Auckland councillors voted to keep business class travel for staff. Source / Singapore Airlines
Auckland councillors voted to keep business class travel for staff. Source / Singapore Airlines
Every so often an issue pops up that hits a nerve with Auckland Mayor Phil Goff and he starts shouting like he's back in Parliament.
Today it was the sensitive issue of business class travel or, more specifically, an attempt by councillors Efeso Collins and John Watson to pull the comfy recliner seats from council staff.
Unfortunately for them, the vote to end business class was narrowly lost by 9 votes to 8.
For me it's snob value. It's like elite travel. It's not something I have ever done. I'm happy in economy, cattle class
The way the pair of "backbench" councillors put it, Aucklanders have had enough of costly business class trips when, as Watson said, there is no council money for suicide prevention schemes and mentoring at his local youth centre.
"We need to send a very clear message," said Collins, a Labour councillor for Manukau.
For Collins, the issue boiled down to what the public expect of him: "I don't think they would want me to be in premium economy or in business class. I think the public expectation is that we fly economy."
By way of a solution, the councillors proposed replacing business class travel with premium economy on long-haul flights for council staff. The policy does not apply to councillors, but they follow the policy for obvious reasons.
Councillor Efeso Collins.
"There is no flexibility in this recommendation," said Goff, who maintained he had trimmed chief executive Stephen Town's international travel budget by 30 per cent, which will see fewer overseas trips.
Goff said that as former Foreign and Trade Minister he understood better than anyone round the council table what it means to fly across the world and head straight into meetings.
There are good reasons, the mayor said, for business class travel, citing former chief finance officer Sue Tindal flying to the capitals of Europe at a cost of $18,000 to secure funding for council and save ratepayers millions of dollars.
"How much did she see of Zurich and London, Frankfurt, Munich and Paris? It sounds really romantic. She saw nothing because she went from the airport to the hotel, to the meeting room and back to the airport."
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff voted to keep business class travel for staff.
It will look very popular to the public out there to "hammer the bastards" and not let anyone under any circumstances travel business class, said Goff, who was not prepared to please one or two people "who thinks we should wear sackcloth and ashes".
Talking of sackcloth, councillor Cathy Casey bet there was no one in the room - staff, councillors or even journalists - who would ever shell out $18,000 of their own money on an airfare.
"For me it's snob value. It's like elite travel. It's not something I have ever done. I'm happy in economy, cattle class. It's a good look for our staff and elected members to be in economy," said Casey, who praised the council's chief executive Stephen Town for setting the tone by not leaving his desk and claiming any travel expenses.
"'I'm too scared to leave the building," said Town, to bursts of laughter.
How councillors voted
To keep business travel Mayor Phil Goff Deputy Mayor Bill Cashmore Josephine Bartley Ross Clow Linda Cooper Alf Filipaina Richard Hills Penny Hulse John Walker
To end business travel Cathy Casey Efeso Collins Mike Lee Daniel Newman Greg Sayers Sharon Stewart Wayne Walker John Watson
