Mayor uneasy over trio’s trips to Taiwan
Councillor surprised at comments, saying Brown had been ‘supportive’
Mayor Wayne Brown has expressed anxiety about a group of Auckland councillors visiting Taiwan twice in the past six months for “personal trips” funded by the Taiwanese Government — saying both New Zealand’s One China policy and his sense there was an underlying political agenda led him to reject the same offer.
Councillors Wayne Walker, John Watson and Greg Sayers visited Taiwan last December and in March this year — the latter for a city infrastructure conference in Taipei.
Brown was also invited to the “Smart City” conference in March.
“I refused as I was busy and it was not council approved and NZ has a One China policy and my appearance would have been exploited for political reasons,” Brown said.
He indicated he had concerns the Taiwanese Government had an underlying political agenda in forging ties with New Zealand politicians.
The council’s acting director governance, Anna Bray, confirmed the three councillors did not need approval because they were not travelling in an official capacity.
Overseas trips taken in an official capacity must be applied for with a business case and must be approved by either Bray or the general manager democracy and engagement, Ali’imalemanu Kenneth Aiolupotea.
But the mayor was unhappy the trio did not need this approval.
“In all cases, these invitations are because of being elected officials, not from their own activities . . . Councillors should at least report these offers before accepting them,” Brown said.
However, Walker did inform the mayor of their intention to attend the March conference in an email on January 19, which also detailed their “successful visit” in December.
“It was an interesting time because of the upcoming national elections and the prospect of escalating tensions with China. We deliberately kept a low profile and are mindful of this going forward,” Walker emailed.
“We experienced how transport in the Taiwanese cities runs efficiently and economically; for example through the efficient use of sensors at intersections, intelligently integrated transport, digital signage . . .
“Since coming back we have followed up the contacts made across a number of areas.”
Walker and Watson said both trips were funded by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and the Taipei Computer Association as well as their own money.
The December trips were declared to the council as a “study trip” at a cost of $6000 for each councillor and recorded in their official Register of Interests documents. Auckland Councillors have to declare any gifts of complementary events they attend.
The councillors have until February 2025 to declare the March trips.
Another letter on April 18 from Watson and Walker to the mayor details what they did on the conference from March 19-23 which the councillors say had more than 2500 overseas participants, including 400 from municipal governments and 100 mayors or elected representatives.
Watson said he is surprised at the mayor’s comments about the trips.
“He certainly didn’t articulate any reservations. He was supportive. So that’s a bit of a change,” he claimed.
Watson suggested he believed the mayor was angry with Watson and Walker over their opposition to a controversial proposal to redevelop North Harbour Stadium — which is in the councillors’ Albany ward.
Watson highlighted the media attention a staffer in the mayor’s office got after an online attack against the Albany councillors over the stadium.
The Albany councillor also defended the merits of the trip, for which he said they produced a report.
“It didn’t cost the Auckland ratepayer a single cent,” Watson said.
“It involved quite extensive site trips to various transport-related infrastructure around Taipei and elsewhere that I certainly saw some merit in looking at as the chair of the transport and infrastructure committee [for Auckland Council].
“And it is actually part of a programme that a number of other councillors have been on over the years.”
Councillor Chris Darby said he went on a similar trip to Taiwan in 2018, but this was on official council business with a funded staffer to present at an urban planning conference.
Darby said due diligence was undertaken for such council trips and “due to the sensitivity of trips to both Taiwan and China, there is quite a thorough process”.
However, Walker, Watson and Sayers were not visiting Taiwan in a similar official capacity.
A council spokesperson cited the Remuneration Authority to clarify that: “Local government members, unlike paid employees, do not have entitlements to prescribed holiday or sick leave. Most . . . will take leave from time to time”.
The spokesperson said: “You can’t therefore imply that these elected members did not take annual leave for these trips, because there is no requirement for them to do so”.
The first December 15 to 21 trip was after all committee meetings and workshops had concluded for the year; and the second trip was March 19 to 23 when there was only one committee meeting for Walker, who attended it via electronic link.
He added that their attendance at the Smart City conference was useful for gaining perspectives on a sophisticated transport city with a bullet train and underground metros, plus insight into modern approaches to health, housing and renewables.
“I was talking with [council] officers just yesterday about how much we could benefit from the sort of technology transfer that could occur from our counterpart Taiwanese cities, especially Taichung, which is one of our sister cities,” Walker said.
But he did not deny there was a political tension even within Auckland Council around participation in Taiwanese events — whether held in NZ or internationally.
He claimed the National Taiwanese Day of celebration held in Crowne Plaza opposite the council building has had a low attendance across different mayors and councillors.
“I don’t take a great deal of interest in what other councillors do.
“My time is incredibly valuable and I go when I think that, you know, the benefits are significant.”
Walker also described himself as a supporter of Taiwan. “It was interesting to be there in the lead-up to their elections in December. Obviously, we didn’t participate in anything but we observed how robust the process was. It’s an incredibly safe, advanced democratic society.”
The Chinese Embassy in New Zealand told the Weekend Herald, when asked about the councillors’ trips, that “commitment to the One-China principle should be honoured in letter and spirit” and that they “firmly oppose official exchanges with Taiwan in any form at any time by any country that has diplomatic relations with China”.
Councillor Greg Sayers has been approached for comment.