Helping Labour retain Auckland

Stuff reports:

Businessman and former Far North mayor Wayne Brown has confirmed he will contest the Auckland mayoralty in October’s election.

Brown said in a statement that the Auckland Council he would lead would stop wasting money on “dopey projects”.

The newest entrant to the contest to succeed the retiring Phil Goff, said he brought more than 40 years’ experience running small, medium, and large Auckland businesses.

Brown has homes in the Far North District as well as in Auckland, and is former chairman of Auckland District Health Board, Transpower, and Auckland lines company Vector.

Labour and Efeso Collins must be very happy. Collins is the only candidate on the left, while we now have three or four candidates competing for the centre-right vote – Viv Beck, Leo Molloy, Craig Lord and Wayne Brown. This will allow Collins to win on as little as 30% of the vote.

This isn’t a criticism of Brown. He looks well qualified. But the vote splitting will only help Labour.