Spin doctor's close council links

Len Brown. Photo / Natalie Slade

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Supercity mayoral contender Len Brown's privately-paid spin doctor has his own swipe card access into secure council offices.

Former Labour Party candidate Conor Roberts is also in frequent contact with Manukau City Council communications staff, according to emails obtained by the Herald on Sunday.

But the content of many of the emails will remain secret as Roberts insists he is a "private person" - even though he is campaign manager for the man who may become one of the most powerful politicians in the country.

The arrangement has attracted criticism and will come under close scrutiny as campaigning for the Auckland Supercity mayor heats up.

The Office of the Auditor General has strict instructions banning council staff from any involvement in campaigning, rules that are intended to make sure public servants are neutral.

Manukau staff have been warned they must keep political operators at arm's length.

Emails obtained under the Local Government, Official Information and Meetings Act show a slew of information was deleted from communications between Roberts and council staff.

In those that have been left intact, Roberts is informed of any requests for interviews with the mayor.

And in others he is seen instructing council staff to arrange media opportunities.

On April 9, Roberts emailed the council's senior communications adviser Mere Martin: "Given the interest in the drought in this part of the country we were wondering if you'd be able to help organise Len to visit some of those affected in Manukau."

Copied in were other council staff and another member of Brown's team, David Lewis, who worked for former Prime Minister Helen Clark.

In another email, which was meant to be blanked out but was mistakenly released, Martin sent Roberts a Maori Television report of Brown being ahead in the polls. Roberts replied: "Bloody good news this morning eh?"

Manukau Council senior executive Phil Wilson said Manukau city staff and the mayor had been "reminded" of the need to keep campaigning and council separate.

Issues that fell into a "grey area" had to be passed by him to be designated as council or campaign tasks. It was "entirely appropriate" for Roberts to suggest photo opportunities for Brown.

Asked if Roberts spoke as proxy for the mayor, Wilson said: "To some extent that is right."

Roberts claimed that Manukau ratepayers got value out of his presence, and they didn't have to pay for it.

But he refused to say who was paying for his time. He knew the identities of the donors who paid his wage but refused to disclose their names.

He said "overlap" was handled "very delicately".

Manukau councillor Dick Quax, who supports John Banks, said any contact was time taken from the ratepayer. "There should be no contact between Conor Roberts and council staff. It's wrong."