Boag steps down as Super City recruiter

Michelle Boag. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

Former National Party president Michelle Boag will no longer be involved in recruiting Auckland Super City council executives, after claims that her links to John Banks' mayoral campaign were a conflict of interest.

Ms Boag was one of 12 consultants on the team of recruiting company Momentum, which was contracted in December to hire around 45 executives for Auckland's new Super City council.

She was to have hired the council's communications and public affairs manager.

Her role as a voluntary adviser to Mr Banks had led to criticism from the Labour Party, which has asked the Auditor-General to investigate any potential conflict of interest.

Yesterday, Auckland Transition Agency chairman Mark Ford - with the support of Momentum - said all parties had agreed Ms Boag would withdraw from her role.

"There has been recent political criticism of her involvement in the process," Mr Ford said.

"This is causing an unnecessary distraction and Momentum has accepted that Ms Boag standing aside is appropriate."

Earlier this week, Phil Twyford, who is Labour's Auckland issues spokesman, said it was untenable for Ms Boag to be involved in recruiting staff for the new council at the same time as serving as a Banks adviser.

Local Government Minister Rodney Hide said Momentum's appointment had been overseen by the head of human resources at the ATA, former Alliance leader Laila Harre.

Ms Boag has said it was ridiculous to suggest there was a conflict of interest.

Given that she knew many other people involved in local government, she was angry at Mr Twyford's insinuations that she could not separate her personal and professional life.

Last night, Ms Boag did not want to comment further.

Mr Twyford said her withdrawal from the recruitment process was "damage control".

He was not satisfied with the statement from the Transition Agency, saying the reassurance that she would have nothing to do with Super City recruitment as long as she was involved in Mr Banks' campaign should have come from Mr Hide.