Just to add to Grant’s post, I think Len’s win is a pretty clear rejection of the Rodney Hide-John Key model for the super city.
John Banks said this was a contest between him and a Labour mayor from south Auckland. Well, the people have spoken, and it is great to have a mayor who has campaigned and will govern as an independent but comes from the Labour side of politics.
Rodney Hide has bullied and bulldozed his super city through in a way that has left Aucklanders uncomfortable and uneasy for the last 18 months. This is the first time Aucklanders have had a say on the super city at the ballot box. They have voted for a man who has promised to undo much of the damage done by Rodney Hide.
I don’t think Aucklanders trusted a former National Party Minister to implement the agenda that National has set in place for Auckland. In Len Brown they have chosen a mayor who will not sell our assets, who they trust to give real powers to local boards, and who will hold the powerful council-owned companies to account.
I hear that Rortney Hide (thanks for that Jennifer
) took several hours to ring Len Brown to congratulate him. On the other hand John Banks rang him within minutes and, from all accounts, was very magnanimous. Don’t like his politics but he deserves full credit for being gracious in defeat.
What a way to have NACTs plans for auckland blow up in their faces.
Why are championing Len as Labour he stated on TV tonight that he is an independent…..Yeah Right
@true blue Len Browns policies are simular to Labours, he wants to retain public assets. So weather Len Brown identifies himself with Labour or not, the two are compatible. They are both left wing which is why Labour has supported him.
Yes!
I’ve been waiting for you to post Phil 
I bet you’re happy, after months of watching Auckland go down the toilet! 
!
Hi Anne
!
with George joining the Community Board, Phil has 2 chances of getting off the list and in to a seat .. good luck this time
Phil, always appreciate your strong voice on Auckland matters and keeping the Right Wingers’ agenda in close check. I wonder what Key’s Cabinet is going to make of Auckland’s hard swing to a man of the people, against their own righty agent.
Thanks and congratulations Phil for the work you have done keeping people up with the play on Hide’s supercity agenda, right from the beginning. I am sure those numerous meetings in community halls and such have made quite a contribution to Len’s ultimate and deserved success. You made sure that people were informed as to what was at stake.
Uhhhmmm Phil,
Just how is Len going to deliver on his promises “to undo much of the damage” as you have stated?
He is the Mayor, with no powers ti “undo” any legislation. An analysis of the “winners” today suggests that getting this council to work may well be easier than herding black cats in dark room.
What I find delicious now though is watching all the back-flips from the likes of you, after spending months and months slagging the new super city you all of a sudden think it is all wonders and light because Len Brown won.
Len or should I say Conor, ran a great campaign and big ups to them. They deserved the win, but the reality is that the councillors with few exceptions are woeful.
It is a big job and I really don’t think Auckland has been served well by this election. And don’t get me wrong, having C&R returned in greater numbers wouldn’t have been my preferred pick either. Too many from both sides were too mediocre and we have now seen the result of that. There are a whole bunch of councillors elected who really stand for nothing.
Never mind, I shall continue doing what I have always done and poke pins in politicians eyes.
Oh and plus it was Helen’s big idea for a super city…she instigated the Royal Commission…remember?
Yeah, I saw you doing that on 60 Minutes.
Crackpot bigmouth tory bigots always come unstuck because of one true natural flaw – Believing their own hubris to be championed by the masses.
Garret, Hide, Laws, Henry and Banks are all guilty, and all pay the price of underestimating the publics sense of fair play and good taste.
With karma obviously playing ‘catch up’ with a vengeance, will right wing nut job, failed business man and c list depressive Whaleoil be next in line to undergo a public humiliation?
60 minutes was a good starting place
Equating this result with a verdict upon the supercity proposal is drawing a long bow.
What are you going to do?
Suggest reversing it?
Dear Anne (first comment), I think that’s because the Minister is in Australia and was doing government business for most of the day.
Is that OK?
The supercity is a great idea. Bits of the implementation are very poor, but the old system was just horrible. Living on the Shore, but working in the city, I didn’t used to have any meaningful vote in the things that affected me (eg, bus service into town). And Auckland City hated everyone else anyway… putting bloody “Whangarei” on the northern motorway, as if that was the next thing up the road, rather than one of the countries largest population centers. Regardless of all the problems, I’d rather give the supercity a go.
