Wellington businessman Karl Tiefenbacher announces mayoral bid

• Wellington cafe owner Karl Tiefenbacher plans to run for mayor as an independent candidate.
• His priorities include changing council culture, keeping rates down, and stopping wasteful spending.
• He joins confirmed mayoral candidates Tory Whanau, Ray Chung, Kelvin Hastie, Graham Bloxham, and Rob Goulden.

Business owner Karl Tiefenbacher has officially joined the Wellington mayoral race.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills, Tiefenbacher announced he plans to stand as an independent candidate for the mayoralty.

He has yet to announce any policies but said his core priorities include changing the culture of Wellington City Council, keeping rates down, and stopping wasteful spending.

Tiefenbacher, who calls himself “Wellington’s ice cream guy” as the founder of Kaffee Eis, has previously run for council twice and lost.

Last year he fell short by only 45 votes to the Green Party’s Geordie Rogers in a byelection for the Pukehīnau Lambton Ward.

Karl Tiefenbacher serving an ice cream at Kaffee Eis on the Wellington waterfront. Photo / Mark Mitchell

His campaign website is now live, with the slogan “Wellington, It’s Time!”.

“Wellington has expensive challenges ahead. As a business owner I understand it’s essential to invest wisely, with responsible and affordable decisions”, his campaign site states.

This time around he also plans to run for a council seat in the Motukairangi Eastern Ward.

Tiefenbacher is yet to announce any policies, but says his priorities include keeping rates down. Photo / www.karlformayor.nz.

His biography states Tiefenbacher was born and raised in Wellington and had “a successful career in the finance sector for 18 years” before starting cafe and gelato manufacturer Kaffee Eis.

Tiefenbacher has previously been critical about the Golden Mile project and moves to pedestrianise Cuba St.

He describes himself as a centrist.

Earlier this month, the local branch for the Labour Party confirmed it had to extend nominations for a mayoral candidate, after no one put their hand up to run for the party.

The next Wellington City Council elections will be held on October 11. Photo / Mark Mitchell.

Confirmed candidates for the mayoralty include incumbent Tory Whanau, city councillor Ray Chung, predator-free champion Kelvin Hastie, Wellington Live owner Graham Bloxham, and former city councillor Rob Goulden.

Of the confirmed candidates, all but Bloxham and Whanau have previously run for the mayoralty unsuccessfully.

Diane Calvert, a third-term councillor and former mayoral candidate, is rumoured to be eyeing up running, telling the Herald this month she still hasn’t decided.

“As an independent, I’m not on a deadline set by a political party,” Calvert said.

John Apanowicz, another current councillor, said he’s still keen to run but is seeking the support of his family and will announce his plans at a later date.

Luke Pierson, a businessman and founding member of lobby group Vision for Wellington, had been rumoured to be considering a run for the top job, but has confirmed he’s not going for it.

“I can rule it out. My focus is on Vision for Wellington - which is inherently apolitical,” Pierson said.

The local election will be held on October 11.

Candidate nominations open on Friday, July 4 and close on August 1.

Ethan Manera is a multimedia journalist based in Wellington. He joined NZME in 2023 and is interested in local issues, politics and property in the capital. Ethan is always on the lookout for a story and can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.