Councillors hit back at Wayne Brown's 'Pacific victims' remark
Photo:
Auckland Council/RNZ/Stuff Ricky Wilson via LDR
A South Auckland councillor says she doesn't buy into the racist rhetoric that "brown people are lazy", after mayor Wayne Brown accused her of playing a 'Pacific victim' card.
Two Manukau ward councillors have clashed with Brown after he claimed they are not showing up to do the work.
Councillors Lotu Fuli and Alf Filipaina pointed to official data that shows they have outperformed him in attendance.
"It's a bit rich for him to talk about attendance when his is quite low," Filipaina says.
In response, the mayor said the councillors were "doing what they always do, being Pacific victims".
The comments followed a public grilling from Brown last week over councillors not attending meetings in person.
"My attendance is 92 per cent, Lotu's is 98 per cent, and the mayor's is 88 per cent," Filipaina says.
Brown dismissed the figures as "very selective" and says councillors were "playing the victim" while neglecting workshops, where he says most of the work happens.
"It's just rubbish. And so whoever's given you those, a very selective use of statistics, that," Brown says.
The mayor claimed the councillors attended very few workshops.
"They are doing what they always do, being Pacific victims. They're always victims."
He also criticised remote participation from the councillors.
"Lotu in particular mostly attends digitally and doesn't turn her phone on, doesn't turn her picture on, so we don't know where she is."
Fuli says the mayor's comments were "not only wrong, but damaging".
"Don't buy into that racist rhetoric that brown people are lazy. Fact-check them. My record stands for itself - I'm there all the time, I'm out in our community all the time."
She says the mayor's remarks echoed attacks made against former mayoral candidate Fa'anānā Efeso Collins.
"They used that against him so much, I think because he's brown."
Fuli says Brown had himself missed a key six-hour Governing Body meeting the previous week.
"He didn't attend online, he didn't attend at all. He was absent - and that was a really, really important meeting."
Brown says he had a family issue so couldn't attend.
Fuli called the mayor's decision to single out councillors "very unusual".
"He was going through them one at a time, making disparaging comments... is this because it's election year and the media's there?"
Filipaina says he had both knees replaced but continued serving the community regardless.
"I go online. That's exactly what we've been doing, representing our community."
He questioned the mayor's motivation.
"He's just making everything political now because he doesn't want people on the Governing Body table that are going to disagree with him."
Fuli agreed: "He doesn't like the fact that he can't bully me and Alf. We've actually been bold - we voted against the cuts he's proposed."
Fuli says the impact of the mayor's claims extends beyond council chambers.
"It's perpetuating that myth that brown people are lazy. That we're not turning up. That Manukau doesn't have a strong voice. But the fact is, we've been bold. Alf and I have stood up when others didn't."
Councillor Josephine Bartley, the only other Pacific member on the Governing Body, had an 86 per cent attendance rate and confirmed she had taken bereavement leave.
Brown defended his connection to South Auckland.
"I've got more votes than either of those do in South Auckland. So I represent everywhere - and I employ people in South Auckland."
He rejected claims of racism and bias. "Everything's picking on Pacific and South Auckland. It's bulls**t, you know. That's not true."
No Governing Body meeting this term has failed to reach quorum. Only two committees, Performance and Appointments, and Finance and Expenditure, have done so, and the mayor was absent from at least one.
Auckland Council data shows that in the last quarter, Fuli attended 94 per cent of meetings, with another 4 per cent recorded as council business.
Filipaina attended 88 per cent, plus 4 per cent on council business.
Auckland's mayor attended 79 per cent, with 9 per cent on council business, totalling 88 per cent.
