It looks like Len Brown will be staying as Mayor of Auckland. This will be a defeat for the moral right, which has refused to separate the mayor’s private life from his political life.
It will also be a defeat for the political right, whose strident campaign for Brown’s resignation is starting to rebound. Cameron Brewer, one of Brown’s strongest critics on the Auckland Council, has now admitted he didn’t declare a four-day trip to the Gold Coast, paid for by MediaWorks. Right-wing councilors, MPs and Ministers get more attention and perks from the corporates than centre-left, left or green politicians.
One of the main ways Sky City influences politicians is to invite them along to its frequent social functions to schmooze with Sky City executives and the Auckland “A” listers. Politicians (unfortunately including some Labour politicians) have also accepted hospitality in Sky City’s corporate box at sports events.
Most of Len Brown’s undeclared perks are hotel room upgrades, but Brown’s family wouldn’t be alone in getting them. Room upgrades for prominent right-wing politicians would be common. Upgrades help hotels on a number of levels. They make the politician look more kindly on that hotel chain, they help ensure repeat business, and they open up more cheap rooms for other paying customers. The prestige of having a VIP stay for a night is also good for business.
Right-wing politicians may also have received free hotel rooms on special occasions. Of course, this doesn’t justify Len Brown’s family getting free rooms from Sky City, particularly when its casino damages so many Aucklanders and Sky City is increasing the number of pokie machines under its convention centre deal with the government.
Corporate New Zealand does its best to inveigle politicians into a web of privilege to help them see the world the way they do. Lobbying, cocktail parties, corporate boxes, upgrades and corporate gifts are all part of this. Which isn’t to say that left-wing or green politicians can’t mix with people in the corporate set, and work together on agreed projects, and still retain their principles. Much can be achieved if you remember who you are and what you represent – and don’t succumb to the temptations of the high life.
In Parliament I found that the corporates weren’t so interested in the Greens when we were in opposition, or didn’t hold a critical parliamentary vote. When the Greens held the balance of power, between 1999 and 2002, the lobbyists turned up and social invitations flowed. I wouldn’t be surprised if now a Labour/Green government is on the cards, the corporate sector is taking more interest in the Greens.
As a Green politician my main “upgrade” problem was with rental cars. Green MPs sent out strict instructions that we wanted only the smallest, most fuel efficient cars. Yet I would sometimes arrive at a rental car depot to be told by the happy person on the desk: “Sir, we’ve upgraded you”. They were surprised when I explained that I didn’t want the large model outside, and wished to “downgrade” to a smaller version. The most embarrassing time was when a car was delivered to me at Parliament and parked in the alleyway next to parliament’s press gallery. Running late for a meeting in Palmerston North I rushed towards the car fumbling with the keys, accidentally setting off the alarm of what was to me a monstrous car – “upgraded” against my instructions. Too late for me to change. However, it was not too late for a press gallery journalist, alerted by the alarm, to note what was happening in the alleyway outside and write a little story for the next day’s paper about a Green MP driving a big car.
Update on Cameron Brewer. According to Radio New Zealand this morning Cameron Brewer apologised on Facebook yesterday for not declaring his MediaWorks-paid trip to the Gold Coast, but later discovered he had sent an email about the trip to an Auckland City council officer. Brewer had also communicated that he received free tickets to the Sky City corporate box in 2011. Brewer’s potential conflict of interest when the Council was dealing with MediaWorks or Sky City issues was not publicly known because Brewer had not submitted his annual Councillor’s statement of interest. Radio New Zealand reporter Todd Nyall said this morning: “I don’t recall Councillor Brewer ever absenting himself from votes on Sky City.”
Brewer seems to be squirming on his own lapse… http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/231644/brewer-defends-actions-over-australian-trip
His latest excuse; “councillors have been poorly advised about the rules and he hopes the code of conduct rules on declaring gifts and interests is cleared up”.
Oh, of course, it’s someone else’ fault.
As per course, Right Wing politicians do not accept responsibility. Ever.
Interesting comment on right wing councillors given Len said pretty much the same thing.
I’d say there might be a problem here that needs clearing up.
Claiming the rules are unclear is a copout.
It’s mentioned twice in the code of conduct. 10:11 and 10:13
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/SiteCollectionDocuments/aboutcouncil/governingbody/codeofconductelectedmembers.pdf
Quote:
“Elected members must make full and complete annual declarations of interests in each year as at 30 June.”
If that’s confusing to Brewer then he’s not it for the job.
Keith I think the underlying issue for me is that Brown said he was against pokies and gambling in general. He was then part of a decision to allow the deal to go through to build the conference centre in exchange for more gambling machines. He has personally benefited out of Sky City and should go. This has nothing to do with his philandering, frankly it is family I feel sorry for wheeling them out as convenient. The latter issue however has made the man a laughing stock in the whole of Aotearoa and will make him a lame duck mayor. I have seen the various cartoons in other parts of the country.
