It’s time for Lyin’ Len Brown to be honest with the people of Auckland about his plans to junk accountability. Having been outed by Judge Jeff Smith for delays caused by bureaucratic manipulation, the mayor’s most senior planning official, Dr Roger Blakeley, said the council “… had not complained to the Government about delays in the court progressing planning cases sufficiently rapidly“.
Does this mean that Auckland Council now believes transparency, accountability, and upholding the rights of Aucklanders to appeal Len Brown’s draft unitary plan will not cause unreasonable delay? If so, why would Auckland Council make the argument to Environment Minister Amy Adams for immunity from appeals?
The latest spin coming from city hall is that without the Minister’s intervention, the council faces a ”… $9 million legal bill and up to 10 years of delays if the region’s new growth planning rule book draws 170 appeals“. Since Len Brown came to office, council debt has risen to the point where borrowing now increases at a rate of $3 million per day. The cost of democracy and accountability equates to only three days worth of borrowing under the present mayor; yet the threat of accountability is the thing that motivates him more than any other to pick a fight.
Perhaps the truth is the mayor’s unchecked arrogance has now ballooned to the point where he believes accountability no longer applies to him.
Fair enough, Len established that view years ago when using the ratepayer’s plastic to fund the Christmas ham and Volare dinners. But why would any community or any government buy into his vision of lifelong immunity from his own ratepayers?
Then again Lyin’ Len Brown promised us that he would always tell the truth, but with limits.
