City supremo

Mayor Goff appears to be anointing himself as the ruler of the principality of Auckland. He has recently told us he knows what land and assets the public don’t need, such as golf courses, marinas, and many other publicly-owned assets, including critical open space. Perhaps to calm rapidly widening public concerns, Mayor Goff also foresees there being much more open space in the future, but fails to say how, where, and when.

Instead in grandiose words he tells us, “We would stand condemned . . . if we didn’t take advantage of getting rid of stuff that the public don’t want and need and replacing it with what the public do want and need.” He has also decreed who can use certain council facilities and speak in them, and to whom we can listen. Nothing breaching human rights in any of that of course, if you’re supreme leader.

A. P. Holman, Northcote Point.