Bless the Herald, burying the most important point of an article about the Auckland supercity mayoralty race at the very bottom:
Mr Brown also spoke of leadership and the need to deliver a resounding majority for the mayor so he or she could sit there with the mandate with the support of the community. [sic]
Judging from the mood of the meeting [in Point Chevalier], he won a resounding victory last night.
It seems remarkable to me that Brown could beat John Banks “resoundingly” in gentrified Pt Chev, of which (as I recall) Banks is himself a long-time resident. But then, I don’t know Auckland very well, and perhaps I’m misreading it. Is there something I’m missing or is this actually a biggish deal?
It apparently counterindicates DPF’s and Hamish Collins of No Minister’s reasoning that Len Brown is toast because Kerre Woodham reckons he’s a nutter and she is some sort of bellwether for this “Grey Lynn liberal” demographic. Because her status as a talkback host and columnist who recently came out in favour of three strikes didn’t disqualify her from that already.
Disclosure: According to 8 Tribes questionnaire, bogus pop-sociology though it might be, I’m very squarely a member of the Grey Lynn tribe myself. I’m sure you’re all shocked, just shocked.
L
Turnout for the meeting was 37, so perhaps too small a sample to read much into it!
But – Pt Chev is just over the road from Waterview, which has been screwed by the new motorway extension plans. Pt Chev is in the Labour-held Mt Albert electorate. So not exactly National or Banks-friendly territory.
Banks lives in Auckland city, but on the other side of the CBD to Pt Chev. He’s not a (Pt Chev) local. More like a Remmers boy.
Yeah, I meant to comment on the veracity of drawing a “resounding” victory conclusion from such a trivial sample as well.
I am aware of the electorate boundaries, but now that I look at the Auckland City Council election results it looks like pretty clear City Vision dominance. So not that much of a story here after all.
If the mayoralty contest breaks cleanly along National-Labour lines then Brown barely needs to turn up. Labour and Brown wish it were so, and Phil Twyford in particular has been doing plenty to build that bruidge.
Thanks for correcting me on Banks’ home turf as well.
L
Hey I’m definitely living in Grey Lynn. I gave to put up with Woodham in one of my local cafes. Please don’t associate her with me.