LDR is local body journalism funded by RNZ and NZ on Air.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Mayoral hopeful's website condemned as 'horrendous'
Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon An Invercargill mayoral hopeful has been slammed by fellow candidates after his party website looks to have posted "dangerous" and sexually disturbing content online. Gordon McCrone is standing for the top job under an unofficial party for which he is listed as the only staff member. His nomination is listed as pending approval on the Invercargill City Council website. The website, whose domain is registered to Gordon McCrone, refers to the party leader as an unregistered, self-appointed child sex psychologist. It includes sexually disturbing content. Local Democracy Reporting has chosen not to publish the website's name. It makes claims that McCrone is a leading cancer researcher who expects to find a cure for the disease. It also says he advises "President" Joe Biden on internal and external affairs, and proposes beneficiaries are given free Lotto tickets. McCrone was approached for comment to validate these claims but chose not to address the questions in his emailed reply. The website content has been condemned by a number of sitting councillors running for mayor in the southern city. McCrone's beliefs have been condemned by Invercargill councillors (from left) Ria Bond, Tom Campbell and Alex Crackett. Photo: Supplied via LDR Ria Bond was concerned about a lack of candidate safety checks prior to entering local politics and would like to see a robust system to ensure people meet the standard. "I'd recommend that that candidate pull himself from the election, because he clearly has behaviours and beliefs that don't fit with our community whatsoever," she said. Deputy mayor Tom Campbell disagreed with filtering candidates but condemned the party website messaging. "It's terrible. It's horrendous. It's awful. Any right-minded person would be nauseated by it," he said. Alex Crackett described the content as "appalling" and "dangerous", adding there would need to be protocols at candidate events for the health and safety of those attending. McCrone has already been barred from a Southland Business Chamber debate on 19 August, with president Chris Hughes saying they were "deeply concerned" by the commentary. "Given his very public views, we feel it's appropriate to take this stance in the best interests of the chamber and the wider Southland community," Hughes said. He said the website content "makes clear why this decision is reasonable". The chamber received strong support for its decision after it was made public, he said. Councillor Ian Pottinger is also running for mayor but did not wish to comment on McCrone. He too supported the chamber's decision. Police would not say if any complaints had been received about the website or whether they were investigating. "In general, police cannot respond to queries which seek to establish whether specific individuals or organisations are, or have been, under investigation," a spokesperson told Local Democracy Reporting. Invercargill City Council deputy electoral officer Michael Morris said the rules for candidacy were set out in legislation with very few restrictions for running. The two key rules were that candidates needed to hold citizenship and be enrolled to vote. "The electoral officers or council cannot have any role in determining who stands or not, as long as the requirements are met," Morris said. Election day is set for 11 October. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
The Spinoff
an hour ago
- The Spinoff
The motley crew of contenders trying to take down Auckland mayor Wayne Brown
A list containing Wayne Brown and the people who will almost certainly lose to Wayne Brown. There are 12 people running for the Auckland mayoralty, though running might be a strong term. The incumbent, Wayne Brown, has barely broken into a light canter as he sets course for re-election. It's not just a coronation though. At least some of his rivals are putting up a fight, with at least one of them promising to emulate Elon Musk and turn what he calls his 'great mind' to fixing Auckland's problems. John Alcock When John Alcock ran in the Pakuranga electorate in the 2023 general election, it was on a platform of reclaiming 'New Zealand from ideological extremism'. Though that phrase is usually the hallmark of a candidate who possesses moderate and politically mainstream views, Alcock appears to have some out-there ideas, including decentralising our financial and governmental systems and crafting a future 'where empowered individuals build resilient communities'. Alcock was once a board member for the Act Party and is now highly interested in cryptocurrencies. Wayne Brown Remember when mayor Wayne Brown failed to publicly declare a state of emergency until nearly 10.30pm on the night of the Auckland Anniversary weekend floods? Remember how, in the criticism that followed, he grumped that it wasn't his job to ' rush out with buckets '. Remember how, worst of all, he referred to the universally delightful people of the media as ' drongos '? If you'd told Aucklanders then that in just a few short years' time, Brown would be paddleboarding to almost certain re-election atop an unstoppable wave of mildly favourable voter sentiment, they would have spat a mouthful of brown floodwater straight into your face. Sorry to those stuck in a 2023 time prison, but that's what's happening. Brown has engineered one of the most remarkable redemption arcs in local politics history, going from being perceived as a godawful angry old boomer to a lovable angry old boomer. He's done it through playing against type and learning the art of political compromise. For all his self-aggrandising Mr Fix It branding, Brown's shown a surprising ability to take new ideas on board. He's elevated people from outside his natural circle of allies, demoted naysaying local government lifers, talked up intensification around train stations and busways, and spruiked for cheap mass transit options. Brown still texts the chief executive of AT when he sees a rogue road cone. He remains offensive, in ways that are sometimes funny, and sometimes not. But ask most Aucklanders what they think of him, and they'll say he's grown on them. The man with one of politics' most polarising personalities is somehow one of its most unifying figures. Brown's re-election odds are so good, he seems to have eschewed campaigning to focus all his efforts on getting rid of the councillors he doesn't like. He'll likely win, provided no floods hit between now and October. Eric Chuah Dr Eric Chuah once worked as a strategist for United Future's Peter Dunne, which should stand him in good stead for securing a sliver of the vote in an election