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Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey has confirmed to his local paper that he just missed out on the big new CEO job for Auckland City .
A pity.
It would have made the transition easier and less scary for some concerned residents - and we would have known what we were getting.
But one can imagine an Act-led initiative not feeling as comfortable with an ex-Labour Party president being in charge and someone who appears to some as a little flaky or out there at times.
That’s the part I like about him most.
He may be smart and wiry enough to play the game, but he never feels like being an Old School boring conservative local body leader.
He’s passionate about lots of good things, is a visionary, leading the charge on an eco-city before Al Gore ever joined the bandwagon, has a strong commerical sense bringing film and other industries to the West, promotes art and literary festivals and has done wonders with public transport - the New Lynn transport hub being a major legacy.
Commissioning art for the New Lynn station wall is very Bob
The New Order may want to completely wipe the slate clean but I thought it would have been sensible to let a known acceptable face spend a couple of years before he retires (if he ever does!) holding the public’s hand through all of this - and someone who should be trusted with getting on personally with the collection of various local body people people, who have to be led into the fold of one city.
Instead ,we get an unknown I can’t comment on because I have never heard of him and whose name I have already forgotten.
He seems to be commonly known by the nickname as Mr Alcopop because his biggest commercial success story has been introducing high alcohol content drinks to the younger market- something the Police Commissioner said on TVNZ’s Q&A programme last weekend had greatly contributed to the country’s modern alcohol problems, especially to a rise in women alcohol issues.
Commissioner Howard Broad: The young women are drinking these Ready-to-Drinks, or Alco pops which can have anything from sort of 13-21% alcohol. People are getting drunk much faster, they’re getting drunk over a longer period of time, and particular Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights.
Interesting, Bob Harvey says he doesn’t know much about the appointee either.
We also lose not just Waitakere as a an entity that reminds us of environmental needs but we lose Bob Harvey from local politics, as he’s not standing for SuperMayor or for council.
Hopefully someone will find him some worthwhile job within the new administrations so he can continue to contribute to Auckland’s future.
6 Comments
I didn’t know he had applied…
Of course you didn’t Jeremy. Why are you surprised at being kept in the dark about anything related to the supercity anymore
Hell would freeze over before anyone but an ACT poodle would be appointed. Damned shame alright because Bob’s heart was in the right place.
Yeah have to say Bob would never have had a chance with Rodney making the appointment.
My problem with these appointed people taking supercity jobs is that people who have absolutely no background in local government (but liquor background instead!) are being appointed over highly qualified and experienced people. So much for a building a strong city?
Give him a job at Britomart Station collecting or inspecting Tickets for the western line. lol