I think all politicians need to understand the rules and to be held to accountable, I was astonished to read somewhere that the deputy mayor, Penny Hulse is going to hold a workshop on this. For goodness sake this is pathetic, someone should have made all of those who haven’t filled out the correct information and filed it accountable a long time ago.
Since when was having sexual intercourse in Auckland City Council meeting rooms part of someone’s “private life”?
True true, anyone else would have been sacked for this.
…. and especially if it’s during a Council meeting!
Something is troubling me about Cameron Brewer’s trip(s). The trip that was first mentioned was a junket to the Gold Coast, in the far south of Queensland. The trip mentioned as having been notified by email was to Port Douglas, in the far north of Queensland. For anyone with a memory slightly better than John Key’s, it would be hard to get these destinations mixed up.
As far as the big car went, Keith, you could have just picked up a few hitchhikers.
As far as Len Brown’s sex life goes, I hope some of these panty sniffing repressed right wingers will find consensual happiness soon and just shut up. No one gives a toss.
Except perhaps lens wife and family
So is everyone who thinks adultery wrong now a panty sniffer, not exactly a cogent argument.
Lens hypocrisy is news because he runs a. Family values style image
What Len Brown’s wife and family give a toss about is none of my business. I also don’t care one way or the other what Cameron Brewer’s family give a toss about. I do give a toss about Len Brown screwing the wharfies and helping the rich take over GI.
On my cogent point – I’d say anyone who carries on and on about adultery in politics is most likely a panty sniffer. They should stick to sniffing their own.
“Cameron Brewer, one of Brown’s strongest critics on the Auckland Council, has now admitted he didn’t declare a four-day trip to the Gold Coast, paid for by MediaWorks. Right-wing councilors, MPs and Ministers get more attention and perks from the corporates than centre-left, left or green politicians.”
For goodness sake, Keith Locke, are we now at a level, where we trade off who gets more attention and perks from corporates, the left against the right?
No, no, no, the left leaning councilors, mayors, MPs, ministers, Prime Minister or whatsoever office holders and administrators, should steer well clear from perks offered by corporates. Once you allow any of that to happen, they will sooner or later have you in their pockets, which they already have with Len Brown.
I do not buy such considerations, as that is where the rot sets in.
Green MPs, and especially Labour MPs, should lead by example, adhere to strict principles, and keep their healthy distances to corporate influences. Once they have enticed you, you will inevitably be compromised, and if found out by the public, your reputation with be screwed!
Now, while Len may be working on his reputation, what has he got to say to Housing NZ that have invited EOIs (Expressions of Interest) from developers and investors, for a public housing complex in Freeman’s Bay, where tenants were years ago told, that they could stay there for the rest of their lives (some former Council social housing tenants)?
Or is this out of his scope of authority too?
What is he there for, I ask, as it appears the CCOs can do things without asking the council and mayor for permission?
Dancing with the devil in the form of Sky City has in my eyes left Len without principles. Sorry, that is my view, so we will wait and see what happens next year.
Brewer claims he informed a responsible council officer of his perks by email. It did not meet formal reporting standards, I suppose, but so many others in council failed to report on any gifts or perks they may have got. It seems the Auckland Council is already full of ROT!
Not a good look, in my eyes.
bloody hell..!..you are defending brown..?..mr locke..?
..when news of browns’ jism-themed/drenched mid-life crisis first surfaced..
..i went meh..!..ain’t nobodies’ business..but his..his wifes’..
(..with the qualification that if that jism spilt over into his political life/favours..
..that that was another story..)
..well..keith..
..there is now so much jism over everything..
(..especially all over those nice baize tables up there at that sky-city casino..)
..that i am putting yr ongoing defence of brown (just ‘cos he’s (sorta) leftie (a wee bit..)..?..whoar..!..)
..i’m putting that over with yr ill-considered/tin-eared support of the cia-coup against gaddaffi…
..eh..?
..how can i not..?
..phillip ure..
you banned my comment..?
..’cos it was slightly critical of locke..?
..whoar..!
..whither free speech..eh..?
..phillip ure..
Free speech means you can say what you like (sort of). It doesn’t mean TDB has to let you say it on their blog. There seems to be a lot of confusion on this point. It also does not mean that I have to defend to the death your right to say whatever you like. I might be washing my hair that night, as the teenage girls used to tell me.
comment vanished for awhile..?
phillip ure..
Hi
I am not able to understand that how can a corrupt and unethical stuff survive..
Thanks
Susan
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