@Whaleoil is right that some of the councillors are pretty useless, but I’d still rather take my chances with the new organisation. Perhaps it’s just because there will be greater visibility now. Again, coming from the North Shore, where Andrew Williams is/was attempting to commit an act of blatant fraud with his 3rd community swimming pooling study in a row (after the first two didn’t produce the result he wanted), and no one really notices. Maybe people will notice more with one big city.
Argh. Should be “Country’s”. Edit function please
The Mayor’s win is the start of a long battle which may not undo the agenda set into the CCO structure. At every turn the tide will run hard against the Mayor’s determination to restructure.
Public opinion is fickle and Auckland will have to sustain a continuing mood against the privatisation by stealth. I takes more than a ginger group to maintain public momentum after the heat of the election campaign has gone.
Good luck to Len and his supporters. Pressure put on councilors will need to be placed from day one. The public cannot rest after their stroke of a pen.
This is a Nation wide issue.
The Wellington scene sees a Immediate past Mayor who supports privatisation of council services being on a knife edge and if it wasn’t for a split vote she would be gone.
if i was a religious man, i would have got down on my knees and thanked the lord for giving us a real chance to undo the horrible mess banks, hyde, and the national party were going to make of auckland.
i noticed that the herald has already started the undermining process(deborah coddington,audrey young). so len will have his work cut out simply getting past the disinformation campaign that hamsrung dick hubbard’s mayoralty. i sincerely hope aucklanders have finally started to see through the dross and look to the reality of what is required.
@whaleoil… just a small point. is there ever going to be a point when you stop playing silly, self serving word games, and start actually contributing to the debate in a way that actually helps, rather than detracts. you have a brain. maybe it would be better to use it for the good rather than indulging in public self love. it’s a bit sickening to have to watch.
go the mighty auks!!!!!
isn’t is great to hear that Lenny is all for wanting the private sector (PPE’s ??)to join him in the transport upgrade. For one thing, it will mean he can keep his promise to keep our rates to inflation levels.
@ Radman 11:40pm
Yeah, and when did he arrange his “business” trip – last week?
Of course we know he wouldn’t have been interested enough to keep up with the results. He left his laptop behind anyway so he couldn’t even send an email. Picked up the result by chance
Cough cough, hi Anne,
just a short note to clear up a misconception being pushed, yet again by someone who does know better. the royal commission spent a long time, and consulted widely with as many different groups as possible during that consultation phase.
now, as we know, the findings and recommendations of that group were largely dumped in favor of rodney’s, and by association,the national govt’s own plan.
attempting to besmirch helen clark over this one is, quite frankly, an unworthy attempt at misdirection. even the herald didn’t try that one on.
if spud wants to stand for entertainment director in the new council, he’s got my vote.
Hi Phil,
If the tide is turning and New Zealand is becoming left wing again as the council elections suggest, why is Labour doing so badly in the polls?
Having one city is a good idea. the NACT version of it is a nightmare.
The local elections have allowed us to manage the damage but we’ll have to wait for a left leaning government to actually fix it as only parliament can change the laws.
What can Len Brown do to undo the damage done by Rodney Hide?
For starters, he and the new Council can make damn sure the local boards are delegated real decision making powers. They can protect Auckland’s ratepayer-owned assets and keep them in public ownership. They can work hard to hold the CCOs accountable, and bring them back in house if necessary. They can start a process to implement Maori seats on the Council. They can run the city in a spirit of inclusion. All stuff Len campaigned on.
Since you have claimed him as your own Phil, if he doesn’t deliver then Labour’s responsible for his failure of leadership.
Sore Morning after Head ?
Undoing what Nact and Hyde have placed on the Auckland people will be fraught with hurdles.
Taking services in house would put profit takers further from fleecing the rates and restoring an accountable system.
Good luck Len and the people of Auckland.
Now they will have some say.
john… take no notice of sm.. his left hand must be cramping up again..any one her willing to second spud’s nomination?
on a serious note, i noticed that tv one was attempting to gloss over the damage to the right wing in these elections. did anyone notice the “national is still popular nationwide” comment?
famous last words?
@Phil, yes he can…
He can (and should) immeaditely fire Mark Ford as Transport CCO, let the government know Auckland will decide Auckland issues and any CCO chair who isn’t onboard with Auckland’s transport agenda can naff off…
“I think Len’s win is a pretty clear rejection of the Rodney Hide-John Key model for the super city.”
What a stupid thing to say. Why dont you just ask Len Brown how it feels to be the biggest loser then?
God you politicians are all idiots.
^_^
I like your first paragraph though.