Category Archives: Politics

12.18.13
by

Len Brown

It’s time.

I’ve largely bitten my tongue in an online forum, but I have realised I do have an opinion on this.

1) I don’t care who LB bangs. To me it’s irrelevant.

2) I do care that he plays fast and loose with undeclared perks and gratuities – especially those where a perceived conflict of interest may lie (eg. SkyCity).

3) The Terms of Reference of the initial enquiry were tight. The EY report was sanitised. I believe the A-G needs to do a more thorough investigation as there was enough evidence in the EY report to suggest that this is required.

Len has a history of playing with ratepayer funds inappropriately (Manukau). I don’t believe people change patterns of behaviour all that much.

I think his position as Mayor is now untenable as he’s brought the Auckland Council into disrepute. He can’t lead because those he’d lead are currently mocking, protesting or simply turning their back on him. The office of Mayor is utterly compromised.

 

 

10.31.13
by

Thoughts about Len

I’ve held off commenting about the Len Brown scandal for a while. I’ve been waiting to see how it will unfold.

I don’t really think there are any winners in all of this, except perhaps Cam Slater (feel free to argue this point)!

I don’t think the media (I’m looking at you NZ Herald and TV3) have done themselves any favours with their coverage, and probably worse, I don’t think we as ratepayers have been served well at all by them.

Seeing Rebecca Wright harangue John Palino last night on Campbell Live was painful. That was not the approach of a skilled, non-biased journalist. It was awful, and in my opinion, quite disgraceful. Does Rebecca really want to position herself as this type of interviewer? I suspect that this style is rather career-limiting in this country. Your Ordinary-Decent-Kiwi doesn’t like it.

The affair aside, I think we have an elected official that displays (on more than one occasion) poor judgement. He’s brought the Office of Mayor into disrepute. He’s abused a position of power with a subordinate. He’s broken the Council Code of Conduct. These are key questions that the Media hasn’t really made any sort of effort to discuss.

I don’t think this story will go away. I suspect there is more to come out.

And I think Len is going to have a very difficult (if not impossible) task leading this new Council and our fair city this term.