Auckland mayoral challenger questions Wayne Brown’s chief of staff’s $560,000 liquidation

Jazz Singh (left), chief of staff to Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, called in the liquidators on June 4 for his property company. Photo / NZBBC

The $560,000 liquidation of a company owned by Mayor Wayne Brown’s chief of staff raises serious questions, a mayoral challenger says.

Councillor Kerrin Leoni, who is challenging Brown at October’s local body election, said Auckland deserves leadership that is competent, transparent, and financially responsible.

“Instead, the public is learning that Mayor Wayne Brown’s hand-picked chief of staff, one of the most powerful unelected figures at City Hall, has left behind a business in financial ruins,” Leoni said.

Jazz Singh, chief of staff to the mayor, called in the liquidators on June 4 for his property company Traxx Investments Ltd.

The first report by liquidators Steven Khov and Kieran Jones on June 11 shows the company had no assets at the date of liquidation, and the sole creditor was Inland Revenue, owed $559,739.

Brown has asked Auckland Council’s chief executive, Phil Wilson, to look into the situation.

Auckland councillor Kerrin Leoni (right) is challenging Wayne Brown (left) for the mayoralty at October's local body elections.

Wilson said yesterday that neither he nor the mayor were aware of the company’s existence or its subsequent liquidation.

Singh told Newsroom the existence of his business interest had been declared to the council, but not its liquidation.

Leoni said today the issue was no minor footnote.

Jazz Singh is the chief of staff in the mayor's office.

“The liquidation of a company with $560,000 in liabilities under the stewardship of someone now helping to run the city raises urgent concerns,” she said.

The mayoral aspirant said she would be a more financially suitable mayor for Auckland, focused on competent, disciplined management of public funds.

“Every staff member will be held to high standards of integrity, transparency and financial credibility,” Leoni said.

A spokesman for Brown’s mayoral campaign said the mayor had no comment to add.

“The matter is with the chief executive at the council where Singh is employed. He took leave for the week.”

The Herald has sought comment from Singh.

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