Mayor exposes his all

By Nick Perry

Labour Party presidential favourite Bob Harvey was quick to defend a naked dip in a West Auckland pool at the weekend.

Mr Harvey, who is Mayor of Waitakere, took the dip in front of 100 people to celebrate the opening of a swimming pool at the Ranui Nudist Club on Saturday.

He is patron of the club.

Attempting to deflect any criticism of his actions, Mr Harvey left a telephone message at the New Zealand Herald soon after the swim.

"I just did that opening of the swimming pool ... and that went very, very well and very smoothly and I just wanted to tell you because I guess that some of the councillors would ring and tell.

"They [some Waitakere City councillors] saw it in the diary and said, `Ooh, we are not coming' and `How could you do that?' and that sort of thing. Well, that's them and this is me.

"It was fine, and yes I jumped in of course, dived in the pool, and opened it, by diving in. And it was fine ...

"I'm glad there wasn't a photo opportunity in a way I guess; one tends to be a little embarrassed about these things, when it's public, but it was great."

Yesterday, Mr Harvey admitted he might have overreacted to possible criticism because most councillors had not really minded the swim.

He said taking his clothes off was "more difficult than you might think," but had been very liberating.

Most councillors spoken to by the Herald yesterday backed Mr Harvey but councillor Assid Corban said mayors should be above parading naked in public.

"He has gone beyond the bounds of reasonable mayoral decorum. It's amazing what some people will do for publicity."

Mr Corban was also critical of Mr Harvey for wearing mayoral regalia to the Hero Parade.

Mr Harvey said that because he was aware of sensitivity over the regalia, he had worn the robes but left the mayoral chains at home.