race dominated by more popular and well-known rivals. Chuah's promises are nonspecific on minor issues such as minimising rates, reducing unnecessary council spending, and ensuring safer policing. However he gets into granular detail on how to fix dog walking, proposing a timeshare scheme where dog owners would be allowed to walk their dogs between 3 and 5pm, and the rest of the public are permitted to go outside without being mauled by an aggressive labradoodle outside those hours. Michael Coote Michael Coote appears to be a finance professional. He stood for mayor and Waitakere ward councillor in the 2022 local elections, where he distinguished himself by failing to give any detail to and appearing in several lists of people who are also standing for mayor at the bottom of coverage on other candidates. Coote didn't respond to an email from The Spinoff. Ted Johnston Johnston is perhaps best known for his handpainted 2019 local election hoardings, which gave people the distinct impression that if they didn't vote for him, he would murder them with an axe. Obviously the implied threats paid off, because soon after, Johnston became a leader in the New Conservative Party. He was stood down from that gig by the party board in 2023, and is back to his first political love: running strident, ultimately doomed independent campaigns to become Auckland's mayor. Johnston has more than 30 years of experience as a criminal barrister. Kerrin Leoni Kerrin Leoni appears to be the only high-profile candidate actively campaigning for the mayoralty right now. The Whau ward councillor was the sole respondent when Auckland university's debating society invited three candidates to a debate last month. She's put up hoardings touting her experience as an 'economist and business owner'. She's taking what chances she can to talk down Brown in the media. Though her chances remain relatively slim, Leoni remains the mayor's most credible rival in the race. Her policy priorities include building more affordable housing and prioritising investment in public transport, walking and cycling. Rob McNeil Rob McNeil is the executive president of the Animal Justice Party. He could fill a similar nature-focused political niche to Michael Morris, who campaigned to replace concrete in the city centre with greenery and confine development to places with 'little or no biodiversity' while running for the Auckland mayoralty under the Animal Justice Auckland banner in 2022. Ryan Pausina According to his 2022 candidate blurb, Ryan Pausina's local political awakening came after a friend encouraged him to run for mayor of Coromandel. He quickly realised he would fix everything there within five months and decided to turn his talents to a more substantial challenge. Anything other than running the nation's biggest city would be, as per the blurb, a waste of his talents. 'It has been said that Elon Musk realised at one point in his life that other people don't think like he does,' the text concludes. 'People with a great mind should use it.' The blurb doesn't contain any advice for what people should do if they're blessed with the gift of great humility. Jason Pieterse Jason Pieterse did not respond to an email from The Spinoff asking who he is and why he's standing for mayor of Auckland. A person with that name does appear to have offered support to the New Zealand rugby team 'The All Blacks' in a Facebook comment from a year ago. Simon Stam A man named Simon Stam ran in Round The Bays in 2014, achieving a time of 48 minutes and 18 seconds, at a pace of nine minutes and 39 seconds per kilometre. Peter Wakeman Wikipedia describes Peter Wakeman as a 'perennial candidate', and he does appear to have stood in a remarkable number of political races around the country over the last few decades. In 2013, Wakeman rushed the stage during the launch of Lianne Dalziel's campaign to become Christchurch's mayor. Though he had to be restrained, his actions were credited with breathing new life into the race. Denise Widdison Facebook lists two Denise Widdisons in Auckland. One regularly offers free stuff to Te Atatu residents, including toys and, most notably, a full box of lemons. Another is a self-employed former student of Auckland Girls Grammar. Which one is standing for mayor? You decide.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Auckland mayoral candidate promises key policy release after no show
Kerrin Leoni says she will release her fiscal policy plan this week. Photo: Supplied / NZ Herald A contender for Auckland's mayoralty is promising to release a key policy this week after a confusion over a no-show over the weekend. On Friday, a press release sent out by Kerrin Leoni's campaign team stated the Auckland councillor, and main contender to incumbent mayor Wayne Brown, would release her fiscal policy plan at the Avondale Markets that weekend. " Kerrin Leoni will release her fiscal policies at the Avondale Markets on Sunday at 10am," it said. But when the day came, she was nowhere to be seen at the West Auckland market, and there was no mention of it elsewhere. When approached by RNZ for comment, Leoni chalked it up to miscommunication. "We had originally intended to go [to the market], but we had not announced it as an event. "Over the weekend, we had a number of competing issues that came up. We had our hoardings go up over the weekend, and I actually experienced a difficult situation with one of the hoardings that went up." Leoni would not elaborate on what the difficult situation was. She said the announcement was not promoted anywhere and was only mentioned in a press release to media. "There was no one that I'm aware of at that event." She said she would personally handle inviting reporters to policy announcements going forward. "That miscommunication will not be happening again. I'll be leading those invites going forward." She said she would announce her fiscal policy in the next few days at an event for media. "We've spent a lot of time working on these policies, and I look forward to releasing them this week. "As a qualified economist, I have a master's in economics and international politics, fiscal policy is very important to me and will be at the centre of my campaign." The announcement was included in the same press release that criticised Mayor Wayne Brown for not committing to any candidate debates which was first reported by RNZ last week. "I think Brown wants a low turnout this election so he can simply cruise to victory," Leoni said. Speaking to RNZ on Monday, she doubled down on her calls for the mayor to debate her . "Having policies on a website versus being able to debate those policies in public are two different things." Wayne Brown's campaign team declined to comment when approached by RNZ. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
