New council reps to keep business roles

Arthur Anae is a director on a number of companies. Photo / Supplied

Some of Auckland's new councillors plan to continue their private business interests while pocketing an $80,000 Supercity salary.

Of the 20 new councillors, five will maintain outside employment or company directorships.

Others are winding down their interests, saying the new council won't leave time for any other work.

And with a only week before the new council is established, it is not yet known whether councillors will have to register their conflicts of interest.

Former MP and Manukau councillor-to-be Arthur Anae is a director on a number of companies including a property holdings company, a travel company and a chicken farm outside Tokoroa. He said there would be no problems juggling.

"I have my own business options. But they're run at an arms length. I've set them up to run on their own."

He is not worried about the time constraints in dual roles, saying his other business interests take up "a couple of hours per day".

"There's very little in it until something goes wrong."

Manukau's Alf Filipaina is the only councillor who will be both an employee and a councillor, being a 30-year veteran of the police force.

"What I'm going to put a proposal to the boss to see if I can do two days a week. I can't do full time. I knew that when I put my name forward.

"This job is a full-time job."

Manurewa-Papakura councillor Sir John Walker will remain in business - he owns Stirrups Equestrian Supplies in Newmarket. He could not be contacted for comment.

Orakei councillor Cameron Brewer and Jami-Lee Ross, from Howick, are directors of companies but say they aren't involved in running them.

Brewer is a "passive director" of family company, Spire Investments Limited. He said: "There's no conflict of interest in any of that."

Ross, a director of Clarion Investments Limited, said: "I'm attempting to at least initially to be full time on the council. I do have a shelf company but it's not a company in the usual sense."

Auckland deputy mayor Penny Hulse intends to wind down her other commitments.

"I'm currently a director of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority. That's my only external directorship. That's a once-a-month meeting in Wellington."

Hulse said she was considering stepping down in her role.

"It's important that people recognise the size of this job. We shouldn't be doing it as a part-time job on the side."

Franklin councillor Des Morrison has done just that - stepping down as trustee of the Enterprise Franklin Development Trust.

"I've cleared the decks because it's going to be a very busy three years."

Darryl Griffin will be the democracy manager at the Auckland Council. He said while council will be required under the local government act to have a code of conduct, whether councillors were required to register conflicts of interest will be up to the council itself.