Assistant quits after mayor's stand against Civil Union Bill

Dick Hubbard's personal assistant has quit in protest at the Auckland mayor's anti-civil union stance.

The Herald on Sunday understands Hayden Jones - a board member of the Gay Auckland Business Association - left his post on Thursday after learning the mayor had signed a letter opposing the Civil Union Bill, which has since passed into law.

He had been on secondment to Mr Hubbard's office as a temporary PA, but left early to resume his post in Auckland city's treasury.

Mr Hubbard declined to comment about Mr Jones' departure.

The resignation is part of the continuing fallout following the mayor's last-minute opposition to the Civil Union Bill.

Mr Hubbard put his name to a letter - also signed by his wife Diana, Air NZ head Ralph Norris, author Alan Duff and Auckland University Pro-Vice Chancellor Michael Brown - urging MPs to vote against the bill because it would have tragic outcomes for children.

The letter - which said there was "no clamour from the public" for the legislation - provoked feelings of betrayal in Auckland's gay community.

Gay Auckland Business Association president Richard James said Mr Hubbard's stance was the complete opposite of what he said while campaigning for the mayoralty.

In a fax to the mayor on Friday, GABA said it feared Mr Hubbard was a "Banks-like 'wolf in sheep's clothing"'. It requested a formal statement justifying the mayor's anti-civil union stance and a meeting with the GABA executive to review the matter.

"We take very seriously what appears to be a monumental betrayal of his publicly-stated personal values towards our community, his support for community diversity and his claims for the kind of city he envisages leading," the fax said.

Outraged members of the Auckland University Students Association also wrote to Mr Hubbard to express "disgust" and accusing Professor Brown of abusing his privileged university position.

Mayoral communications advisor Belinda Abernethy said Mr Jones did not indicate any dissatisfaction when he left the office.

- THE HERALD ON SUNDAY