Palino and fiancee keep a low profile

John Palino - pictured with Rose Li - was not responding yesterday to calls about the Brown affair. Photo / Greg Bowker

John Palino, the mayoral candidate whose camp has been accused of trying to expose the Len Brown sex scandal, has gone to ground.

The 53-year-old businessman was not responding to calls yesterday and did not appear to be at his apartment in Kohimarama.

Nor was there any sign of Mr Palino's fiancee, Rose Li, who was friends with Bevan Chuang - Mr Brown's former mistress who entered into an intimate relationship with Luigi Wewege, a member of Mr Palino's failed campaign team.

Mr Palino last spoke to the Herald on Wednesday night from an undisclosed location "about an hour north of Auckland".

He denied any previous knowledge of the affair or a relationship between Mr Wewege and Miss Chuang.

Mr Wewege has also gone to ground. He was not answering calls or at his flat in central Auckland.

A National Party source said Mr Palino tried to convince former National and Act Party leader Don Brash to chair a campaign trust for him to receive anonymous donations and he declined.

Dr Brash would not comment about the claim, saying he was no longer involved in politics at a national or local level.