The Prime Minister has turned down a request to hold a joint press conference with Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown tomorrow.
The pair will meet for the first time since Brown's emphatic win over Labour's Efeso Collins, who was personally endorsed by Jacinda Ardern.
The meeting is taking place in the mayoral office on the 27th floor of the council headquarters in the central city, but the two leaders will not be fronting the media after their talks.
The Herald understands mayoral staff pushed the Prime Minister's office for a joint stand-up with the media following the event.
This is a reversal of Brown's aversion to fronting the media since starting work last week, where he has turned down request after request after issuing edicts and instructions to council-controlled organisations (CCOs).