Wayne Brown under fire amid Auckland councillors’ infighting and bullying claims

Division and bullying claims have spilled out publicly among Auckland councillors, with lines drawn among those loyal to Mayor Wayne Brown and others who say they are on the outer after displeasing their “Trumpian” leader.

Claims the council is “dysfunctional” emerged this week when the Herald revealed Howick councillor Bo Burns had issued a stinging rebuke to her colleagues.

She described a “toxic culture” of bullying, intimidation, hostility and fear, and claimed she had “packed up and walked out” of meetings twice because of behaviour she considered unacceptable from other members.

Several of her colleagues say that while elected members deserve to feel safe, Burns – a first-term representative – needs to adjust to the cut and thrust of council politics and robust debate.

However, concerns prompted council CEO Phil Wilson to write to elected members this month for the second time in a year to remind them about professional standards.

The Herald understands the situation has come to a head since a controversial vote last month to sign off a record 7.9% rates increase divided councillors and triggered septic public feedback against those who voted for the hike.

Tensions around the council table are not new and some of those raising concerns have a history of run-ins with elected colleagues and former mayors.

But the divisions have reached the point where multiple councillors spoke publicly this week, with some highly critical of Brown’s leadership and behaviour.

The Herald contacted councillors and the mayor for their views on Burns’ post and the culture at Auckland Council.

In a statement to the Herald tonight, Brown said he wasn’t aware of any culture of bullying until Burns’ Facebook post and wasn’t present when she walked out of meetings.

“We are elected to make challenging decisions for Auckland, representing multiple communities with varying views and perspectives. With that comes pretty robust debate and arguments.”

Brown said councillors didn’t always get along and relationships were sometimes tense.

“It would be silly to think that was avoidable. However, if we remain focused on what is best for Auckland, we can always find a sensible way through things.”

Burns’ previous behaviour under scrutiny after expletive-laden comments

Burns has gone to ground since posting her Facebook missive. She hasn’t responded to multiple Herald interview requests to discuss the matter this week.

However, several commentators have pointed out the irony of Burns complaining about abusive behaviour and personal attacks, after she was forced to apologise last year for expletive-laden comments about outgoing Auckland councillor Sharon Stewart.

Posting in a private staff chat group for her Times Media company, Burns described Stewart as a “f***ing a**hole” and a “f***ing cow”.

She also urged one of her journalists to respond publicly to comments to Stewart and put “her in her f***ing god dam place please”.

Burns’ community paper, the Eastern Times, ran a story yesterday reporting her statement about council culture near verbatim.

The article included comments from Burns’ fellow Howick councillor Maurice Williamson saying he “fully supports” her stand, and claiming he was also targeted with “nastiness” and “attacks” when he joined the council after serving 30 years as a National MP.

“It was real nastiness coming at me at most meetings for no reason,” Williamson told the Eastern Times.

“There’s just this mentality of, ‘If you’re not with us, then you’re against us, and we’re going to get you’.

“And it’s quite toxic. I’ve lived with it because I’m a big boy and I can take the blows.

“But it’s not a conducive environment for working in some form of a collegial way.”

‘Revels in the culture of put-downs’

Burns’ statement didn’t name names.

Several councillors spoken to by the Herald in recent days have raised specific concerns about Brown’s leadership.

He has been described as “Trumpian”, with claims he wields his power to reward those loyal to him with lucrative committee leadership roles, while punishing those who vote against him by either stripping them of responsibilities or tearing strips off them in private meetings where coarse language is allegedly common.

Waitematā and Gulf Ward councillor Mike Lee said there was a “systemic problem” at the council.

“The tone is really set by the mayor,” he claimed.

“He revels in the culture of put-downs and insults. The unfortunate tone and divisiveness within the council – the ringleader is the mayor.”

Lee claimed Brown was “vindictive”, regularly insulting people and using offensive language.

“If he’s crossed and you don’t vote the right way, he doesn’t forget.”

Lee believed he was on the outer because he’d refused to vote for the sale of Auckland International Airport shares.

“He did warn me that if I didn’t vote his way I’d be removed from the board of Auckland Transport.”

Lee said the mayor subsequently used his casting vote to remove him from the board.

Brown was not the only elected member prone to bad behaviour, Lee said, but his actions set an example for others.

“He’s not a person who brings people together. He’s not a unifier. He’s a divide-and-rule type character and it’s all about him.

“It’s like a comedy really but it’s not. It’s serious. This circus that he’s leading is costing ratepayers of Auckland a lot of money.”

