Former Auckland Regional Council chairwoman Gwen Bull says the region has come a long way in the past two years but at a political cost for the likes of herself and former Auckland City Mayor John Banks.
"If you loved John Banks or if you hated him he tried to
get roading happening and he was booted out," she said.
"The ARC got $1.62 billion from central Government for public transport and a lot of other things and I got the chop too.
"It's pretty hard to fathom where the people of Auckland want to go and what they want to do."
Mrs Bull was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Years Honours for nine years' work on the ARC, including nearly three as chairwoman after the sudden death of Phil Warren in January 2002.
"I'm actually very humbled by the award ... and I'm very proud of the achievements of the ARC in a very short time," she said.
The former teacher and ballroom dance champion says she paid the price for unpopular rate rises.
She said the past three years had taken its toll and she had not been doing very much since the October local body elections.
