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For all听Wayne听Brown鈥檚 faults, and there are many,听you have got to be impressed with what听he鈥檚听managed to do听in eight months as听Auckland鈥檚听Mayor.
He鈥檚 just managed to convince his council to sell 7% of Auckland Airport鈥檚 shares, this is out of the 18% the council held, when half of the council did not want to do this at all.
This from the guy we are told is aggressive, grumpy, rude, is apparently not a team player, he just managed to pull this off through compromise.
He was the one who compromised; went from 18% down to 7%, and that actually is pretty impressive.
Even before he managed to get this, there was no way that we were sure that this vote was going to pass today, even before we got to this point, I would鈥檝e said that he was already winning.
Because for the first time in a really long time, somebody 鈥攂eing Wayne Brown鈥 got us interested in what was going on in Auckland Council鈥檚 spending.
When was the last time there was this much attention and interest in the books of the biggest city in the councils?听
When was the last time you even knew what the upcoming dividend payment from听Auckland听Airport to听Auckland听Council was going to be?听
When was the last time you even knew the name of your local councillor?听听听
We should know this听stuff. 听
We听should听be interested in how our money鈥檚 been spent,听because听it鈥檚听badly听handled听for听years.听
Auckland听didn't听get to 12 billion听dollars worth听of debt because the spending was careful, it got there because council after council spent more than they had coming in.
For the first time in ages we are interested, because of听Wayne听Brown.
Because of how aggressive, and grouchy, and frankly bold听he鈥檚听been in trying to make cuts in this budget, he's听created a soap opera and got us tuning in to see who wins.听
If I had to pick a winner in the end... I听think听it鈥檚听going to听be him.听
Because听I听think听it鈥檚听a bit of听shock听to some听people听to see how bad the council finances are, and how determined some听councillors听are to not run this thing听properly.听
They are refusing to make any cuts, they're听refusing to sell an asset to cut interest costs, and instead听their听solution听is to add on more debt, when we already have 12 billion dollars听worth听of debt and have had a warning from ratings听agencies听not听to keep adding.
If they get their way and听push our rates up higher than inflation听I would not be听surprised听if they come under public pressure from grumpy homeowners and听renters听who end up paying more.听
Which means next budget might听be a little tougher for them.
Because remember, his term is not one year and one budget,听it鈥檚听three years and three budgets.
They've听got square off twice more while听Wayne听鈥淚'm听cutting costs鈥 Brown is mayor.
So听I think even if they win this time, Wayne听Brown听might听win in the end; just because听we鈥檙e听all听watching听now like we never have before.
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