The Chatham Islands Council is the local government authority for the Chatham Islands in New Zealand. The current council was established in 1995 succeeding Chatham Islands County Council which had governed the area since 1926.
The Chatham Islands was incorporated into the Colony of New Zealand by the British in 1842. The first local government set up on the islands was the Chatham Islands MÃÂori Council in 1900.
Chatham Islands County was established in 1901, though the Chatham Islands County Council was not established until 1926.
Succeeding the county council, the Chatham Islands Council was established on 1 November 1995 by the Chatham Islands Council Act 1995. The council's purpose is to administer the Chatham Islands and the adjoining sea, known as the "Chatham Islands Territory".
In December 2025, the Controller and Auditor-General of New Zealand launched an investigation into the Council's "sensitive expenditure and procurement" policies. Paul Eagle announced he would step down as council chief executive at the end of February 2026. Mayor Greg Horler had sought and obtained Eagle's resignation after obtaining a draft copy of the Auditor-General's report. In mid-March 2026, Auditor-General Grant Taylor released his report which found that previous mayor Monique Croon had allocated NZ$500,000 worth of funding from the Council's expenditure to renovate his council-owned house with new bathroom fittings, stainless steel benches, cabinets and NZ$18,000 worth of high-end Miele kitchen appliances. This funding allocation had come at a time when the cash-strapped council had been unable to fund and provide basic services.
The councillors for the current term were elected in the 2025 New Zealand local elections.
In February 2026, councillor Pita Thomas resigned from the council. A by-election to fill the vacancy left by Thomas will be held from 4 May to 5 June 2026.
In New Zealand's local government system of territorial authorities and regional councils, Chatham Islands Council is unique. Under the Local Government Act 2002, it is a district council. No separate region exists for the Chatham Islands but unlike Auckland Council, the Chatham Islands Council is not formally designated as a unitary authority. Despite this it has select responsibilities that are usually assigned to a regional council.
The Chatham Islands Council Act 1995 modifies legislation including the Resource Management Act 1991 and Building Act 2004 so that Chatham Islands Council can perform its regional council functions. The council is excluded from some regional council functions. For example, it has no responsibility for public transport under the Land Transport Management Act 2003.
Environment Canterbury carries out some regional council functions (including freshwater, biosecurity, resource management consent and compliance, navigational safety and emergency management) for the Chatham Islands under contract. In 2025, Chatham Islands Council was in negotiations with Auckland Council's council-controlled organisation Watercare for water services delivery.
Under the Chatham Islands Council Act 1995, the council can levy dues on goods entering or leaving its district. This revenue-gathering power is unique to the Chatham Islands Council.
The Chatham Islands Council comprises a mayor and eight councillors, all elected at-large by a first-past-the-post system.
class="wikitable" style="text-align:right" |+2025 Chatham Islands mayoral election ! colspan="2" style="width:130px"Affiliation ! style="width:17em"Candidate ! style="width:5em"Votes ! style="width:3.5em"% -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Greg Horler 212 67.73 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Monique Croon 95 30.35 - ! colspan="3" style="text-align:right" Informal |0 0.00 - ! colspan="3" style="text-align:right" Blank |6 1.92 - ! colspan="3" style="text-align:right" Turnout 313 70.98 - ! colspan="3" style="text-align:right" Registered 441 style="background:lightgrey" -
colspan="4" style="text-align:left;"Independent gain from Independent - colspan="5" style="background:#eaecf0;text-align:left;padding-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px" incumbent }
class="wikitable" style="text-align:right" |+At-large ! colspan="2" style="width:130px"Affiliation ! style="width:17em"Candidate ! style="width:5em"Votes ! style="width:3.5em" -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Nathaniel Whaitiri 205 align="right" |65.50 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Graeme Hoare 202 align="right" |64.54 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Jacqui Southcombe 172 align="right" |54.95 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Keri Lea Day 167 align="right" |53.35 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Bridget Gibb 161 align="right" |51.44 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Celine "Bubbles" Gregory-Hunt 158 align="right" |50.48 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Pita Thomas 139 align="right" |44.41 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Jenna Hoverd 129 align="right" |41.21 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Amanda Seymour 129 align="right" |41.21 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Jack Daymond 110 align="right" |35.14 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Rennae Edmonds 107 align="right" |34.19 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Judy Kamo 103 align="right" |32.91 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Loretta Lanauze 98 align="right" |31.31 -
style="text-align:left" Independent style="text-align:left" Trescia Lawson 63 align="right" |20.13 - ! colspan="3" style="text-align:right" Informal |3 align="right" |0.96 - ! colspan="3" style="text-align:right" Blank |1 align="right" |0.32 - ! colspan="3" style="text-align:right" Turnout 313 70.98 - ! colspan="3" style="text-align:right" Registered 441 style="background:lightgrey" -
colspan="4" style="text-align:left;"Independent gain from Independent -
colspan="4" style="text-align:left;"Independent hold -
colspan="4" style="text-align:left;"Independent gain from Independent -
colspan="4" style="text-align:left;"Independent hold -
colspan="4" style="text-align:left;"Independent gain from Independent -
colspan="4" style="text-align:left;"Independent hold -
colspan="4" style="text-align:left;"Independent gain from Independent -
colspan="4" style="text-align:left;"Independent gain from Independent (on lot draw) - colspan="5" style="background:#eaecf0;text-align:left;padding-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px" incumbent }