Auckland mayoralty: National Party yet to decide on fighting Phil Goff for region's top job

Monday, 30 July 2018

Mayor Phil Goff has leftover campaign cash and says he will give 'serious thought' to seeking re-election.

The National Party has not yet decided if it will run a candidate against sitting Auckland Mayor Phil Goff in next year's local body elections.

Sources had earlier told Stuff a remit to run mayoral and council candidates under the National brand failed to gain adequate support at the party's annual conference at SkyCity.

But on Monday evening, the party said that was incorrect and a remit seeking to 'investigate how it might go about standing in local government elections' was agreed.

In a statement, the party said: 'This remit was passed, and we will investigate the matter and report back in due course.

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'No decision was made about whether or not to stand a candidate in the next Auckland mayoral election.'

A spokesman for National Party leader Simon Bridges said he had not taken a position on the issue and said it was a matter for the party membership and board.

Goff says there is 'a huge challenge' still to complete in Auckland after implementing new policies such as fuel and accommodation taxes.

Goff meanwhile is giving 'serious thought' to another tilt at the mayoralty at the next election on October 12, 2019.

Goff told Stuff he had not made his mind up whether to run again next year, but would seriously consider it.

'But is there a huge challenge still to complete there? Yeah, there is, and so I'll be giving serious thought to that,' he said.

Goff received $552,515 in cash donations during the 2016 campaign and filed $410,814 in expenses, indicating he would have about $140,700 to kickstart his next campaign if he chose to stand.

Last week, a National Party source told Stuff: 'There's lots of rumours flying among members that Goff isn't going to run and Labour will put up someone popular like Helen Clark. And even if he does run they believe he is really vulnerable and a good centre-right challenger could do very well.'

Some National MPs, particularly Botany representative and Opposition Transport Spokesperson Jami-Lee Ross, have spoken out against policies implemented under Goff's leadership, such as the regional fuel tax (RFT).

In early July, Ross said the cost of living in the city would skyrocket with the RFT in place.

Aucklanders would be paying a total of up to $1.5 billion more for petrol, he claimed.

'This tax is unfair and unnecessary,' Ross said.

'Auckland Council could easily find the money that the fuel tax would raise if it followed through on Mayor Phil Goff's promise to find 3-6 per cent of savings in its budget.

'Instead, Twyford [Transport Minister Phil Twyford] has given Auckland Council licence to tax and spend, and it is hardworking Aucklanders who will be paying the cost.'

The centre-right Auckland Future, which ran candidates at last year's election, had National Party links.

Returns filed by Joshua Beddell, who lost out to Labour-backed candidate Jo Bartley in the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki by-election earlier this year, contained a number of donations from the National Party.

Bartley took the seat after Auckland Future's only successful council candidate at the 2016 election, Denise Lee, became a National Party MP.

Goff is expected to make his decision on whether to run again by the end of 2018.

* An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated National would not be standing a candidate against Phil Goff and that Simon Bridges opposed the remit.