October 11, 2025 • 6 mins
Wayne Brown says his second term will see the continuation of cutting wasteful spending.
He surged to victory, scoring 90,000 more votes than nearest opponent Kerrin Leoni.
He says he's committed to making a city-wide deal with the central Government - so both entities can work as equal partners.
"We don't fit into the role of other small councils, and so we want to be negotiating as equal partners with the Government over things. No more secret bridge crossings and stuff like that."
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I'd be Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown would return for a
second term as mayor. It was a convincing win yesterday,
Wayne Brown ninety thousand votes ahead of second placed cur inlying,
Wayne Brown is with me now, Good morning, Wayne, congratulations,
thank you for that. How important is a second term
to get a chance to really embed and finish what
(00:33):
you started?
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Well, think you just explain it to the question. I've
made progress from the five policies I had, and the
one that has been a bit annoying is it's taken
me three years to get the hands back on hands
on at a much unloved organization, which I intend to
improve greatly by separating out public transport, which I do
(00:55):
quite well, make them concentrate on that, and then taking
back the roading and other things which they annoy. Auckland
is with And.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
You think you can deal with the roading better.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Well, that's one thing I know about. I've designed roads,
built roads, owned roads, and sold roads, and so I
don't know a lot about choreography, but I know a
lot about roads.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
What are the other priorities for Auckland.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Well, I think we were on a journey to awards
a city deal with the government and then priority there
is from that is that they treat Auckland like it
is a third of the country and forty percent of
the GDP, and so we don't fit into the role
of other small councils, and so we want to be
(01:42):
negotiating kind of as equal partners with the government. Overthinks
no more sort of secret bridge crossings and stuff like that.
It's very important that we are taken seriously.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
And when you talk about other things, you're talking about
everything in general.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Yeah, I think so this is I know, to be
easy for the local governments. So I kind of say,
well as eighty odd councils will just treat them the same.
This one's not. I mean, the four of the six
biggest cities are suburbs of Auckland.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Are you making good progress in doing this? Do you
think that central government is open to having these discussions
with you?
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Oh? Absolutely, I think I also realizing in the year's
time they've got to get elected in Auckland decides who went.
So yes, I'm making progress and a number of the
of the ministers. I work very well as ministers Bishop Brown,
Todd McClay, Mark Mitchell, Simon Watts and Chris Pink. Chris
(02:48):
Pink's just getting rid of the seismic rules, which was
my idea to do get rid of. We don't have
airth quakes here and it was just adding cost an
unnecessary annoyance to the citizens.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
And are you still king to push the bad tax.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
With the absolutely am my deputy Meal or takeover? Biting
their ankles on that one.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Talking about your deputy me you reconfirmed Daisley yesterday and
what does she bring to the role and do you
think that she is the type of person who is
potentially in line to take over from you in three
years time?
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Well, she brings to the role. We complement each other
pretty well. We're both very keen on minimizing waste and
putting in place the capital purchasing rules which I've foisted
on the organization so it behaves a bit more like
my own companies. And there are certain things that she's
(03:51):
more keen on than I am. It's very hard to
get around all of the functions that you'd like to
you're invited to, and I'm not quite a function person
as much as she is, but she's I like sports
and business and she likes an awful lot of important
things associated as a cultural and out side of a
(04:13):
city like Auckland, and she covers that off very well.
But we're both very keen on type financial controls.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Wayne, how are you different than three years ago? And
what do you know now that you didn't know then
to help you get the job done?
Speaker 3 (04:29):
I know the council always better. I haven't changed much,
but Auckland's changed with me. I'm the media have changed
quite positive to a more positive approach, and so I
think that Auckland and the country is changing quicker than I.
I'm still a very driven commercial person, and I'm not
(04:54):
kind of like a politically driven person. I'm commercially driven,
and I think people have worked out, particularly as a
current economic client not being so bright. That's quite important
to have an economic focus, and that's another part that
will become a very strong part of what I'm doing
this next three years. Now our finances are in pretty
(05:16):
good shape, I'll be spending a lot more effort on
lifting the commercial output of the city and kind of
driving their country's economy afford using that position of Auckland
being our only international city.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Well, we all need a little bit of We're all
looking for a bit of positivity and a little bit
of hope. Right, You've been talking a lot about fixing
things over three years. Is it your vision to kind
of be a bit more ambitious for Auckland in the
next three years.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
I'm ambitious for New Zealand as well, in Auckland's place
and leading some of that. Fortunately, the farming sector have
done very well, and God on good God bless them
for that. But the large commercial section driven out of
my city has got to do better and more of
its international flavor, and so that the tech of NTS
(06:10):
I've started here will be a big grace driver for
both Auckland and for the country.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Wayne Brown, thank you very much for your time this morning.
