Dialogue: Banks unites Aucklanders

By DIANA WICHTEL

Auckland. It scarcely exists as an entity anymore, except as the butt of Jafa jokes or when it gains a gratifying place on those lists of the world's top cities.

There are the recognisable postcard images at its strangely empty centre - the bridge, the Viaduct Harbour, the Sky Tower. But the real action is elsewhere, and difficult to grasp. The city has become too big, too various, too tribal.

So maybe one day, if he doesn't sell us all off first, we'll look back at the John Banks era and be grateful. He's managed to unite a diverse sample of the city's population, though possibly not in the way he had in mind.

We'll certainly look back and laugh. The Mr Bombastic of New Zealand public life is nothing if not entertaining.

Bristling with misdirected zeal, he shoots from the mouth, often hitting himself in the foot.

One day he's the scourge of Auckland's boy racers, the next he's a jetskiing hoon. On that embarrassing occasion, the harbourmaster suggested that getting a grip on the basics of water safety before going out is a good idea.

But getting a grip is not the Banks way, as the mad scenes at the council chambers over the past few weeks have demonstrated.

It wasn't only scary Water Pressure Group people getting dragged off by security guards. There were ordinary, mainstream Aucklanders, not known for their desperado ways but who oppose things like selling pensioner housing.

Some of the protesters were out of line, but Banks' hair-trigger response earned him a shot across his bow from no less than Helen Clark. At some point, she mused kindly, Banks was going to have to assess whether he could run the city if he persisted with some of his policies. Which is pretty much what a lot of Aucklanders have been trying to tell him.

It was all enough to get even a Devonport girl interested. Over on the beautiful, bland North Shore, we still consider ourselves Aucklanders, even if we have no say in which jumped-up Napoleon is running the show.

So the anti-Banks, "Wake Up Auckland" march became my first protest since 1981.

In was just like old time - ageing hippies, crusty lefties, kids and dogs. But there were also artists, business types and the odd Shortland Street actor.

After The Vagina Monologues, the chants were hardly embarrassing at all. "John Banks, no thanks!" followed by a rousing chorus of "David Hay, no way!"

Catchy, if not up to the potential hit single standard - "They're not going to level abuse, they're not going to chant, they're not going to rant and rave!" - of Banksie's best work.

Placards ranged from the poignant "Leave My Granny Alone!" to an economical "Oi! Banks! No!" from a Harry Enfield fan.

One veteran resurrected his "Muldoon Out" T-shirt for the occasion. His enigmatic placard read "Who Sews Misery Reaps Rage" - either an attack of creative placard spelling or a protest against the style sense of some of the march's fashionistas.

The turnout ranged, depending on who was counting, from 600 to 2000. Enough, in any case, to give a new mayor pause. Perhaps, like Jim Anderton, Banks could use a period of reflection.

Some of his supporters are doing a little reflecting. Along the way, I ran into Queen St residents Wayne and Mary, looking as inner-city as many of the marchers and watching from the sidelines.

Not marching? Certainly not. They voted for Banks, thought he'd be a breath of fresh air after (barely concealed shudder) Christine Fletcher and Britomart.

They came along for the spectacle, though Mary seems a little embarrassed by her candidate of choice.

"I'm disappointed. He doesn't understand the diplomacy needed to be mayor."

She pauses to take in the demographically diverse, multicultural passing parade.

"Look at this," she says. "He's lost it."

Indeed. Yet there are rare, promising moments of like-mindedness between Banks and the protesters. Both sides have compared the other to Robert Mugabe. Well, it's a start.

And there are signs that Banks may have to adjust the habits of a lifetime and pull his head in. Since the march, Citizens & Ratepayers Now councillors have backed down on a pre-election promise to hold the rates.

But no doubt Auckland is in for a long and bumpy ride. I overheard a couple of Wake Up Auckland women talking about why Banks seemed so upset by the protester in a cowboy hat who sat in his chair (he really did go on about it).

One reckoned it was because he thought she was deliberately parodying the mayor and his Wild West ways. "Lisa always dresses like that."

Hmm. Could Banksie be more sensitive than he seems? It wouldn't be hard.

And it could explain his over-reaction to dissent. Maybe when he looks at the more pugnacious, posturing protesters, he sees something of his pugnacious, posturing self.

Whether in Parliament, on talkback or in the mayor's chair, he has consistently demonstrated all the people skills of an agitated Water Power Group member. He could just be his own worst enemy.

Clearly, when even the PM is advising a style rethink, Banks needs to change. What is much less clear is whether he can.