John Banks lets loose
Two- time mayor of Auckland John Banks begins his assessment of his rivalry with Len Brown magnanimously —“The people of Auckland voted for Len Brown, and voted against me. He won the election fairly and squarely” — before blaming electoral fraud and third- party candidates for his 2010 defeat.
“It’s arguable I would have won the mayoralty if the God- fearing Colin Craig hadn’t run. He was the ultimate spoiler for the centreright, and nothing has changed on that front,” Banks says. It’s probably worth noting that Brown’s 13- point margin of victory appears to somewhat exceed Craig’s 9 per cent share of the vote.
Banks also says a conviction for electoral fraud ( Daljit Singh registered hundreds of people to vote in the 2010 race, providing a single Otara address) proves “we have such a discredited form of voting”.
Banks discounts Brown’s fleshpressing abilities as “being exceptional at high- fives, hongi and glad- handing” and declares: “His mayoralty has been at least disappointing, at worst disastrous.”
But Banks reserves his most cutting lines for his own side’s the Labour Party – is now behind Phil Goff. Damage from the Chuang affair is cited as the key reason behind the sitting mayor being discarded. In another concession, John Key agrees to work with the Auckland Council and move forward the start date of major works for the City Rail Link to 2018. Initial construction work inability to mount a single credible challenge to the man widely tipped to take over.
“The centre- right has been a shambles and Phil Goff will be elected by default,” he says.
“The National Party told me in no uncertain terms that if I was to stand aside they would pick a highprofile, highly- talented and brilliant woman candidate and wipe the floor with the centre- left. I told them I live on the 23rd floor of an apartment building and haven’t yet seen pigs fly past the window.”
Banks said the National Party had missed a trick and failed to exploit its recent dominance in general elections.
“They haven’t truly engaged with the reality and importance of a successful Super City driving the New Zealand economy and our standard of living. They haven’t grasped that, hence they haven’t put up high- quality candidates: same old hacks; same old desperate; and little new blood.”
‘ The centre- right has been a shambles and Phil Goff will be elected by default.’
begins on the $ 2.5b plan, the largest infrastructure project Auckland has seen. Brown, having decided against running as an independent, leaves office – and the city – to settle in Karaka. The 60- year- old says he hopes to pursue international opportunities as a consultant on local body government issues.