Auckland mayor Wayne Brown's own staff: 'We're doing a terrible job'

Sunday, 29 January 2023

One of Auckland mayor Wayne Brown’s own staff members has told a Stuff journalist “we’re doing a terrible job” of the city’s flood response.

In the 48 hours since unprecedented downpours saw flooding, homes destroyed and the loss of four lives, Brown has faced widespread scrutiny over his handling of the emergency.

Brown's been adamant that he’s handling the situation well, including the time it took him to declare a state of emergency on Friday night.

That announcement came hours after torrential rain, flash flooding and mass evacuations.

**READ MORE:

* Auckland floods: Who's who in the disaster response

* Countdown to Chaos: As Aucklanders were desperately seeking safety, officials were silent

* Flooded homes, streets awash, but hours until an emergency declaration

**

However, on Sunday evening Brown conceded, for the first time, that “some incorrect decisions” may have been made.

And it appears at least one of his own staff agrees with that concession – making a surprising comment to a Stuff journalist at an impromptu media conference.

Before Brown fronted questions in Māngere on Sunday, the staff member was talking to a Stuff reporter.

When the reporter asked “how you guys going?”, the staffer said “we’re doing a terrible job”, before Brown walked over and began talking to media.

Stuff has chosen not to identify the staffer.

In a follow-up phone interview to ask whether they had any further comment, the staffer told Stuff the emergency response was difficult, but it was accepted that it could have been better.

“The comms is coming from a lot of different agencies, and we’re all working together, and we certainly acknowledge that this is a fast-moving and complex situation.

“We are taking feedback extremely serious [sic], and acknowledge the serious conversations coming out. We will make every effort to fix it.”

The staffer said they felt their “terrible job” comment had been taken “out of context” because they had made the remark before an interview with the mayor had started.

Brown was out and about on Sunday in south Auckland, visiting evacuation centres and homes damaged by the floods. Media were not invited, but encountered him while doing daily news-gathering.

The south Auckland visits followed criticism on Saturday that the mayor had not communicated well, culminating in a testy media conference alongside Prime Minister Chris Hipkins – which Brown was eventually led away from by deputy mayor Desley Simpson.

Brown insisted he formally declared a state of emergency immediately after he was advised to do so on Friday night and was at his desk from 4pm, getting updates from Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty and the city’s emergency management leadership.

On Sunday evening, RNZ reported that Brown was now admitting emergency managers may have made some incorrect decisions.

During a visit to a community hall in Māngere, Brown said: “This is a great example of a community getting together and showing some leadership and they overcame what may have been some incorrect decisions from the emergency management group.

“Today's role for me is to make sure the lessons of yesterday are learnt.”