoral candidate Ray Chung's email about Tory Whanau. In a press release, the group confirmed that Andrea Compton and Dan Milward had left their organisation to campaign independently of it. It follows fellow candidate Lily Brown's announcement on Wednesday that she would not run with the group either. She said she did not feel aligned with tactics employed by Better Wellington who has helped run Independent Together. The changes meant that the number of candidates that stood under Independent Together had reduced from nine to six. ADVERTISEMENT In a statement Milward said that he was surprised by "recent allegations and the subsequent media coverage storm". He said that at an Independent Together roadshow event on Tuesday his wife was threatened by "agitators". "I knew it was time to take a different approach. "I'm proud of what we have achieved together but this is the right call for me, my family, and my community — it's time to run the 'Dan Milward Campaign'". Independent Together said the media scrutiny on its team had been intense. "The extent of it has been unnerving on our business and community minded candidates. "While the team feels the loss of both Andrea Compton and Dan Milward, we acknowledge the impact this is having on both of their families." ADVERTISEMENT They said that threats and bullying tactics from "the political establishment won't work on Independent Together candidates anymore". Compton said standing independently offered her the best opportunity to connect directly with her community. "This election is about listening, offering practical solutions, and having the courage to stand by what you believe in." Ray Chung sent an email, seen by RNZ, to three fellow councillors in early 2023 recounting a story he'd been told by his neighbour about the neighbour's son allegedly having a sexual encounter with the mayor. The email surfaced last week. Whanau rejected the contents of the email and said it was false and contained a "malicious and sexist" rumour. She has since received an apology from Chung.

More Council Candidates Quit Ray Chung's Independent Together Campaign Group
More Council Candidates Quit Ray Chung's Independent Together Campaign Group

Scoop

time5 days ago

  • Scoop

More Council Candidates Quit Ray Chung's Independent Together Campaign Group

Two more Wellington council candidates running under the Independent Together ticket have left the group following mayoral candidate Ray Chung's email about Tory Whanau. In a press release, the group confirmed that Andrea Compton and Dan Milward had left their organisation to campaign independently of it. It follows fellow candidate Lily Brown's announcement on Wednesday that she would not run with the group either. She said she did not feel aligned with tactics employed by Better Wellington who has helped run Independent Together. The changes meant that the number of candidates that stood under Independent Together had reduced from nine to six. Independent Together billboards showing Andrea Compton, Dan Milward, and Lily Brown are up around Wellington. In a statement Milward said that he was surprised by "recent allegations and the subsequent media coverage storm". He said that at an Independent Together roadshow event on Tuesday his wife was threatened by "agitators". "I knew it was time to take a different approach. "I'm proud of what we have achieved together but this is the right call for me, my family, and my community - it's time to run the 'Dan Milward Campaign'". Independent Together said the media scrutiny on its team had been intense. "The extent of it has been unnerving on our business and community minded candidates. "While the team feels the loss of both Andrea Compton and Dan Milward, we acknowledge the impact this is having on both of their families." They said that threats and bullying tactics from "the political establishment won't work on Independent Together candidates anymore". Compton said standing independently offered her the best opportunity to connect directly with her community. "This election is about listening, offering practical solutions, and having the courage to stand by what you believe in." Ray Chung sent an email, seen by RNZ, to three fellow councillors in early 2023 recounting a story he'd been told by his neighbour about the neighbour's son allegedly having a sexual encounter with the mayor. The email surfaced last week. Whanau rejected the contents of the email and said it was false and contained a "malicious and sexist" rumour. She has since received an apology from Chung.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store