Hubbard: No pledge to Hucker

Dick Hubbard

Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard is not ruling out another crack at dumping his deputy, Dr Bruce Hucker, after discussing possible replacements with a member of Dr Hucker's team on council.

Mr Hubbard yesterday said there was a lot of "unfortunate speculation" at the moment about replacing Dr Hucker but refused to give Dr Hucker a guarantee his job was safe.

"I'm not going to be drawn into any comment [about replacing Dr Hucker]," Mr Hubbard said.

But another Auckland mayor, who did not want to be named, said it was time for Mr Hubbard to show some spine if he wanted to survive the public perception of being a lame duck mayor.

"You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. That is just about where things are at with the poor guy," the mayor said.

The mayor said things could not afford to wait until October, referring to the comment of one Auckland City councillor that October was when a "strike" against Dr Hucker could take place.

Mr Hubbard's favoured alternative, finance committee chairman and City Vision member Vern Walsh, said he had no intention of challenging Dr Hucker for the deputy mayor's spot.

"Having said that, if a vacancy occurred or existed in the future then I would consider making myself available for consideration," Mr Walsh said.

The other alternative, the Labour leader on council, Richard Northey, also said he would not challenge Dr Hucker but would consider the position if it came up.

Mr Northey said he believed relations between Mr Hubbard and Dr Hucker were reasonably good.

"Their objectives are very similar. We have had greater differences in the past [between mayors and deputies], that's for sure.

"Usually the leader of the largest group is the deputy mayor and obviously is very influential in decision-making, but normally that leads enough space for the mayor to carve out some territory," Mr Northey said.

On Monday, City Vision councillor Neil Abel told Mr Hubbard that he thought he had the numbers to replace Dr Hucker among the "consultative group" of City Vision, Labour, Action Hobson and two independent councillors that controls the council.

Mr Abel did not think Mr Northey had the necessary charisma and Mr Hubbard's preference was for the "low key" and "solid" Mr Walsh.

Despite Mr Abel's views and the deep schisms that exist between the mayor and deputy mayor, Mr Hubbard said he planned to keep working with Dr Hucker in the meantime.

He does not want a repeat of the coup that failed last November after Dr Hucker announced a social blueprint without informing the mayor.