From the New Zealand Herald election guide published 1 October:
Do you support the SkyCity pokies for convention centre deal?
Len Brown: I support the need for Auckland to have an international convention centre and the economic benefits it will deliver but I do not support the deal done to finance it.
What a shameless porkie.
Len Brown has always been a strong supporter of the pokies for convention centre deal.
On 27th June this year he voted against a motion brought by Councillor Cathy Casey to oppose “the Government’s proposal for SkyCity to develop a convention centre in return for changes in our gambling legislation to increase gambling at the SkyCity casino”.
The motion passed by 10 votes to 7 with the mayor in the losing minority.
For the mayor to now pretend he doesn’t support the deal is a brazen lie.
The Len-Brown-endorsed deal includes an agreement between SkyCity and the Government to build an international convention centre in exchange for legislative changes allowing an extra 230 pokie machines and 40 gaming tables, a 27-year extension to SkyCity’s Auckland casino licence, and other regulatory concessions.
Now in the middle of the election campaign Len Brown wants to rewrite history.
He’s embarrassed that he’s offside with Aucklanders on this issue so has misrepresented his position.
It’s normal for politicians wanting to be liked but Brown has to be more than a “smile and wave” mayor who’s good for a cup of tea but rolls over whenever the government or SkyCity come calling.
His supposed principles are for sale at a rock-bottom price.
He pretends to be a man of the people but he spends all his time on the other side of the fence supporting big business interests.
That’s why Brown sold out Auckland’s port workers when the port company bully – a council controlled organisation under Len Brown – attacked their pay and conditions of employment. Brown still sits on the fence wringing his hands….
His fingerprints are all over the grubby deal with SkyCity and the trashing of Auckland port workers. People should remember this when they vote.
Noted at the time. And my vote went your way… Good luck.
It was his lack of a stand on the port issue that first made me take a second look at Len Brown.
In all his mannerisms, all his utterances he seemed weak, waffly, and lacking in spine. Apart from not being John Banks, he didn’t actually stand for much at all, did he?
Mutton dressed as lamb.
Good on you by the way, John.
Len reminds me of the used car salesman character in ‘ Fargo ‘ played by William H Macy .
He’s like a mirage-man . All shimmer and no substance . It’s weird .
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