The need for unity on the right in Auckland
An idea for avoiding a three-way split.
Bernard Orsman writes:
Auckland’s political right is fragmented and facing failure in the Super City elections, warns former mayor John Banks.
Vic Crone, John Palino and Mark Thomas are splitting the centre-right vote for the mayoralty while a new National Party-backed Auckland Future ticket has emerged – to run a separate campaign from its long-established Communities & Residents (C&R) stablemate.
Banks, who has tasted victory and defeat at Auckland local body elections, says it is impossible for the centre-right to win the mayoralty with three mayoral candidates.
“The centre-right needs to sit down and clearly identify a candidate of preferred choice. There is simply not enough momentum from the centre-right to overcome the fight between the three candidates.
“[Labour MP] Phil Goff is getting some serious momentum that is going to be difficult to catch,” Banks says.
I agree that a three-way split between centre-right candidates will hand Goff the Mayoralty on the plate.
At some stage no doubt a media organisation will conduct a poll in Auckland. My suggestion would be that any candidate under say 10% drops out, as you have no chance of winning if you’re in single figures at this stage.
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The need for unity on the right in Auckland
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