Berry Welcomes Inquiry into Brown’s Spending

Affordable Auckland Leader and former Mayoral candidate Stephen Berry said today that he welcomes an inquiry by Auckland Council into spending by Len Brown during his two year affair with Bevan Chuang. “Affordable Auckland was at the forefront of moves to show proper respect for ratepayer dollars during the last election campaign and I welcome any step the Council takes in the safeguarding of public money.”

“While Len Brown claims that there was no public money spent by himself in his efforts to woo Ms. Chuang, I find that a little difficult to believe. Ms. Chuang was the Mayor’s date on several occasions while he went about his Mayoral duties. She would have been chauffeured with Len in the Mayoral car and socialised with him at Mayoral events. Obviously this was a part of Mr. Brown’s strategy to pursue physical relations with Ms. Chuang. Even if all the expense returns appear clean, there is little doubt in my mind that Brown was using his job and perks to attain extra-curricular gratification.”

Mr. Berry also thinks the latest revelations regarding Len Brown’s reference for Ms. Chuang when she was applying for a position at a Council owned art gallery smacks of a conflict of interest. “This reference was given at about the same time Len started in his pursuit of Ms. Chuang. It is most definitely inappropriate.”

Berry wishes to re-iterate the comments he made yesterday regarding the sanctity of private lives. “I’ll say again that I do not care one iota what shenanigans anyone wishes to pursue on their own time in their own lives. It is not my business or the business of anybody else. However, when you engage in physical relations in your workplace, use your position and perks for the purpose of seduction and influence others to favour your love interest, the line between private and public has been well and truly crossed.”

“My concern is not just about Brown’s inappropriate behaviour, but also about what that behaviour may have ended up costing the ratepayer. As revelations grow, the Mayor’s position becomes increasingly untenable.”

Ends

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