1 October 2013

Len Brown – more colours than a chameleon

From the New Zealand Herald election Guide this morning:

Do you support the SkyCity pokies for convention centre deal?

Len Brown: I support the need for Auckland to have an international convention centre and the economic benefits it will deliver but I do not support the deal done to finance it.

What a shameless porkie.

Len Brown has always been a strong supporter of the pokies for convention centre deal.

On 27th June this year he voted against a motion brought by Councillor Cathy Casey to oppose "the Government's proposal for SkyCity to develop a convention centre in return for changes in our gambling legislation to increase gambling at the SkyCity casino".

The motion passed by 10 votes to 7 with the mayor in the losing minority.

For the mayor to now pretend he doesn’t support the deal is a brazen lie.

The deal supported by Len Brown includes an agreement between SkyCity and the Government to build an international convention centre in exchange for legislative changes allowing an extra 230 slot machines and 40 gaming tables, a 27-year extension to SkyCity’s Auckland casino licence, and other regulatory concessions.

Now in the middle of the election campaign Len Brown wants to rewrite history.

Brown likes to be all things to all people. He’s a “smile and wave” mayor who’s good for a cup of tea but rolls over whenever the government or SkyCity come calling.

His fingerprints are all over this grubby deal with SkyCity and Aucklanders should remember this when they vote.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

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