Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s blunt “F off” reply to the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance has fuelled criticism over his refusal to sign the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, raising questions about his stance on council accountability.

Sam Warren, spokesperson for the Ratepayers’ Alliance, said the Mayor’s claims about the pledge were simply wrong.

“Wayne Brown clearly hasn’t even read the pledge before mouthing off. He’s claiming it would stop independent members on the Council’s Audit and Risk Committee, but that’s just not true. He’s resorting to making things up and personal abuse. That kind of behaviour does not ‘fix Auckland’,” Warren said.

The pledge, designed to protect ratepayers from unelected influence on spending and regulatory committees, makes clear that Audit and Risk, along with advisory committees, are excluded.

“The Mayor is either confused or deliberately misleading Aucklanders,” Warren said.

For Coast residents already grappling with rising rates and big-ticket infrastructure costs, the clash highlights ongoing worries about trust and transparency at Auckland Council.

Locals paying into the city’s budget want clear answers on where their money goes, not political point-scoring.

Know something local worth sharing?

Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.