By BERNARD ORSMAN
Take two former National ministers, the Alliance president, several well-worn politicians, mention transport - and you have the Auckland local council elections.
In brash Auckland, home to 1.2 million people, the mayoral and council elections are sedate events with an air of predictability in most of the four
metropolitan cities, two district councils, one regional council and 23 community boards.
The voters of Rodney are being spared an election after they elected a new district council in March to replace the council that disintegrated into a national joke.
For outsiders peering over the Bombay Hills, the pick of the battles is in Auckland City, the country's largest council with the biggest political clout outside of Wellington.
Christine Fletcher, the face of liberalism, is shooting for a second term as mayor. She is up against John Banks, her former National colleague who is evoking his "Banksie" image minus the conservative moral views that have landed him in so much trouble.
Alliance president Matt McCarten was a late starter after Auckland deputy mayor and Alliance member Dr Bruce Hucker decided not to stand in case he split the vote and let Mr Banks come through the middle.
The Greens have an unknown candidate, Metiria Turei, who is struggling to be heard.
Mr Banks claimed this week that he was ahead of Mrs Fletcher, who is running a low-key campaign around progress on public transport.
Far from certain is the future of North Shore Mayor George Wood, who has made a good fist of his first term but faces the bogey of every Shore mayor - being dumped after three years.
His biggest threat comes from Dr Joel Cayford, an energetic environmentalist with a strong grip on the city's sewage problems.
Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey is seeking a fourth term and faces four challengers.
They include Chris Seagar, the man who witnessed Mr Harvey's infamous down-trou incident in October 1999. Mr Harvey lowered his jogging pants and shouted an obscenity to Mr Seagar after an argument with him in a Titirangi street.
Sir Barry Curtis is seeking a seventh term as Mayor of Manukau City.
A power struggle is taking place on the Auckland Regional Council between pro-road and pro-public transport candidates. A majority for either side could have far-reaching consequences for solutions to Auckland's worsening traffic woes.
Feature: Local body elections 2001
www.localgovt.co.nz
