KEY POINTS:
He's back. A "transmogrified" John Banks became the first ex-Auckland mayor to reclaim the chains in nearly 40 years, beating incumbent Dick Hubbard in a remarkable political comeback.
Former mayor Banks swept to power with an 10,000-vote majority yesterday, just three years after being turfed out by Hubbard, completing a strong swing back to the political right in Auckland City.
Banks, 60, has vowed to keep rates to council inflation, to keep Auckland International Airport shares and to not "put a cent" into the Eden Park upgrade. The former National Cabinet minister was also taking legal advice over the Government's liability for the leaky homes fiasco.
"We'll be opening up the books, no more secrecy. It's my worst fear that Auckland ratepayers could be looking at a $500 million bill," Banks said.
He believed the royal commission of inquiry into a potential "supercity" for Greater Auckland was the most important issue for the new council.
"I'm hopeful this could be the last mayoral election for Auckland."
The promises came shortly after Banks told a gathering at his family home in Remuera he was humbled by the support of Aucklanders who had given him a second chance. "I won't let them down," he said.
Kicked out last term for his controversial style, Banks said he would be "10 per cent less Banksie" as the people of Auckland had clipped his wings three years ago. "Over the last three years I have learned to fly again, only not so high and not so fast."
Magnanimous in victory, Banks thanked Hubbard and his wife Diana for "stepping up to the plate" and offering themselves for civic duty. Three years ago, Hubbard rode the wave of public opposition to the eastern highway, V8 car race and Banks' controversial leadership style to win by 19,000 votes.
In what is a remarkable comeback, Banks capitalised on three years of soaring property and rates bills, political infighting in the left-leaning council and poorly managed projects such as the $43.5 million Queen St upgrade.
In his first media interview after hearing the bad news, Hubbard was philosophical but admitted to mixed emotions. He could leave with his "head held high" as the council had made progress in many areas - particularly rebuilding strained relationships with the rest of New Zealand - but says he paid the price for rates rises. "Rates unseated me. The message from Aucklanders was they wanted action, they wanted it fast so we had to have rates increases to do that. I have no doubt there was a price associated with that," Hubbard said.
"I personally believe it's a case of back to the future with Mr Banks. We've been promised transmogrification. We'll see if transmogrification [is] delivered."
Hubbard admitted it took time to get to grips with party politics, but it wasn't beyond him. "It's not rocket science." He believed he took the fall as the face of some unpopular council policies.
The cereal maker's public mandate was undermined by his deputy and City Vision leader, Bruce Hucker, creating a perception of Hubbard as a lame duck mayor, and household rates soared by 33 per cent.
After water rates jumped 20 per cent, Hubbard refused to accept the findings of a parliamentary inquiry which accused the council of misleading ratepayers.
His term officially ends on Wednesday and Hubbard, a keen mountaineer, plans to climb Mt Aspiring and cycle around Australia as one of 50 goals he wants to achieve.
Cleaning out the mayoral office would be a simple transition.
"Aucklanders are very good at putting old mayors out and bringing new mayors in. Auckland has had three new mayors in a row so they are used to revolving doors," he said.
But will he be back? "No, you give these things your best shot and then you move on. I'm not leaving with a sense of unfinished business."
Hubbard joins Banks and Christine Fletcher as the third mayor to be turfed out after one term in office.
But Banks is the first mayor to make a comeback since Sir Dove Myer Robinson in 1968. He will be aided by the right-leaning Citizens and Ratepayers ticket (C&R) which won 11 of the 19 council seats, giving leader David Hay the numbers to reunite with Banks as deputy mayor.
Hay confirmed C&R would open the council books on the leaky homes saga and Eden Park, to see whether the central government should pay and lower council rates.