‘Entrenched behaviour, narcissistic traits’

Albany Ward councillor John Watson said there were long-running issues with bullying and abuse at the council. He accused Brown of “entrenched behaviour and narcissistic traits”.

Watson said Brown was prone to labelling people “morons” and “bloody fools” in meetings, but said some councillors had been called “a lot worse in private”.

Tensions at the council had come to a head since last month’s budget vote, which had pitted supporters of Brown’s rates increase against those who strongly opposed it, Watson claimed.

But bad behaviour had been going on for years.

“It’s not accidental. It’s designed to denigrate and undermine people and it’s with a view in essence to bully people into submission who might hold a contrary view.”

Watson said the mayor had created a “fearful atmosphere” at the council, with some people scared to speak up or challenge him.

“It’s not a pleasant place.”

‘Not interested in tactics of distraction’

In response, Brown said Lee, Watson and several other councillors had accused multiple mayors, colleagues and staff of bullying over their “very long local government careers”.

“In reality, they are often on the losing end of debates because, frankly, they’ve been ineffective and have done the bidding of lobbying groups like Auckland Ratepayers Alliance, instead of sticking to the issues and delivering for the people who elected them.”

Brown said Lee was taken off the AT board and Watson was removed as Transport Committee chairman last term “because they weren’t doing a good job”.

“A portfolio reshuffle is about performance and nothing more.”

Brown said Watson was the only councillor who refused to shake his hand at an inauguration event after last year’s election, “clearly indicating what sort of relationship he wanted to have with me during this term”.

“I am not interested in tactics of distraction. I am here to make sure this council provides value for money, delivers the services Aucklanders need and deserve, and is fit for the future. I will continue to work with any councillor who shares that vision, which I’m glad to say is the majority of them.”

His door was always open.

‘The public don’t give a crap’

North Shore Ward councillor Richard Hills said he and the mayor were very different, but had found a way to work constructively together for the good of the city.

“I’ve tried to make sure we are doing things like passing budgets and getting things over the line.”

Hills said he was frustrated when councillors “threw their colleagues under the bus” but failed to take responsibility for their own actions.

He had witnessed “extreme bullying behaviour” over successive terms.

“My general view is there’s 21 different voices [on council]. We’re never going to agree but our job’s to try and work together for the best outcome for Aucklanders.”

Hills said the public “don’t give a crap” about council infighting. It was a distraction from the work councillors were elected to do on behalf of ratepayers.

Mayor ‘drops the F-bomb all the time’

Manukau Ward councillor Lotu Fuli said she wouldn’t describe the council as toxic, but there were often “strong, robust discussions”.

“It is a political environment with people of different views and very different backgrounds.

“There are periods of time when discussions and debate can get chaotic and language of a certain type can be used.

“It can be quite sexist and that’s including from the mayor.”

She said Brown “drops the F-bomb all the time”, which she personally found offensive.

Fuli had been brought up in a Samoan church culture and was not used to people using profanities in a formal setting.

“But this is my second term now and I’ve kind of gotten thick-skinned and I’ve got almost immune to it.”

There were times when colleagues’ conduct crossed the line, Fuli said. But she felt vitriol from “keyboard warriors” on social media was more dangerous than behaviour around the council table.

“I wouldn’t say [Burns] needs to grow a pair, because that’s unfair to Bo. But it is still her first term and she’s still learning.

“I don’t think putting it out like that on social media really helped. It’s something we can resolve within our governing body.”

‘Pretty ruthless treatment’

Manurewa-Papakura ward councillor Daniel Newman said Burns was entitled to her views.

But he said public office was hard and not for the faint of heart.

“Do I think I’ve been treated unkindly by my colleagues? Yes, I do.

“It’s never a good thing to be in an environment where you are subject to pretty ruthless treatment by either your colleagues or the public. Social media has been dreadful.

“But I chose not to complain publicly about it because I’m not prepared to stand for public office and then be a martyr because I ended up having to deal with s****y situations.”

Newman said elected representatives had to be accountable for “difficult decisions”, such as voting to pass last month’s budget.

“I want Bo to feel happy but ... Bo actually took the easy and convenient option on the budget and actually had a pretty easy time compared to some of us.”

Asked about his relationship with Brown, Newman said: “I would agree with him more than I disagree, but I would not describe myself as personally close.

“There have been a few occasions where the mayor and I have been in very strong disagreement and the conversations I have had with the mayor in his office, well his hands were trembling, not mine.”

Lane Nichols is Auckland desk editor for the New Zealand Herald with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry.

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