Heather du Plessis-Allan: All eyes on Auckland this election year

As Transport Minister Michael Wood made few friends in Auckland, writes Heather du Plessis-Allan. Photo / RNZ

OPINION

Auckland’s shaping up to be ground zero for this year’s election.

To be fair, it usually is. Parties generally have to win Auckland to win the election. But for Labour - and for this year - it’s more true than in most elections.

That’s because Labour’s short of options. Rural NZ is out. Farmers and conservative county voters are too irritated. Three Waters, the climate levy plans, winter grazing rules, the ute tax. Labour’s bracing itself to possibly lose even the Napier electorate, a seat that’s spent more time in Labour’s than in National’s hands.

It’s obviously dawned on new PM Chris Hipkins how crucial Auckland will be. Hence, the new Auckland Minister, the country’s first since Judith Tizard.

But the new Auckland Mayor starts at a disadvantage. Generally speaking, Auckland is fed up with Labour.

It is hard to overstate the frustration and anger that developed in the city during Covid.

The lockdowns kept coming. They went on longer than Aucklanders thought was necessary. Jacinda Ardern was too patronising. She gave Aucklanders the freedom to picnic at friends’ houses but the instruction not to wee in their indoor loos. It would’ve been funny if nerves weren’t frayed. Then the city felt abandoned. Ardern didn’t visit. Then she was pressured, but when she came she flew in and out faster than the average international traveller spends in transit.

So last year, for the first time in the super city’s history, it gave the Labour candidate for mayor the finger and voted for someone else.

Now Michael Wood has to win the city back. He’s a surprising choice for Auckland Minister. He’s hardly a darling of Aucklanders.

More likely, he induces a bit of ridicule. Or a grimace. He’s the man who thought spending $785 million for cyclists to get across the harbour was a good idea. Most of Auckland didn’t. It was so unpopular he had to kill it. He also thinks spending up to $29b on a light rail project to the airport is a good idea. He might soon have to kill that too.

As Transport Minister he personally made the call that led to roading authorities dropping speed limits on 1600 roads around the city. As Immigration Minister, he’s the guy keeping out the migrant workers that Auckland businesses keep telling the Government they desperately need.

It seems unlikely he’s the perfect man to win Auckland back for Labour. And yet, he has an unlikely ally.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown seems to be doing his level best to help Wood, by sacrificing himself as an even greater threat to Aucklanders’ than Wood and his barmy transport projects.

In just the last week, Brown has turned himself into the villain of Auckland politics. The more incompetent and belligerent he appears, the more it gives central government the chance to look capable, concerned and credible.

Friday’s night’s torrential rain demonstrates that perfectly. The public has the image of a helpless but worried Prime Minister Chris Hipkins waiting, on stand-by to move as soon as Auckland’s mayor did the right thing and declared a state of emergency.

There’s no sign Brown realises how angry many Aucklanders are at him. He’s only got worse as the week has gone on.

Cleverly, Labour has refrained from criticising him. They don’t need to. The spectacle of Brown imploding doesn’t need narration.

Labour has simply sat back and watched the train wreck unfold. And with each day, each interview, each text exchange, Brown has made the challenging task of Labour winning back Auckland just a little more possible.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive, Newstalk ZB, 4pm-7pm, weekdays.