Brown widens lead on Banks

Len Brown. Photo / Greg Bowker

Manukau Mayor Len Brown has opened up a big lead over Auckland City Mayor John Banks in a head-to-head poll for the first mayor of the Super City.

The poll of 482 Aucklanders, by UMR Research, had Mr Brown on 42 per cent, 11 points ahead of Mr Banks on 31 per cent.

The figures show Mr Brown's support is greatest in the south, east, Rodney and Franklin. He is also polling better among women and Maori.

Mr Banks is polling best in central, north and west Auckland.

The last poll by UMR Research in June had Mr Brown on 35 per cent, marginally ahead of Mr Banks on 34 per cent.

Since the July poll, Mr Brown has launched a campaign to be a "mayor for all of Auckland" and been working to raise his profile.

Last month, Mr Banks launched his vision to be the first "Mayor of Greater Auckland" with ads featuring the Sydney Opera House and another series declaring John Banks as mayor for towns and suburbs across the region.

Both candidates are appealing to widespread concerns about how the Super City will affect local communities and grassroots democracy.

Mr Brown said it was early days, but the poll result reflected the feedback he was receiving out door knocking and at meetings.

"There is a still a lot of weariness about the bringing together of us all, but a real desire to have someone who can unite the city. I think I am connecting well on that front."

Mr Brown said he was presenting an overall vision and listening. From March he would start rolling out detailed policy.

Mr Banks said he respected Mr Brown, but said the UMR result was a shonky poll carried out by Labour Party pollsters. The Labour Party has used UMR Research for many years.

"No one really believes that a Labour candidate for the Auckland mayoralty can be that far ahead, with the National Party in Auckland 30 points ahead of Labour in every poll across Greater Auckland."

Mr Banks said he was pretty happy with his polling by Curia Research, owned by a political activist with strong National Party links, David Farrar.

Mr Banks declined to release the results of his polling of "1500 people over two to three nights".

A short time later, he was contradicted by his strategist Aaron Bhatnagar, who said the company polled 1000 people.

The UMR poll was conducted between November 19 and November 22 and December 3 and December 6 and has a margin of error of 4.5 per cent.