Mayor of Auckland | |
---|---|
Style | His Worship |
Term length | Three years |
Inaugural holder | Len Brown |
Formation | 1 November 2010 |
Deputy | Bill Cashmore |
Salary | $269,500 p.a. |
Website | Official website |
The Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland Region in New Zealand, which it controls as a unitary authority. The position exists since October 2010 after the amalgamation of various territorial authorities. The mayor is supported by a deputy mayor.
The mayor has significant executive powers, their own staff and the ability to appoint the chairpersons of the council's committees. The position was first elected on 9 October 2010 for the establishment of the Auckland Council on 1 November 2010. The Council replaced seven territorial authority councils and the Auckland Regional Council. Before 2010, the term "Mayor of Auckland" applied to the mayor of Auckland City Council.
In the first mayoral election for Auckland Council in 2010, former Mayor of Manukau Len Brown was elected, defeating former Mayor of Auckland City John Banks, former Mayor of North Shore Andrew Williams and prominent Christian businessman Colin Craig, amongst others. The mayoral office had a budget of $4.1 million and a staff of 18 in 2011. Brown preferred not to use the honorific "His Worship".
Contenders in the 2013 Auckland mayoral election included Brown, John Minto and John Palino. Brown was re-elected.
Brown announced in November 2015 that he would not contest the 2016 mayoralty election. There were 19 contenders for the position, and Phil Goff won against Victoria Crone, John Palino, and Chlöe Swarbrick.