Mayor's free lunch angers Banks

Dick Hubbard

Millionaire Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard has been labelled a "petty bludger" by his predecessor for having free meals at the council cafeteria.

Former Mayor John Banks said Mr Hubbard was "eating off the backs of ratepayers" after he spotted Mr Hubbard charging lunch at the cafeteria to his council account - something he is entitled to do.

"As mayor I had that entitlement as well, but I am not going to bludge off the taxpayer to that extent," Mr Banks told the Herald on Sunday.

"Actually taking advantage of the free meal shows how small-minded, mean-spirited and petty he is.

"At a time when rates have increased to an all-time high of 22 per cent, here he is out there bludging off the ratepayers of Auckland."

As Auckland Mayor Mr Hubbard is allowed to have breakfast, lunch and dinner at the council cafeteria.

Prices range from $4 for breakfast to $8 for lunch, with salads, sandwiches and hot meals available.

But Mr Hubbard insisted Mr Banks was "away with the fairies" and said the coffee and toast he had once every three weeks was hardly bludging.

"I am entitled to free meals in the cafe but I only have one every two to three weeks, I suppose," Mr Hubbard said.

"Sometimes it's a breakfast if I have an early start; sometimes it's a lunch, but that's it.

"If I do have lunch it's never the proper roast they have there - I just grab something from the salad bar."

Mr Hubbard said lunching at the cafe also gave him the opportunity to talk to staff about what they were up to and how they were feeling about work.

Mr Hubbard said when he was not eating at the council cafe he would get one of his staff to grab him a sandwich or a kebab - which he paid for out of his own pocket.

"I don't go wandering up there asking for free lunches all the time - I'm not taking advantage."

Mr Hubbard said if anything Mr Banks should take a look at himself and the financial requests he put to the council during his term.

He said Mr Banks' 2001 upgrade of a garage park for his 6.75-litre turbo-charged V8 Bentley Arnage - at a cost of $8000 - was far more demanding on the city's ratepayers than a few lunches.

Instead of parking the luxurious car in the space reserved for mayoral vehicles in a public carpark outside the Civic Building, Mr Banks upgraded a garage park for the car.

"He got council to pay $8000 to park his car in an improved garage so he could park his $400,000 Bentley," Mr Hubbard said.

"He wanted it parked in a special place," he added.

He also claimed Mr Banks mixed private pursuits with council work and said his predecessor asked for a tow-bar on his council car so he could tow his jetski.

"I don't have an extravagant car. At the moment I am driving my wife's Suzuki Vitara to work, but my own car is a 12-year-old Lexus.

"It's only worth around $15,000.

"And I'm fastidious about mixing my private life with council work - that's an absolute no-no."

Mr Banks confirmed the council had spent $8000 on the garage but said it was only to replace a door which was broken.

He added he did not use the mayor's Volvo, which he was entitled to.

Mr Banks also attacked Mr Hubbard on his leadership role in Auckland City and said the new mayor was doing an "appalling job".

"I gave him the benefit of the doubt for a year, but now that has passed I am holding his feet to the fire," Mr Banks said.

"He has been doing an appalling job and he is petty enough and mean-spirited enough to be taking free meals at the council cafeteria.

"He's a petty little man."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY