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Otara councillor Su'a William Sio is fending off accusations that he said a brown man was not ready to lead Manukau City.
Mr Sio was responding to comments made by mayoral candidates Arthur Anae and Willie Jackson, who claimed he had undermined their campaigns by allegedly saying a Pacific Islander or Maori could not be mayor.
In an interview broadcast on NiuFM, Mr Sio said there was "potential" for an ethnic mayor but he felt it would be "some time in the future", despite the combined Maori and Pacific Island groups making up 43 per cent of the total Manukau City population.
But Mr Anae, who polled 7.8 per cent in a Herald Digipoll survey for preferred Manukau City mayoral candidates, said he had heard Mr Sio saying a brown man could not be mayor.
"This was a direct insult to Pacific and Maori peoples and was quite ridiculous."
Mr Anae said the alleged comments were a ploy to stop Pacific people supporting him, and to stop Maori voting for Mr Jackson. He said it would "backfire miserably".
He also accused mayoral candidate Len Brown of being "Labour in drag" despite the former lawyer standing as an independent.
Broadcaster Willie Jackson, who polled 16.9 per cent in the survey, said he had not heard the alleged comment himself but had been approached by people in the Samoan community who told him about it.
He said Mr Sio's statement about a Pacific Islander or Maori potentially being a mayor in the future should be investigated by the Labour Party, whom Mr Sio represents.
"This kind of comment encourages the red necks and it's shocking that he's even thinking like that. It's really sad that his bias towards Len Brown leads him to say something so stupid and so belittling of Maori and Pacific Island people."
While Councillor Sio strongly denied the accusations which he labelled as "totally rubbish", he stood by his comments that the likelihood of a Pacific Island or Maori mayor being elected on Saturday was low.
He said Mr Anae and Mr Jackson had high profiles but didn't have the track record of long-term local community work.
"When people are making decisions it's more about who has been doing the work." Mr Sio said he had tried to steer clear of taking potshots at the other candidates.
"I've been consistent in saying we're looking for the best person to do the job and I have consistently said Len Brown is the best person to take over from Sir Barry," he said.
"We are calling on all the people of Manukau that this is a significant decision and people need to look beyond skin colour and look at [who is] the best person."
