Mayor plans Blake statue

By ALAN PERROTT

Auckland mayor John Banks says a council-financed statue of the late Sir Peter Blake will be unveiled before the America's Cup defence - despite no official support from his councillors.

"I am committed to a statue, an epic statue, strategically placed at the Viaduct Basin," Mr Banks said.

He is considering a proposal from Auckland sculptor Minhal Al Halabi, who has already erected a $70,000 sculpture in Queenstown, for a statue of Sir Peter at the helm of a yacht with windswept hair and soaring albatross.

Mr Banks said there was massive public support for renaming the Viaduct Harbour or erecting a statue to Sir Peter, who was killed by pirates at the mouth of the Amazon River last month.

Dr Bruce Hucker, leader of the leftwing City Vision councillors, said they had not been told of the plan.

"[Mr Banks] hasn't rung any of us about it. It's just his style of leadership. But [a statue] will have to be a council decision," he said.

Deputy mayor David Hay was also unaware of the plan but would make no comment on the proposal.

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Peter Blake, 1948-2001