Brown says $580,000 campaign cap excessive

Photo / Janna Dixon

Manukau Mayor Len Brown wants the proposed Super City mayoral campaign spending limit of $580,000 reduced - only weeks after saying he would spend $1 million trying to win the job.

"I believe $150,000 to $200,000 would enable well-funded candidates to publicise themselves to voters, while not giving them such a massive advantage over grassroots campaigners who might want to enter the race," he said yesterday.

In October, Mr Brown told the Herald on Sunday that he would spend about $1 million in a Barack Obama-style race, but not out-spend his opponents. This was a jibe at Auckland City Mayor John Banks, who told the Sunday Star-Times in February that he would raise $500,000 for his own campaign, including $100,000 from his own pocket.

Mr Brown has not proposed a spending limit outside the spending cap during the three months up to the election on October 9 next year.

Both he and Mr Banks have been cagey about the cost of separate advertising campaigns over the past four months. Mr Brown said he had spent between $20,000 and $30,000. Mr Banks said he had spent three times less than his opponent.

The Government has proposed raising the current electoral limit for mayors from $70,000 to $580,000 after considering options of $100,000, up to $400,000 and up to $800,000.

Candidates for the Super Auckland Council and local boards will be able to spend between $3500 and $55,000 on a population basis.

Cabinet papers show Local Government Minister Rodney Hide believed the higher mayoral limit was needed for candidates to "effectively engage" with 1.4 million people.

The spending limits are contained in the Local Government (Auckland Law Reform) Bill, the final piece of Super City legislation, which was introduced to Parliament yesterday.

Mr Brown said that while the Auckland mayoralty was by far the biggest role in local government in New Zealand, the spending cap during the three months up to the election was out of proportion with other cities.

"Even if you combine all the current mayoral campaign spending limits for the current Auckland councils, you would get a spending cap of about $370,000.

"We have seen the dangers of big money entering national politics, with concerns over sources and transparency of party funding, and the emergence of third party campaigns. Local government has avoided these issues, but they could emerge were candidates under pressure to raise large sums in order to be competitive," he said.

Mr Banks called Mr Brown's call for a lower spending limit "cynical opportunism" and a political stunt.

He was relaxed with the proposed $580,000 limit, but was concerned the cost of campaigning would be prohibitive for a lot of good-quality people.

Mr Banks' return for the 2004 local body elections showed he had no problem raising funds. He received $219,495 from 24 anonymous donors, well over the spending limit of $70,000.

Spending limits

* Super city mayoral candidates
- $580,000 (up from $70,000).

*Auckland Council and local board candidates
- $3500 to $55,000

- figures population-based.

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