Ex-mayor back to support Banks

Former Auckland City Mayor Christine Fletcher. Photo / Dean Purcell

Former Auckland City Mayor Christine Fletcher is back in politics as a Citizens & Ratepayers candidate for the Super City and a supporter of John Banks' bid for the mayoralty.

She has been selected to stand in the Albert-Eden-Roskill ward to replace retiring C&R leader David Hay, whose political career has included several run-ins with the liberal Mrs Fletcher over issues such as the Hero Parade and Britomart transport projects.

The former National Cabinet minister said she believed C&R had the best philosophy and team approach to lead Auckland.

She said Mr Banks, who took the mayoralty off her in 2001 after one term, had matured greatly and had adopted several policies, including on public transport, that she supported.

"I hope he is successful as the mayor of the new Auckland ... I'm really looking forward to working with him," Mrs Fletcher said.

C&R president John Slater yesterday announced the first batch of 11 candidates for the 20-seat Auckland Council, featuring two new faces and four candidates aged 60 or over.

The new faces are 40-year-old Korean lawyer Josephine Kim, who will contest Albany with Waitakere City councillor Linda Cooper; and Cook Islander Alfred Ngaro, who is active in social, health and education community services, to contest the Maungakiekie-Tamaki ward.

Several sitting councillors add experience to the team.

They include Doug Armstrong, Auckland City's fiscally dry finance chairman, selected for the blue ribbon single-member Orakei ward.

He beat Hobson councillor and Remuera resident Paul Goldsmith, who will stand with Mrs Fletcher in Eden-Albert-Roskill against the likely City Vision pairing of Glenda Fryer and Cathy Casey.

The nomination for the central city ward of Waitemata and Gulf has gone to Auckland regional councillor and Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett.

And it was no surprise that Auckland City councillor Noelene Raffills was selected in Whau where the Raffills name will be a big vote winner.

The selection of Franklin District councillor Des Morrison to stand for C&R comes with the endorsement of outgoing mayor Mark Ball.

Manukau City councillors Dick Quax and Jami-Lee Ross were predictable selections in the Te Irirangi ward that encompasses Howick, Pakuranga and Botany.

Mr Slater said the candidates were a multicultural mix of high-calibre professionals who were ready, willing and extremely able to move the city forward.

Once the remaining nine candidates were selected in the next few weeks, a leader would be chosen to lead the campaign, he said.

The right-wing ticket has still to develop detailed policy for the elections on October 9.

LOCAL POLITICS DYNASTY ENDS

After 60 years, the Hay dynasty in Auckland local body politics is coming to an end.

Auckland City deputy mayor and Citizens & Ratepayers leader David Hay is stepping down 27 years after being elected to the Mt Roskill Borough Council in 1983.

David Hay followed in the footsteps of his father, Keith Hay, who was elected to the borough council in 1950, served 21 years as mayor and was influential in creating the "bible belt" character of Mt Roskill.

In 1949, Keith Hay built his first transportable house, starting the low-cost housing business that carries his name and is managed these days by David Hay and two of his four children.

Mr Hay jnr, who had a short stint as mayor of Mt Roskill and lengthy stints as deputy mayor of Auckland City, has been instrumental in the restoration of the Civic Theatre, setting up the water company Metrowater and the purchase and development of Monte Cecilia Park.

With Mayor Les Mills, he pushed for the huge Britomart development that mayor Christine Fletcher subsequently overturned for a more modest, public-transport driven scheme.

Mr Hay said he supported the Super City concept and hoped it would be a success, but should it turn into a shambles he might be tempted to come back into local politics.