Adult entertainer Lisa Lewis has entered the Auckland mayoral contest. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Adult entertainer Lisa Lewis has entered the Auckland mayoral contest. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Hamilton adult entertainer Lisa Lewis is making a saucy bid for the Auckland mayoralty with the campaign slogan "Let's Erect Auckland Together".
Lewis, who shot to fame after streaking an All Blacks game in a bikini in 2006, this morning made it known on her Facebook page she is standing for the second biggest job in politics behind Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
"Vote Lisa Lewis for Auckland Mayor - and I might let you cut the ribbon," she said alongside a photo of herself in black high knickers holding a pair of scissors ready to cut a purple ribbon draped around her breasts.
Lewis told the Herald the photo was a little bit cheeky, saying "we all know sex sells and who sells it better than someone who has done the industry".
She said she did not want to be disrespectful of anyone or offend parents who might have a child who sees the image, but the fact it had not got pulled down after 24 hours meant it was okay.
Asked why she was standing, Lewis said anybody can and the best mayors or councillors have come from all walks of life.
"For five years, I pursued a council regarding no RMA negatively affecting a residential area. My persistence paid off with compliance enforced. That dedication I will bring to this position.
"There are no spiders in my closet. With me: what you see is what you get. Being a household name, I can't be anyone but myself. For that reason, I can be held accountable," said Lewis, who plans to campaign in Auckland
Lewis is no stranger to politics. She stood for the Hamilton mayoralty in 2019 and finished in seventh place with 1103 votes.
Mayoral candidate and restaurateur Leo Molloy welcomed Lewis joining the close mayoral contest.
"Viv Beck can finally chuck it in, Lisa Lewis is a candidate who will front and debate the issues!" said Molloy on his Facebook page, adding his team valued diversity and more participation by passionate Aucklanders.
Lewis does not live in Auckland. She lives in Hamilton.
In July, Lewis received an apology from Hamilton City Council after it breached her privacy by posting her home address on its website.
"We call for every formal campaign event between now and the election to include Lisa - and sit her next to New Conservative candidate Ted Johnston," said Molloy, tongue in cheek.
Two-time mayoral candidate John Palino is also making a third bid for the Auckland mayoralty - this time from his home in the United States.
Two-time Auckland mayoral candidate John Palino is making a third bid for the job. Photo / Hagen Hopkins
The restaurant and cafe owner has put in his nomination from his home in Orlando, Florida, but it's unclear whether he will return to Auckland to campaign.
"We are working on it right now. There are a couple of things I just need to sort out so we can get back there," he told the Herald.
After coming second behind Len Brown in 2013, Palino became a central figure in the sex scandal between Brown and Bevan Chuang, a council advisory board member who had a two-year affair with the mayor.
Palino met Brown's former mistress for a late-night discussion in a Mission Bay car park the night after the mayoral election and just two days before the affair was made public.
Palino admitted meeting Chuang but denied any knowledge of her affair until it appeared in media two days later.
