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Manukau City mayoral candidate Len Brown got an unexpected endorsement yesterday from his opponent David Collings, who accused the People's Choice party of playing "bad, bad politics".
Mr Collings, who is standing as an independent and polled 3.7 per cent in a recent Herald-DigiPoll survey, told about 50 people from the Otara Network Action committee that the People's Choice party had stooped in its campaign by smearing his rival's name.
While supporting Mr Brown's history of community involvement in Otara and virtually surrendering the unlikely votes he would have had there, Mr Collings also fired a broadside at the People's Choice mayoral candidate, Dick Quax.
"There are people out there saying if you vote for me or Mr [Craig] Little then it's a vote for Len Brown," he said.
"Well I'm sorry Mr Quax, and if you are going to stoop that low then what the hell are you going to do as mayor?"
Mr Quax would not be drawn into verbal fisticuffs with Mr Collings during his address, in which he outlined his immigrant background and commitment to community safety, but there were a few boos when he fired a shot of his own at Mr Brown's community safety record.
Another candidate who urged voters not to be swayed by "lovely Len" was broadcaster Willie Jackson, who made a colourful plea to the gathering at the Otara Music and Arts Centre that Manukau City, and communities such as Otara, should have better representation in central Government.
"Len Brown will say it's not about advocacy in Wellington - hello?
"He says Otara has all the answers, but try telling that to the community groups who get $100 a year.
"This is about leadership and advocacy in Wellington."
The mayoral candidates, who also include former National Party list MP Arthur Anae, Paul Pavletich, Kelvyn Alp and Annie King, answered queries about Manukau's role in a super city as well.
Although a Herald-DigiPoll survey in July showed 61.4 per cent of Auckland residents supported abolishing the region's eight councils and replacing them with a Greater Auckland council, the idea was widely shunned by those running for Manukau's mayoralty.
"We are the only city in this region that does not charge for pools, libraries or recreation centres and under a super city we will lose that policy," said Mr Brown.
Mr Anae said it was more plausible to maintain three main cities "and Manukau would definitely be one of them".
"Places like Otara, Mangere and Manurewa would be lost in a super city and no one would ever listen to us".
