John Banks poses as strong man

By BERNARD ORSMAN

John Banks says his Auckland City mayoralty will stand or fall on policies that polarise, such as the eastern highway and V8 supercar race.

Launching his election website at Mecca cafe at The Chancery in inner-city Auckland, the 57-year-old said he had polarised people in his first term by his policies, but he was putting those same policies up in lights to seek a second term.

"Over the next 78 days I will be standing for what I believe in, open and honestly campaigning hard to win the hearts and minds of voters."

Mr Banks said voters had a choice between his style of "strong leadership" versus the "more consensus" leadership style offered by Dr Bruce Hucker, "who will give me a run for my money".

He has dismissed former mayor Christine Fletcher as an also-ran at the October 9 elections.

The former National Cabinet minister, into his 10th political campaign, is gunning for more votes than Dr Hucker and Mrs Fletcher combined. At the last election, the combined votes of Mrs Fletcher and the next-highest candidate, the Alliance's Matt McCarten, beat Mr Banks by 425 votes.

"I want an overwhelming victory for what I stand for and what I stand against and the progress we are making in moving Auckland forward."

Mr Banks' website is full of the spin of a seasoned politician. As well as achievements, such as the sale of Auckland Airport shares and buying Westhaven marina, he claims credit for projects he opposed, such as Britomart, and credit for projects he has supported, such as motorway projects undertaken by Transit.

The website boasts that rates have been held overall to below inflation but makes no mention of the fact that the owners of low- and medium-value homes have seen rates rises of between 21 and 37 per cent and can expect more big increases if Mr Banks and his Citizens & Ratepayers Now allies are re-elected.

The website also says the V8 supercar race will bring "$300 million of economic benefits", contradicting the council's own independent economic report, which said the annual net economic benefit would be between $2.7 million and $4.1 million.

Meanwhile, C&R Now has named sitting ARC councillors Michael Barnett and Judith Bassett, long-serving Auckland City councillor David Hay and former city councillor Ross Johns to stand in the Auckland ward for the ARC. Paul Davie, Linda Leighton, Graeme Mulholland and Noelene Raffills have been selected to stand in the Avondale-Roskill ward for the city council.