Congratulations on the win.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks the b from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I'd be Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown would return for a
second term as mayor. It was a convincing win yesterday,
Wayne Brown ninety thousand votes ahead of second placed cur inlying,
Wayne Brown is with me now, Good morning, Wayne, congratulations,
thank you for that. How important is a second term
to get a chance to really embed and finish what
(00:33):
you started?
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Well, think you just explain it to the question. I've
made progress from the five policies I had, and the
one that has been a bit annoying is it's taken
me three years to get the hands back on hands
on at a much unloved organization, which I intend to
improve greatly by separating out public transport, which I do
(00:55):
quite well, make them concentrate on that, and then taking
back the roading and other things which they annoy. Auckland
is with And.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
You think you can deal with the roading better.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Well, that's one thing I know about. I've designed roads,
built roads, owned roads, and sold roads, and so I
don't know a lot about choreography, but I know a
lot about roads.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
What are the other priorities for Auckland.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Well, I think we were on a journey to awards
a city deal with the government and then priority there
is from that is that they treat Auckland like it
is a third of the country and forty percent of
the GDP, and so we don't fit into the role
of other small councils, and so we want to be
(01:42):
negotiating kind of as equal partners with the government. Overthinks
no more sort of secret bridge crossings and stuff like that.
It's very important that we are taken seriously.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
And when you talk about other things, you're talking about
everything in general.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Yeah, I think so this is I know, to be
easy for the local governments. So I kind of say,
well as eighty odd councils will just treat them the same.
This one's not. I mean, the four of the six
biggest cities are suburbs of Auckland.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Are you making good progress in doing this? Do you
think that central government is open to having these discussions
with you?
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Oh? Absolutely, I think I also realizing in the year's
time they've got to get elected in Auckland decides who went.
So yes, I'm making progress and a number of the
of the ministers. I work very well as ministers Bishop Brown,
Todd McClay, Mark Mitchell, Simon Watts and Chris Pink. Chris
(02:48):
Pink's just getting rid of the seismic rules, which was
my idea to do get rid of. We don't have
airth quakes here and it was just adding cost an
unnecessary annoyance to the citizens.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
And are you still king to push the bad tax.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
With the absolutely am my deputy Meal or takeover? Biting
their ankles on that one.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Talking about your deputy me you reconfirmed Daisley yesterday and
what does she bring to the role and do you
think that she is the type of person who is
potentially in line to take over from you in three
years time?
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Well, she brings to the role. We complement each other
pretty well. We're both very keen on minimizing waste and
putting in place the capital purchasing rules which I've foisted
on the organization so it behaves a bit more like
my own companies. And there are certain things that she's
(03:51):
more keen on than I am. It's very hard to
get around all of the functions that you'd like to
you're invited to, and I'm not quite a function person
as much as she is, but she's I like sports
and business and she likes an awful lot of important
things associated as a cultural and out side of a
(04:13):
city like Auckland, and she covers that off very well.
But we're both very keen on type financial controls.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Wayne, how are you different than three years ago? And
what do you know now that you didn't know then
to help you get the job done?
Speaker 3 (04:29):
I know the council always better. I haven't changed much,
but Auckland's changed with me. I'm the media have changed
quite positive to a more positive approach, and so I
think that Auckland and the country is changing quicker than I.
I'm still a very driven commercial person, and I'm not
(04:54):
kind of like a politically driven person. I'm commercially driven,
and I think people have worked out, particularly as a
current economic client not being so bright. That's quite important
to have an economic focus, and that's another part that
will become a very strong part of what I'm doing
this next three years. Now our finances are in pretty
(05:16):
good shape, I'll be spending a lot more effort on
lifting the commercial output of the city and kind of
driving their country's economy afford using that position of Auckland
being our only international city.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Well, we all need a little bit of We're all
looking for a bit of positivity and a little bit
of hope. Right, You've been talking a lot about fixing
things over three years. Is it your vision to kind
of be a bit more ambitious for Auckland in the
next three years.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
I'm ambitious for New Zealand as well, in Auckland's place
and leading some of that. Fortunately, the farming sector have
done very well, and God on good God bless them
for that. But the large commercial section driven out of
my city has got to do better and more of
its international flavor, and so that the tech of NTS
(06:10):
I've started here will be a big grace driver for
both Auckland and for the country.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Wayne Brown, thank you very much for your time this morning.
Congratulations on the win.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks the b from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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