8 June 2026
File Ref: 26-0366
George Mason
[FYI request #34661 email]
Tēnā koe Mr Mason
Thank you for your request dated 8 May 2026, to Te Kaunihera o Pōneke | Wellington City Council
(the Council). Your request has been considered under the Local Government Official Information and
Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA). I have addressed your questions in turn below.
1.
How many complaints (informal and formal) have been made about third tier staff and
above between 1 January 2023 and 1 May 2026, by month? Broken down by department
and by category such as sexual harassment.
Under section 7(2)(a) of the LGOIMA and section 53(b)(i) of the Privacy Act 2020, we have withheld the
department information, as its release could reasonably lead to the identification of individuals. The
Council has a responsibility to protect its staff from harassment and from the unwarranted disclosure of
personal information. Please note that not all informal concerns are recorded, we are only able to
provide information that has been recorded in our system.
Formal Employment Processes Below is a summary of issues that were managed through formal employment processes. For
employment processes related to bullying we have provided if the allegations were substantiated or not.
Year
Number
Alleged conduct
2023
1
1. Bullying, substantiated
2024
2
1. Bullying, not substantiated
2. Bullying, not substantiated
2025
3
1. Performance management
2. Financial mismanagement
3. Inappropriate comments
2026 to date
0
Informal Issues Below is a summary of informal issues raised that are recording in our systems.
Year
Number
Alleged conduct
2023
3
1. Inappropriate behaviour
2. Inappropriate behaviour
3. Relationship breakdown
2024
3
1. Relationship breakdown
2. Bullying
3. Inappropriate behaviour
2025
0
2026 to date
6
1. Inappropriate behaviour
2. Team workload issues and expectations
3. Workload and communication
4. Team health and wellbeing
5. Concern for psychological safety
6. Relationship breakdown
2.
How many personal grievances has the council received between 1 January 2023 and 1
May 2026, by month? Broken into categories, such as sexual harassment
The below information is for all personal grievances received. Please note that no employee in a tier
three or above positions has raised a personal grievance over the requested period.
For the below information each separate month box reflects one personal grievance, noting that at times
personal grievances are raised against multiple categories.
For each calendar year of the requested period there were a total number of 18 personal grievances
(again noting there are no personal grievances from tier three or above) as follows:
• 2023 – three personal grievances across six people
• 2024 – nine
• 2025 – three
• 2026 to date - three
Please note that not all personal grievances result in the Council providing ex-gratia payments.
Year
Month
PG Type
2023
March
A personal grievance bought by four people
Sexual harassment
2023
May
Unfair treatment
2023
September
Unfair treatment
Unjustifiable disadvantage
2024
April
Unjustifiable dismissal
Unjustifiable disadvantage
2024
June
Unjustifiable action
Discrimination
2024
June
Unfair treatment
Unjustifiable disadvantage
2024
July
Human Rights complaint - discrimination
2024
August
Unjustifiable disadvantage
2024
September
Unjustifiable disadvantage
2024
September
Unjustifiable disadvantage
2024
November
Unjustifiable disadvantage
2024
December
Unjustifiable disadvantage
2025
Jan
Unjustifiable disadvantage
2025
April
Unjustifiable dismissal
Unjustifiable disadvantage
2025
May
Unfair treatment
2026
February
Unjustifiable disadvantage
Discrimination
2026
March
Unfair treatment
2026
April
Unjustifiable dismissal
Unjustifiable disadvantage
Breaches of good faith
3.
How many staff have been investigated for bullying between 1 January 2023 and 1 May
2026, by month?
A total of nine employees has been formally investigated as a result of bullying allegations over the
requested period. Two investigations substantiated the allegations of bullying.
Wellington City Council | 2 of 4
The below information has been sorted by year and month noting that each separate month box
reflects one investigation.
Year
Month complaint raised
Outcome
2023
May
Bullying not substantiated
2023
October
Bullying not substantiated
2023
December
Bullying substantiated
2024
July
Bullying not substantiated
2024
August
Bullying not substantiated
2025
December
Bullying not substantiated
2025
December
Bullying substantiated
2026
February
In progress
2026
February
Bullying not substantiated
4.
How much has been spent on mediation and facilitation between 1 January 2023 and 1 May
2026?
Employment mediation services within Ministry Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE), is a free
service for employers and employees to use to resolve workplace issues. The Council uses this service
as and when required.
Additional to this the Council from time to time engage third parties to support mediation outside of the
MBIE mediation, facilitated conversations or restorative approaches to resolve issues with individuals
or within teams.
The amount spent on this by calendar year is below:
Year
Total Amount
2023
No spend identified
2024
$10,817
2025
$15,691
2026 to date
$3,623
5.
How many ex-gratia payments have been made to staff or former staff between 1 January
2023 and 1 May 2026, by month?
The Council reports on its ex-gratia payments (severance payments) each financial year, as part of
the Annual Report.
You can find this information for:
1 July 2022 – 30 June 2023 – page 125 of Volume 2
1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024 – page 124 of Volume 2
1 July 2024 to 30 June 2024 – Page 149 of Volume 2
For this financial year to date (1 July 2025 to 17 May 2026) the following severance payments have
been made in line with the annual reporting disclosures, to four individuals ($69k, $49k, $31k, $12k).
As per section 7(1) of the LGOIMA, I do not consider that in the circumstances of this response, the
withholding of this information is outweighed by the other considerations which render it desirable to
in the public interest to make the information available.
Wellington City Council | 3 of 4
I trust this information is helpful. If you have any concerns about this response, please contact
[Wellington City Council request email]. Alternatively, you are advised of your right to raise any concerns
with the Office of the Ombudsman at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Asha Harry
Official Information & Privacy
Wellington City Council
Wellington City Council | 4 of 4
