Deputy mayor sidelines Hubbard

Dr Bruce Hucker

Auckland City deputy mayor Dr Bruce Hucker has taken command at the country's largest council, after forcing Mayor Dick Hubbard to back a key social plan in a big-spending budget and wresting control of the $73 million Civic Carpark crisis.

The Herald understands Dr Hucker threatened to pull the rug on one of Mr Hubbard's pet projects, a land purchase at Matiatia on Waiheke Island, unless Mr Hubbard supported a controversial $1 million affordable housing package. Until Wednesday, Mr Hubbard had been planning to vote against the package.

Dr Hucker also threatened to strip councillors Faye Storer and Christine Caughey of their committee chairs if they voted against the package, according to two sources.

To rub salt into the wounds, Dr Hucker hijacked plans by Mr Hubbard to appoint a small reference group to look at opportunities arising from the $73 million Civic Carpark leaky roof crisis to turn Aotea Square into an iconic civic space.

Mr Hubbard wanted to organise and chair the reference group without any input from Dr Hucker, only to be told at a "consultative group" meeting of City Vision, Labour, Action Hobson and independent councillors that the make-up of the reference group would be determined by the mayor, deputy mayor and City Vision councillor Vern Walsh. The latest power struggle highlights serious cracks in the relationship between Mr Hubbard and Dr Hucker, which has never recovered from a terrible start to the new council last year when Dr Hucker announced a social blueprint without informing Mr Hubbard.

Days later, Mr Hubbard mounted a coup to dump Dr Hucker as deputy mayor but failed to get the numbers.

Dr Hucker was told to knuckle down and work with Mr Hubbard and the consultative group was instructed to present a united front behind the first-term mayor.

Since those days in November, Mr Hubbard has had a strained relationship with Dr Hucker and the consultative group has become a collection of bitter factions. Ms Caughey and fellow Action Hobson councillor Richard Simpson have been marginalised over their antics towards a 9.7 per cent rates increase and opposition to affordable housing.

Citizens & Ratepayers Now councillors yesterday made a big play out of Ms Caughey's absence from the key budget meeting, saying it was not because she was sick but to avoid voting against the housing package.

Ms Storer left the meeting for the debate and vote on the package.

Mr Hubbard and Dr Hucker have also been competing for headlines over positive announcements on urban design and heritage, at times issuing separate press releases.

C&R Now leader Scott Milne said: "Aucklanders need to look at the relative experience of the two men, the direction this council has taken since the deputy mayor was elected [in October] and make that judgment for themselves [about] who is running this city."

Both Mr Hubbard and Dr Hucker played down their differences. Mr Hubbard said he did not think Dr Hucker had been undermining his leadership and he still had confidence in the deputy mayor.

Dr Hucker said "the mayor and I have a good partnership, we are working together effectively and where we have differences those are being resolved and we will continue to discuss ways of our continuing to work together".

"There is no problem between the mayor and me."

October 9: Dick Hubbard elected mayor.

October 21: Bruce Hucker elected deputy mayor by council.

November: Hucker unveils social blueprint without telling Hubbard.

November: Hubbard launches coup against his deputy but fails.

February-June: Power games over budget, Hubbard brought into line.