Brown open to reappointing Chuang to ethnic peoples committee

Len Brown. Photo / NZ Herald

Auckland Mayor Len Brown is not ruling out reappointing his former mistress Bevan Chuang to the council's ethnic peoples advisory panel.

The Hong Kong-born Ms Chuang has reapplied for a position on the panel - a role that led to a two-year affair with Mr Brown during the last term of council.

Last October, Mr Brown gave an emphatic "no" when the Herald asked if he planned to reappoint Ms Chuang to the panel.

Now he is saying he will act on the advice he is given by the selection panel.

Ms Chuang was one of 59 names in the hat when nominations for the panel closed on Thursday.

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed by a selection panel, which will make recommendations to Mr Brown on April 14.

The mayor will then present his appointments to the governing body of councillors for endorsement on April 17.

Mr Brown, 57, and Ms Chuang, 32, began their affair after meeting at a council function in May 2011.

Sordid details of the affair, including claims they were once caught having sex in the Ngati Whatua Room of the Auckland Town Hall by a security guard, were revealed by the right-wing Whaleoil blog two days after October's local body elections.

The affair with a woman 25 years his junior, a failure to declare hotel stays and censure by councillors have dogged Mr Brown, who has vowed to redeem matters at home and stay in office.

Former panel chairwoman Dr Camille Nakhid supports Ms Chuang's right to apply for a position on the panel.

"She should be allowed to apply just as any other applicant ..."