Editorial: Candidacy puts spark into mayoralty race

Opinion

One of the virtues of a single city council for the whole of Auckland was to be a mayoral election that would attract interest across the region. Already the idea is living up to that hope. Two aspirants have declared their candidacy, isthmus mayor John Banks and Manukau's Len Brown, even before the council's constitution and the mayor's powers have been settled. Even if no other serious contender comes forward in the year remaining before the "Super City's" first elections, these two would offer a clear choice of style and substance.

Mr Banks holds the one position in Auckland local government that attracts more attention than it deserves and hence he is well known. Mr Brown is practically unknown to voters beyond Manukau City. He is a mild-mannered lawyer who served his time on the Manukau council and unsuccessfully challenged Sir Barry Curtis for its mayoralty before succeeding him at the last election.

Mr Brown speaks the language of social inclusion and has readily committed himself to reserved seats on the council for Maori. He seems assured of the support of left-leaning organisations and activists. With Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey behind him, and Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee lacking a record of personal electability, Mr Brown will probably enjoy the endorsement of the Labour Party and trade unions. He would need their resources to mobilise a sufficient number of voters to win an election across the region.

But he intends to campaign as an independent, as will Mr Banks and doubtless any other entrants to the contest. The Super City mayoralty is bound to attract the interest of political parties, if for no better reason than its result will command national attention, but a successful candidate will need wider appeal. Mr Brown has personal qualities that could impress many conservative voters who have yet to meet him.

But he is not perhaps the enterprising, forceful leader envisaged by those who promoted the benefits of a single city. The creation of a more powerful executive mayoralty, with all the rates of the region at his council's command, was intended to entice a new breed of leadership into local government. But so far nobody except mayors of the present municipalities have expressed any interest in the job. No other names have been suggested.

The reason is probably that business executives know local government bears no comparison with corporate leadership. Companies are easily steered from the top. Decisions below board level are not made by vote and seldom exposed to critical public scrutiny. If a product sells, the decision-maker survives. Public bodies face different demands and their leadership takes different skills.

If Mr Brown is not the driving force that Auckland may need, nor is he the celebrity that we have been told a direct election would encourage. So far the likes of Paul Holmes and Jonah Lomu have not put their hands up. The two declared candidates are serious and experienced civic figures.

The Super City plan is due to emerge from a parliamentary select committee on Friday. If it remains much as the Government outlined it in April, the mayor will have more powers of appointment and budgetary initiative than New Zealand's local government has known. It may be the only office elected by all Auckland voters.

If so, it will deserve all the attention it is bound to receive, not only across the city but in all parts of the country where conversation already turns on who might lead a united Auckland. If Mr Banks has the drive to satisfy the Super City design, Mr Brown could be the candidate of those not convinced of its merits. It is going to be a long race from now.