ENCOUNTER: Political platform

Who: John Banks
What: Wannabe Supermayor
Where: Otahuhu rail station
Why: Can he be mayor for all Auckland?
You're late, John Banks says, passing his jacket to his chauffeur. I look at my watch; I'm three minutes early. His chief-of-staff and spin doctor are on an ageing railway footbridge waiting for me to arrive by train. "They were going to welcome you with a waiata," John jokes, as we stroll over.
The 63-year-old is disappointed I've come by car - apparently the train would have cost only $4. As we cross the bridge the mayor salutes a passing train. He's a bit of a trainspotter, I'm told.
We begin the interview beside a platform shelter. "Your website says you're a battler for the underdog ..." I begin. "Otahuhu is the underdog of Auckland City's suburbs, what have you done to battle for this place?"
He stands quietly, clutching his Blackberry, waiting for a train to pass. "Well, firstly, Otahuhu is a very historical settlement ..."
My chief reporter warned me he'd waffle, but at least it's interesting waffle. John mentions he worked at the suburb's freezing works during high school holidays.
Eventually, he tells me he's resanded all the beaches.
"If you go down to St Heliers, Kohimarama, Mission Bay in particular, on a Sunday, you'll see a lot of people from this neck of the woods down on those beaches and you'll also see a lot of people at Parnell Baths."
Otahuhu is one of those suburbs whose community projects tend to be put on hold while affluent areas nearby have their beaches spruced up and railway stations beautified.
I ask John whether he thinks Otahuhu residents would rather have the swimming pool they've been waiting 30 years for, or maybe the new library that's on hold until 2014. He doesn't think so.
"Yes, it could be argued that a swimming pool is long overdue in Otahuhu," he says, still clutching his Blackberry, "but it's a matter of ordering priorities."
So, apart from resanding beaches, what were his priorities and top achievements as the last Mayor of the soon-to-be-defunct Auckland City?
"Consistent, decisive leadership under pressure and intense scrutiny every day of the week," he says. But that's probably not too hard when the majority faction - the right-leaning Citizens and Ratepayers - backs him. Is there something more tangible?
There's more capital works and investment in Auckland City than at any other time in history, he says. "The most significant for me is the restoration of the Pah Homestead at Monte Cecilia Park. But that is at the small end of the scale." At the other end is the $135 million redevelopment of the art gallery.
With the left effectively shut out since John was re-elected in 2007, the question begs: could he lead a potentially fractured council with centrist independents or left-leaning political groups holding the balance of power?
He tells me independent councillors Mark Donnelly and William Christian regularly vote alongside him and that he'd had a good relationship with leftist Bruce Hucker during his first term.
But there's something more important, he says emphatically, putting his Blackberry down on a seat. "The senior roles at the Auckland Council, if I am chosen as the first mayor, will be delivered to people on merit - there won't be any jobs for the boys." I barely notice the train in the background squealing to a halt.
"Have you had a falling out with C&R?" I blurt.
"Ooh, no no no. I haven't had a falling out with C&R," he responds quickly, waving his cellphone around again.
But it's not just a diverse council he'd have to manage. The new Auckland is more multifaceted than his current stomping ground. "Are you sure you can be mayor for all of Auckland?" I ask. "The first mayor needs to engage with all communities ..." and as it is with most electioneering politicians, the feel-good platitudes go on.
It's not that John doesn't make points of substance, he just takes his time to get to them.
Eventually, he explains how empowering local boards will allow the mayor to more successfully govern the diverse region-cum-city. He uses Manukau's ability to keep its free swimming pools via the local board decision and budget as an example.
As we finish, I ask when he's going to release some substantive policies. "Haven't you seen our policy on fairies?" he says straight-faced.
I can't help thinking he's revealed a flash of homophobia and given me some journalism gold.
"Fa-airies?" I ask.
"Eh?" John looks confused. The mayor's chief of staff, Stephen Rainbow, who's openly gay, sees the confusion and spells it out for me: "F-e-double r-y".
"Not him," John says, pointing at Stephen with a bemused smile.
Maybe some things do change, but John's still clutching his Blackberry. He gets into his car and I chat to Stephen while watching the silver sedan glide away.