After nine years on the job, Auckland Mayor Len Brown has confirmed he would not be seeking re-election to what he called "one of the most all-consuming jobs in the nation" yesterday morning.
He became Mayor of Auckland in 2010 after the Super City amalgamation. He was re-elected in 2013, just days before news of his extra-marital affair with council advisory board member Bevan Chuang broke.
Yesterday, Mr Brown told Radio New Zealand that scandal greatly affected his public image: "I won three previous elections by a landslide and in this term I would find it very hard to succeed," he said.
Mr Brown said the decision was made as a family, and that was most significant.
"The very clear view within the family is ... we have achieved a lot in the last nine years. We are proud of what we have achieved and that is enough."