KEY POINTS:
The two jetsetting Auckland politicians who flew business class on a month-long global jaunt for $85,000 last year are set to leave politics.
Vern Walsh and Penny Sefuiva, senior City Vision members of the Auckland City Council, are not seeking re-election this October, just one year after a "study trip" to the United States and Europe.
Mayor Dick Hubbard criticised the length of the junket, which Walsh and Sefuiva drew up and approved themselves, and successfully called for an overhaul of overseas travel rules.
But Sefuiva's decision to pull out of the election has left City Vision leader and Deputy Mayor Dr Bruce Hucker vulnerable to a challenge from the left-wing party's members, who are disgruntled over soaring water bills.
Neither Sefuiva nor Walsh, who heads the finance committee which has raised household rates and water bills, could be reached for comment but both are understood to be tired of the constant criticism of the council.
Visiting art galleries, sports stadiums and museums in America and Europe - with two council officers in tow - the "study trip" cost ratepayers $85,000 but the councillors wrote only a 14-page report on their findings when they got back.
On their return, both voted to raise household rates by an average of 13.4 per cent and pencilled in a 10 per cent increase for this year.
The councillors' junket was lampooned on billboards across Auckland. They were created by sign company Oggi, which was waging war against the city council's controversial signs and billboards bylaw.
Sefuiva, who chaired the arts, culture and recreation committee, has served on the council since 1995 and has been involved in local politics since 1992, while her colleague Walsh has been a city councillor since 1998.
Sefuiva's withdrawal from the election means nominations have been recalled for the two councillor spots on the Western Bays Community Board, so City Vision leader Dr Bruce Hucker can now be challenged.
Six contenders have thrown their hat in the ring to replace Sefuiva and the recall puts Hucker's position as deputy mayor at risk.
Hucker has put himself offside with his left-wing colleagues in recent times, voting with centre-right councillors on several issues, including in favour of road tolls and increasing water bills.
His support for raising water bills by a further 9.1 per cent prompted Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee to comment that Hucker should quit the centre-left ticket and stand on the right.
Speaking as a City Vision politician, Lee told the Herald Hucker should stop "thumbing his nose at a majority of his team members and trashing City Vision's election policies".
Hucker did not return phone calls and a Water Pressure Group rally has been organised to protest against his reselection today.
Scott Milne, leader of the right-wing Citizens and Ratepayers Now bloc, is also stepping down to pursue business opportunities.
Auckland's former deputy mayor, David Hay, is tipped to to make a return to the party.
Who: City Vision councillors Vern Walsh and Penny Sefuiva, and two council officers
The trip: Vancouver, London, Bilbao, Barcelona, Prague and Berlin, on a month-long "intellectual capacity-building tour" in April and May of 2006.
Cost: $85,000
Result: A 14-page report, for which ratepayers paid an estimated $100 a word.
