Mayor defiant as affair exposed
AUCKLAND Mayor Len Brown is refusing to stand down, after confirming that he had a two-year affair with a member of a council advisory panel who is 25 years his junior.
Mr Brown, 57, who is married with three daughters, confirmed yesterday that he had had an affair with Bevan Chuang, 32, who stood unsuccessfully for the Albert-Eden local board in last week’s elections and serves on the council’s Ethnic Peoples Advisory Panel.
He said last night that he intended to remain as mayor. He admitted he had ‘‘failed dismally’’ in his personal life, but insisted: ‘‘My record stands in terms of my political service.’’
He said he was ‘‘very clear’’ in his commitment’’ to stay as mayor, but was also ‘‘listening to the community’’. He apologised to Aucklanders, but asked that they ‘‘stand by me’’.
In an interview with TV3’s John Campbell, he said there was ‘‘an element of political endeavour’’ around the timing of the revelations. ‘‘In my view there is a clear will or determination to try and force a resignation, and in fact destroy me.’’
The affair was detailed on the Whaleoil blog site, including details that the pair had sex at Auckland hotels and in council chambers. At one point they were caught by a security guard, who did not report the incident.
Auckland councillors and mayoral competitors expressed dismay at the revelations, and some called yesterday for Mr Brown’s resignation.
Mayoral rival John Minto said a new election should be held. ‘‘Not because I’m into prying into people’s personal lives but because it will render him a lame duck mayor, just like Bill Clinton was a lame duck president after the news of his affair came out.’’
Mr Minto said there was no way Mr Brown could go to Parliament or host council meetings without being the subject of ridicule. ‘‘He will be hopelessly compromised.’’
Whaleoil detailed texts between Mr Brown and Ms Chuang, in which he called her his ‘‘Manchu girl’’ and his ‘‘Geisha girl’’.
In a sworn affidavit, published on the site, Ms Chuang said they met at a council function in May 2011 and that Mr Brown made the first approach, initiating the affair in his office.
He would leave room keys for hotels at the town hall reception for her to pick up.
Ms Chuang said they also engaged in frequent phone sex. He bought her black lingerie for her birthday – though she said it was cheap and she exchanged it. She is quoted as saying the mayor was ‘‘highly sexed’’.
Ms Chuang was born in Hong Kong and has lived since 1996 in Auckland, where she completed her secondary education.
Early last year she went public with a search for potential sperm donors so she could have a ‘‘dragon baby’’ – born in the Chinese year of the dragon, which is considered the most auspicious sign in the 12-year astrological cycle.
Whaleoil blogger Cameron Slater said he knew about the allegations before the local elections but he was not willing to run the story until Ms Chuang had signed an affidavit and handed over texts.
‘‘I had to work over a period of weeks with this lady . . . she was scared, she didn’t know what to do and was really naive when it came to these things.’’
According to the Department of Internal Affairs, mayors can be forced from office only if they are absent from four consecutive council meetings without leave, are convicted of an offence, or ruled incapable of holding office by a judge.