Phil Goff starts 'cabinet' talks at start of new mayoral term

Monday, 14 October 2019

Phil Goff's office was empty except for his Civil Defence satellite phone when he turned up for the start of his second term as Auckland's mayor on Monday.

A cardboard carton of files arrived soon after, as Goff told Stuff what would follow his resounding defeat of challenger John Tamihere in Saturday's election.

Individual discussions with the 20 councillors would start on Monday, as Goff settled on who his deputy would be, and who would chair the major committees.

'I'd like to talk to as many councillors as possible, especially the (four) new ones coming in,' Goff told Stuff.  

**READ MORE:

* Auckland mayoral election: No Mandate, no waking monster

* Auckland Council elections: Phil Goff is Auckland Mayor for second term

* Auckland's mayoral election: Can it change the political map?**

* John Tamihere says Auckland election has woken 'monster', hints at return to national politics

The future governance of council agency Auckland Transport was an early priority, with appointments waiting to be confirmed for a new chair, and several directors needed to fill vacancies.

Goff was not keen on reviving the councillor-director position, after removing the previous pair, Christine Fletcher and Mike Lee, in 2016.

'The auditor-general advised strongly against the appointment of councillors as voting or paid members of boards,' said Goff.

'A councillor is paid to be a councillor, not to pick up major directorships, but I am inclined to have councillors sit on boards with speaking rights but not voting rights'' he said. 

Senior councillor Chris Darby has already signalled an interesting in sitting on the AT board, returning to a practice Goff scrapped on taking office in 2016.

Darby said there needed to be a conduit between the council and the board, and it should be as a full director.

'If you were just an observer, your fellow directors are not going to treat you as an equal,' Darby told Stuff. 

Darby will discuss the idea of a councillor having an interim role on the board when he sits down with the mayor.

Goff doubted decisions on governance would be made ahead of a full review of the Auckland Transport structure, which could start soon but possibly take years if it involved law changes

Even as Goff starts his second term, political observers are pondering whether this will be the final stint as mayor for the 66-year old, with 36 years in politics already under his belt.

'I'm not ready to say that at all, at the present time I'm fit and healthy, and I have the enthusiasm and energy to do the job,' said Goff.

'I wouldn't have run but for that, and gone through a gruelling campaign of more than 40 debates and over 100 meetings - I'm anxious to contribute to the city.'