Fans and flak Lee's had plenty of both

Mike Lee. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Interfering busybody or environmental and public transport champion?

Those are questions for voters as they consider whether Mike Lee deserves a role in the Super City.

The hardman of the left is standing in the single-member Waitemata and Gulf ward of the Auckland Council.

As chairman of the Auckland Regional Council, Mr Lee is the public face of an organisation that cops a lot of flak but receives little credit.

The ARC is the region's environmental protection agency and handbrake on sprawling growth and has not been afraid to take other councils to court or engage in public stoushes.

Business, farmers and leaders such as Rodney Mayor Penny Webster often criticise the ARC and Mr Lee.

On the other hand, the ARC has played a key role in the huge uptake in public transport, electrification of the rail network and expansion of the hugely popular regional parks.

Mr Lee has also shown deft leadership at bringing together the different political views in his two terms as chairman of the ARC and getting unanimous support on the big issues, even if Aucklanders and political opponents sometimes disagree - for example, the ARC's decision to scuttle a waterfront stadium.

But the big question will be what side the voters take.

Employers and Manufacturers Association chief executive Alasdair Thompson said Mr Lee and his two main opponents, Alex Swney and Tenby Powell, all deserved a place on the new council but the reality was there was room for only one of them.

Mr Thompson said the association had the same views as Mr Lee on the need for reform of local government but differed on other key areas.

"We continue to have a difference of opinion over his view that business gains so much benefit from council spending that they should pay a considerably higher rate in the dollar of capital value than residential properties.

"He says that as a disguise of his real objective, which is to have business subsidise residential ratepayers," Mr Thompson said.

Mrs Webster has questioned some ARC decisions under Mr Lee's leadership, saying they have not always been "in the interest of the region".

This week's announcement that the ARC spent $15 million buying land on the Mahurangi Coast when it was meant to be considering another land deal was one example.

Another was the large number of appeals to the Environment Court.

But Mr Lee does have the support of deputy chairman Michael Barnett, a Citizens & Ratepayers candidate who was standing in the same ward but had to withdraw in May due to ill-health.

Despite their very different political backgrounds, Mr Barnett said they had worked well together and had a working relationship he "really valued".

"I think he's a hugely astute politician. He's not uncompromising. He knows how to piece together a deal, he knows how to listen, he knows what's good for the region and I've enjoyed working with Mike.

"I certainly believe that there's a place for his knowledge, his experience, in a new council."

But Mr Barnett has also known one of Mr Lee's main competitors, Mr Swney - who accepted support from C&R after Mr Barnett withdrew - for a long time and wished him luck too.

Choosing between them, though, was "a bit more of a difficult question".