KEY POINTS:
The Labour Party has been accused of trying to influence the outcome of the Auckland mayoralty race to keep right-wing former incumbent John Banks out of office.
The country's largest city is seen as integral to Labour's chances of being re-elected nationally for a historic fourth term next year - and commentators say the party is "desperate" to stop a swing to the right, towards Banks and National Party leader John Key.
Mayor Dick Hubbard has flatly denied any link to the Labour Party and said he was totally independent from any national level or local body politics. "It's all news to me - someone knows something I don't know. I'll be keeping my campaign team small."
However, Labour Party president Mike Williams said Hubbard had asked for campaign advice in the past and he would be happy to giveit again.
"I regard Dick Hubbard as a friend. I wish him very well.
"I think I'll be too busy [to campaign] this time around. I'm nailed down doing what I'm doing."
Labour would be desperate for the centre-left to cling to power in the Auckland City Council, given the "corollary" of the national election next year, said Cameron Brewer, ex-aide to former mayor John Banks.
Although Labour influence would be at arm's length - "you won't find any fingerprints" - Brewer believed Williams would be offering advice to Hubbard behind the scenes.
"Hubbard will be reminding everyone how traumatic the three years under Banks were.
"Already you've found Dick saying Banks says terrible things on his radio show and that no one in Auckland wants to go backwards."
Banks, who officially announced his candidacy for the mayoralty last week, had heard that Williams was advising Hubbard but "that does not intimidate us, given Labour's polling in Auckland".
He believed Labour's preferred candidate would be the incumbent mayor, as Hubbard's policies were left, and that the mayoralty would be seen as a "trophy" going into the 2008 national election.
Although it is no secret that Banks is a social conservative, he rejected suggestions that his former career as a National MP affected his ability to be bi-partisan.
"I make no apologies for my 18 years in Parliament as a National Party member, but I do think people should leave their political colours outside the Town Hall door."
