Len Doest Care

By Matthew Theunissen Email Matthew

Mr Brown, that's what well call him here has no time for those in the media who wish to pursue him for his head.

But that is what we want, his head on a plate.

11:00 AM Wednesday Oct 30, 2013

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Len Brown. Photo / Brett Phibbs

 

Len Brown says the career of a mayor ebbs and flows, and the wave of negative publicity that has swamped him since news of his two-year extra-marital affair broke will pass.

"I'm just wanting to get on with my job," he said.

"I choose to put those matters where they belong and that's between myself, my wife and our family. Aucklanders have basically said 'that's something you need to deal with'. They want me to lead and that's what I'm going to do."

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In one of his few public appearances since it was revealed he had a two-year affair with aspiring politician Bevan Chuang, the Auckland mayor this morning drew the pools for the upcoming NRL Nines tournament taking place in the city in February.

The usually vivacious mayor appeared subdued as he mingled with the crowd, and spoke with special guests including rugby league star Willie Mason and Sir Peter Leitch.

Speaking to APNZ afterwards, Mr Brown would reveal little about the effect the scandal has had on his political career, but implied such things were par for the course in his line of work.

However, he said this had not been directed at him as a result of the sex scandal but because of Housing New Zealand tenant evictions in Glen Innes and Panmure.

"Otherwise it was a great night." 

Mr Brown would not comment on who may have been responsible for revealing the sex scandal, or revelations Rodney National MP Mark Mitchell had made comments about politicians "with skeletons in their closets" that could have led the mayor's camp to believe the affair would be made public.

"I don't want to go into that either. I want to leave that where it should lie. And clearly, after two weeks of intense media coverage Aucklanders are saying it's time for us to move on."

Mr Brown said he was "not interested" in whether support for him as mayor had been impacted by the scandal.

"I'm not interested in that either. What Aucklanders said in the election was 'look, we like the general direction, you're doing a good job, keep it up'. That's what I'm going to continue to do."

Mr Brown said he had not been in contact with Ms Chuang since their affair was revealed.

Not interested in the publics view of him, that's a far cry just two weeks ago during election time, that's all he was interested.

Winnie choppers in

Additional information and evidence about the Vela Family donations to Winston Peters has been published today by the Dom Post.

The following is an extract from a conversation transcribed by Ross Meurant. It is between himself and Winston Peters. Meurant was Peters lobbyist at the time of this conversation.

Mr Meurant said Mr Vela had friends who might not like seeing Mr Peters in the Vela helicopter, to which he says Mr Peters responded: "Tell him to hire me an unmarked helicopter. So I can paint it black/white and NZ First. Then I can drop into small rural towns and schools."

On October 28 and 29, Mr Peters called Mr Meurant wanting the helicopter, the documents show. They include a transcript Mr Meurant made of the second call.

Mr Peters: Meurant, tell those bastards I need a helicopter. Don't give me this crap about the machine needing repairs.

Mr Meurant: Come on, Winston, he has offered you his pilot. That's a grand a week ... he has personal reasons for not giving you his machine. He socialises with people who hate you.

Mr Peters: You gotta do better than that, Meurant. Don't these people know how dangerous I can be [laughs]. [Mr Peters then says something to effect of Mr Vela having been saved millions in tax liability by Mr Peters.]

Mr Meurant: Come on, he is the only guy to give you funding.

Mr Peters: I have other funding. Don't you worry about that.

Mr Meurant: Okay, you know how much, but Vela has given you 20 grand and, as I have just told you, has confirmed the other 30 grand. What he has said to me is tell you to spend some of the 30 on a helicopter and use his pilot for free. More from Stuff.co.nz

Ain't it great to have friends in high places.

c Political Animal 2008