Who will be Goff’s Deputy Mayor?

Bernard Orsman looks at the three most likely contenders:

Penny Hulse 

Hulse has been deputy mayor to Len Brown for six years. She is a centre-left independent from West Auckland where she was deputy mayor to former Waitakere City Mayor Bob Harvey. …

Goff is expected to include Hulse in his inner circle with a senior role, but he will want to put plenty of distance between his council and the Brown-Hulse regime that has left trust with council’s performance at 15 per cent. Goff says this is a “fail”.

Choosing Hulse would make it look like business as usual.

Bill Cashmore 

Cashmore, a second-term councillor for the rural ward of Franklin, farmer and National Party member, is highly regarded by some of Goff’s advisers. …

Cashmore is also associated with Brown’s fiscal policies(he was the architect of transport levy that propelled rates rise to 9.9 per cent in 2015) and is easily captured by the bureaucrats.

“Bill is too much of a prefect and apologist for council management,” says one colleague.

The staff’s choice!

Desley Simpson

If Goff wants to be bold and rev up the Super City he will appoint Desley Simpson as his deputy.

Simpson offers the greatest risk, but also the greatest reward.

An early challenge for Goff’ will be to build a united team round the council table. If he wants to be a centrist mayor, Simpson can deliver the right to the table, and open doors at the highest levels of Government.

The risk is she might outshine Goff and pose a threat in three, or six years. Then again, she could be a bigger threat outside the tent.

I’d rather have Desley on my time working with me, than working against me!