Wayne Brown accuses councillors of coordinating with anti-rates lobby group on budget plan
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown claims councillors secretly worked with the Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance to challenge his budget, allegations they deny.
Council documents released under official information laws show an Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance strategist provided advice and financial guidance to eight councillors who drafted an alternative budget proposal with a lower rates increase. The strategist, a former deputy chief of staff to mayor Wayne Brown, sent detailed suggestions including specific council documents to obtain and arguments to use. Brown has accused the councillors of not disclosing their relationship with the lobby group, while the councillors and the strategist insist there was no secret coordination and that their work was independent.
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The Spinoff
How an anti-rates lobby group tried to influence a breakaway council budget
Wayne Brown is accusing a group of councillors of secretly pushing the agenda of the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance. They strongly deny the claim. An anti-rates lobbyist provided strategic advice to some Auckland councillors as they came up with a plan…