Auckland Mayor Len Brown has been accused to flip flopping on the issue of the SkyCity convention centre deal. He was a supporter of the deal from the beginning, but his recent comments on the issue reveal that he may be having second thoughts about backing the decision to allow SkyCity to install 230 new pokies. According to The New Zealand Herald, Mayor Brown was an early proponent for the SkyCity convention centre deal.

He supported the deal despite concerns that new pokies would be harmful to the local community. Now, he claims that he does not condone Prime Minister John Key’s decision to grant the casino operator several hundred new pokies and extend its gambling license.

"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," he says. Mayoral candidate John Minto believes that Mayor Brown’s sentiments are hypocritical, because he was a major supporter of the deal.

He notes that the mayor even voted against a motion that opposed the trade of the convention centre’s construction for changes in New Zealand’s gambling legislation. According to Mr Minto, his opponent has only decided to denounce the deal due to the upcoming election. Across Auckland, residents do not support the SkyCity convention centre deal, and Mayor Brown has been accused of flip flopping on his viewpoint in order to gain votes.

Mr Minto believes that Brown’s actions are dishonest, and he has been quoted as calling him a ‘shameless porkie’. This is just one of many differing viewpoints that Mr Minto and Mayor Brown will debate in Auckland’s upcoming election. The SkyCity convention centre deal is a major point of contention among New Zealand politicians, and it is interesting to see how it is affecting Auckland’s mayoral race.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.