Everything about John Banks New Zealand totally explained
John Archibald Banks QSO (born
2 December 1946) is a
New Zealand politician. For three years (2001 - 2004), he served as
Mayor of Auckland and was re-elected to this office in 2007. He is also a former
Cabinet Minister for the
National Party.
Before politics
Banks, born in
Wellington, moved to
Auckland while still at high school. His father, Archie, was a small-time criminal, who spent much of his life in prison, a fact Banks doesn't try to hide, going as far as to mention his father's prison experiences in his criticism of the style of the proposed
Mount Eden Prisons building.
In his career before entering politics, Banks worked as a
market researcher in the
pharmaceutical industry, as a commercial
property developer, and as a
restaurant owner. He served for a time as Chairman of the
New Zealand Licensed Restaurant and Cabaret Association.
Banks began his political career in
local-body politics with election to the
Birkenhead Borough Council.
Member of Parliament
In the
1978 general election, Banks stood as the
National Party candidate for the
Roskill electorate, but was unsuccessful. In the
1981 election, he stood in a different seat,
Whangarei, and won. He would retain this seat for the remainder of his parliamentary career.
Cabinet minister
When National won the
1990 elections, Banks entered Cabinet, becoming Minister of Police, Minister of Tourism, and Minister of Sport. He quickly gained a high public profile due to his controversial views, most of which reflected a highly
conservative political outlook. His political opponents accused him of
racism towards
Māori and
immigrants, and of
homophobia. Despite this, Banks earned the respect of the Police force and senior police hierarchy as "one of their own". Banks also had a troubled relationship with some of his political colleagues, who were concerned over his allegedly confrontational style. Banks sometimes clashed with
Prime Minister Jim Bolger and other senior ministers. In
1996, he resigned from Cabinet, becoming a
backbencher after he refused to participate in the same cabinet as
New Zealand First leader and coalition partner
Winston Peters. At around the same time he also gained a position as the host of a
talkback radio programme, taking over from former Prime Minister Sir
Robert Muldoon.
Banks retired from Parliament at the
1999 elections.
Mayor of Auckland
First term 2001-2004
In
2001, he contested and won the Auckland City mayoralty, defeating the incumbent
Christine Fletcher (herself also a former National MP). Banks remained controversial in his new role, although often regarding financial and management issues rather than social policy. He governed with the support of the traditional incumbent ticket at Auckland City,
Citizens and Ratepayers Now. Banks brought in a streamlined decision making process at council, kept spending increases within inflation, sold half of the
Auckland International Airport shares to pay off Auckland City's increasing debt and proposed massive roading and public transport projects such as the "Eastern Corridor". Banks' personal style, coupled with his mayoral agenda, polarised many Aucklanders. A serious challenge to his mayoralty came from philanthropic cereal-maker
Dick Hubbard in late August
2004. Six weeks out from the next election, a
New Zealand Herald public opinion poll gave Hubbard 32.2 per cent and Banks 27.3 per cent, with
Christine Fletcher trailing by a wide gap.
The campaign gained notoriety as one of the "nastiest" and hardest-fought in memory. In September 2004, Banks's campaign manager,
Brian Nicolle, resigned amidst allegations of "gutter politics" after he ordered distribution of copies of a
National Business Review article highly critical of Hubbard to hundreds of letterboxes in Auckland, and then proceeded to deny it. Nicolle eventually confirmed he ordered the article distribution. This was done without the authorisation of Banks as the candidate, which helped make the story even more controversial during the campaign.
The
New Zealand Herald poll's pattern held for most of the campaign as the postal votes came in. On
October 9, 2004, Hubbard defeated "Banksie" in his bid to be re-elected as Mayor of Auckland. At the same time, the city also elected a centre-left council, dominated by the
City Vision and
Action Hobson councillors. In early interviews after his election loss, Banks stated that he'd look after his varied
business interests, both in New Zealand and Australia.
Post 2004 election
For a time, rumours suggested that he might return to national politics, standing as a candidate either for the National Party or for
ACT New Zealand. Speculation eventually focused on ACT, and several meetings took place between Banks and senior party members. In the end, however, Banks declined to become an ACT candidate, despite indications that he could win a seat for the ailing party that would guarantee them representation.
In
February 2005, Banks returned to talkback radio reprising his "Breakfast with Banksie" early morning radio show on
Radio Pacific.
Re-election in 2007
In October 2006, Banks announced he was giving serious consideration to standing for the Auckland Mayoralty again. He indicated that if he did become Mayor again, he'd practise a more inclusive style of leadership with a firmer focus on financial matters. He has indicated qualified support for the proposed 2007 "Hero Parade", which was an annual gay parade held in the 1990s prior to his becoming Mayor. Banks has confirmed that he's ditched the controversial Eastern Corridor proposal that caused a split in his voting base.
In July 2007 Banks announced his intention to stand for Mayor in the October 2007 local body election, running on a platform of "affordable progress" and transparency in council meetings. Polls soon showed him in a clear lead. Banks has campaigned heavily on platforms of affordable progess, plus openness and accountability, particularly in regard to Auckland City's leaky homes crisis.
On
13 October 2007, Banks was re-elected as mayor of Auckland, becoming the only the second Mayor in Auckland City's history to have come back to the Mayoralty after defeat, the other being
Dove-Myer Robinson in 1968.
Second Mayoral term 2007-
Upon his successful re-election, Banks indicated a number of initial changes and spending cuts in order to meet his goal of keeping future rates increases at affordable levels. Banks and the
Citizens and Ratepayers council majority re-introduced a streamlined council structure, bringing in five super-committees instead of the previous 14 committees.
Banks has also indicated that he wanted to reduce spending on
Eden Park upgrades, refusing to put ratepayer money into a new rugby stadium. He has also indicated a reduction in spending on Mt Eden summit upgrades, and has indicated a desire to reduce capital expenditure in order to reduce rates rises. His council has reduced the planned rates rise from 10.3% to 5.1%.
Banks has also sent a signal that he wanted to reduce contentious water price rises as well, holding water price increases to 5.1% instead of the 10% plus water price rises planned under the previous Dick Hubbard led council.
Regional Governance
Banks has supported pushing for a unitary authority as a part of Auckland City's submission to the Royal Commission examining the Auckland Region's governance.
Biographies
At present, there are two biographies of his life available. Paul Goldsmith's work is largely celebratory, while Noel Harrison provides a more critical perspective about its subject.
- Paul Goldsmith: John Banks: A Biography: Auckland: Penguin: 2001: (Updated. Originally published 1997): ISBN 0-14-301819-1
- Noel Harrison: Banks: Behind the Mask: Wellington: Estate of Lyndsay Rae Gammon: 2002: ISBN 0-476-00990-1
Further Information
Get more info on 'John Banks New Zealand'.
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