Whoops
June 29th, 2010 at 9:37 am by David FarrarThe Herald reports:
Auckland City Mayor John Banks has admitted claiming $438.80 in entertainment costs after issuing a Super City mayoral campaign bulletin saying he had “never charged a sandwich, lunch or coffee to the ratepayers of Auckland”.
And he broke council rules when office staff sought reimbursement for the entertainment against a bill for private use of his cellphone instead of making an expenses claim.
Last night, Mr Banks said it was a genuine mistake to say he had never charged anything to ratepayers outside work in the Town Hall, and he would run a correction in his next online campaign bulletin.
“I completely forgot about any of that [entertaining]. I’m not making any excuses. I’m putting my hand up.
“On this one occasion, that amount of money, $438, was offset against the money I owed the council for private use of my cellphone.
“I had never seen the prescribed form that you have to claim on if you want any money back, until Friday. I have never made an application, and I have never made a claim.”
Under an agreement with the council, Mr Banks reimburses the city 15 per cent of his mobile phone costs to cover his private calls.
The $438.80 claim covers four occasions – entertaining the United States Ambassador at Euro Restaurant on the waterfront for $215.50, catching up with arts patron James Wallace at Frasers cafe in Mt Eden ($23.80), discussing the Peter Blake memorial with businessman John Street at the Stamford Plaza Hotel ($44) and having lunch with Britomart developer Peter Cooper at the Northern Club ($155.50).
The lesson for Banks is one should ask staff to check the facts before making a denial off memory.
While embarrassing to have to correct yourself, it is refreshing to see that the names of the people entertained have been supplied. This allows ratepayers to conclude for themselves if the expenditure was appropriate and reasonable.
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June 29th, 2010 at 9:43 am
The contrast with Mayor Brown’s repeated obfuscation of his spending details could not be more pronounced.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 9:48 am
I tend to agree with Right of Way.
It looks like that Banks’ claim of $438 is substantially less that that of Jesus Brown’s claims which must surely total up to several thousand dollars. But more importantly, his claim looks like genuine business, unlike the toys and groceries that Jesus bought with ratepayer money.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 9:57 am
Good for John
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 9:59 am
$155.50 for lunch?
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 10:08 am
The ratepayers already know who Len Brown entertained. And they don’t care in South Auckland. Hopefully more sanity will prevail in the rest of Auckland.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 10:08 am
Sam B. Easy, if you don’t go to Burger King. Grow up, laddie.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 10:21 am
It’s not refreshing, because it’s not genuine. It’s just good, basic, political skill. He’s used Browns refusal for transparency over who he dined with to his advantage. That’s why Banks will win – he’s operating at his level of expertise.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 10:31 am
So tell us who…… His family for his birthday??
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 10:31 am
“$155.50 for lunch?”
It is obvious that Sam B has never ‘done lunch’ with the member for Ikaroa-Rawhiti.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 10:34 am
“And they don’t care in South Auckland.”
Of course they don’t, like Brown a high percentage of them see stealing from the tax payer as a normal part of every day life.
These are the same morons who call it “government money” instead of tax payer funds.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 10:37 am
$155.50 for lunch……………..cheapskate he should go for a chinese with Parekura.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 10:45 am
$155.50 for lunch”
Not bad, the Northern Club’s prices are mid range compared to others in town.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 10:52 am
It sickens me to see how blinded many here are. Tough talk when it’s some nutter from the left, but when it’s John Banks it’s: sure, fine, take what you need, it’s a genuine mistake, Mr Banks has never charged a sandwich.
Have you heard this guy talk? He’s a great politician. He never answers a question, just answers some irrelevant but smooth dialogue. So many are sucked in by a charmer!
If it was a Labour MP, and/or a Lenny supporter, you’d be calling him a liar and a thief – which would be correct.
Genuine mistake my arse. He just wanted to save some of his own cash.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 11:03 am
Good point about the names but frustrating when John Banks has a responsibility to ensure that New Zealand’s largest city is not run by someone who thinks he is Jesus Christ.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 11:16 am
This from the guy who was quick to use Brown’s spending as ammunition for his own campaign? oh dear, it seems the rats have finally jumped ship?
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 11:39 am
Given Brown’s arrogant troughing and Bank’s relatively minor transgression, this is not really a case of being hoist by your own petard, but its what happens when you make elections about exercises in public relations rather than about ideas.
Get rid of all your left wing advisors and helpers (Ralston for example) Mr. Banks and make the election about policies. Assuming you or someone somewhere in your camp has some.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Good grief. We basically agree here — although Ralston says he only offers occasional, unpaid advice, and I believe him.
I think the most bizarre thing Banks has said all week is the claim that he doesn’t “take home” his $160,000 mayoral salary because he uses it to pay for a private media advisor. Sorry? WTF?
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
@tristanb: No, Banks shouldn’t have done it in the first place, but unlike Brown, he admitted wrongdoing off the bat. As such, he has much greater ability to put his own spin on it. Brown, or his advisers, ensured he didn’t have that ability – much like Chris Carter. It’s a lot harder to put an acceptable spin on it when you’ve spent a significant amount of time obfuscating and denying you’ve done anything wrong. Unlike Brown or Carter, because of that straight up acknowledgement, there’s a better likelihood that it won’t happen again with Banks (he seems much too savvy to be caught out like that again). With Brown and Carter, the trust is much less because they don’t appear to believe they did anything wrong: the apologies appeared forced and lacked contrition.
And this is from somebody who thinks that John Banks is a dickhead.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
“I think the most bizarre thing Banks has said all week is the claim that he doesn’t “take home” his $160,000 mayoral salary because he uses it to pay for a private media advisor.”
Yeah well, I’d like that to be confirmed, but if he did indeed say it, then he’s advised by a pack of retards.
Bank’s has gone completely downhill since he decided to adopt this “I’ve changed” strategy.
The only way to oppose the left is with ideas that oppose their ideas. The most successful ideas are Conservative ideas, but Banks, like so many on the right, has fallen victim to “political correctness”, that vile tactic so often used by the left to shut down real debate, and he is hence afraid to say what he wants to say.
That’s why whenever Banks appears at an event these days, we just get a cardboard cut out.
Change back John, and start articulating what you believe. Getting rid of all of the politically confused left wing suck holes advising you should be the first step you take.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Another dirty f*cking troughing leftie.
Oh wait…
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 1:36 pm
Bank’s pay – isn’t it correct to say that the law “insists” he gets paid.
He cannot refuse because the Act says that it is not possible?
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Jesus is the way and the truth and the life, we should all aspire to be like him…
Kudos to Len Brown for striving to attain Christ like consciousness !!!
All you other fuckers will burn in hell for daring to question the sanctity of Len’s character
STONE THE BLASPHEMERS !!! A CURSE OF THE POX ON ALL OF Y’ALL
MWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAA
BTW when Banks says ‘oops i forgot it’ what he really means is ‘I’M A LIAR’…
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Sadly the real lesson most of us learn from all this is do not run for public office.
Surely the main story and debate about Auckland is Joel Crayford’s rant in the Herald about the Soviet style street by street planning of the whole of Auckland as part of preparing the Spatial Plan. (Spatial Plan is the new code word for Smart Growth (dense thinking) plans.
There will soon be no unemployment because every second person in Auckland will be on some planning committee – and all wearing Mao suits.
Vote:June 29th, 2010 at 6:54 pm
There wasn’t any self-inflicted face-slapping either, which was good.
“the real lesson most of us learn from all this is do not run for public office”
No-one’s forcing them. Indeed, it usually appears they actually volunteer. It’s just that some don’t bother to understand the game before they begin.
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