City staff help Supercity campaign

Auckland mayor John Banks. Photo / Jason Dorday

Click here for the 'Idiot's guide to the Super City' to see how the new Auckland Council will work.

The spin doctor working for Auckland mayor John Banks also enjoys frequent access to Auckland City communications staff.

Auckland City emails reveal the pattern of communication between former TV3 journalist Scott Campbell and council staff.

Banks pays Campbell to work as his media liaison.

In one exchange, council media manager Glyn Jones and Campbell discuss a documentary on leaky homes.

Campbell wants Jones' feedback on coverage of the issue by TVNZ's Close Up team and asks for briefing notes so he can prepare Banks for the documentary.

Jones replies that he intended getting a council expert to brief Banks, after he had been coached by high-profile trainers Bill Ralston and his partner Janet Wilson, who coach Banks as part of his campaign team.

Auckland City acting general manager Christine Watson said: "There must be neutrality." She said Campbell's requests for information were treated the same as requests from any other member of the public.

And councillor Glenda Fryer said: "It looks like the bureaucracy is there helping him not as mayor but for his mayoral campaign."