Dick Hubbard Totally Explained

Everything about Dick Hubbard totally explained

Dick Hubbard ONZM, B.Tech. (Food Tech.), DSc (Honoris causa), founder and principal of Hubbards Foods in Auckland, New Zealand, and Mayor of Auckland (2004-07). His management of Hubbard Foods gained some prominence for its participation in and promotion of socially responsible business perspectives. Hubbard also founded New Zealand Businesses for Social Responsibility (BSR) (now the Sustainable Business Network) and became Chairman of the New Zealand National Parks & Conservation Foundation. He has been a supporter of Outward Bound in New Zealand. He was elected Mayor of Auckland on October 9, 2004, replacing John Banks, and replaced as Mayor by John Banks again on October 13, 2007.
Hubbard is married to Diana and has two adult children.

Mayoral Term

Dick Hubbard was elected as part of a broad swing to the centre-left in the 2004 Auckland City local government elections, predicated on concerns about the style of the previous Mayor, and proposals to construct a major new multi-laned road through the city's relatively affluent eastern suburbs. Although formally independent, Hubbard's support on Auckland's council was derived from the centre-left leaning City Vision, Labour, and Action Hobson tickets.
His mayoral term started with some controversy around proposals to reduce noise pollution at the Western Springs speedway, and his council's rejection of proposals to host a car race in the CBD. Hubbard also sought to remove his deputy Mayor, the City Vision-aligned Bruce Hucker, after disagreement over social policy announcements, causing some tension on the council.

Rates increases

Hubbard and the leading bloc on council raised rates over their term. The rates increases met with widespread anger in 2006 as some of the increases were seen as inequitable, with a NZ Herald Editorial describing Hubbard's spending plans as "fiscal weakness". Dick Hubbard used his own money to take out a full-page ad in the NZ Herald in August 2006, where he defended the need for rates increase to fund improvements to Auckland's future infrastructure. Public response to his advertisement was mixed.

Aotea Square Upgrades

Not long after becoming Mayor, Hubbard's council was faced with a NZ$85 million dollar repair bill for newly discovered structural issues involving Aotea Square - a prominent open space next to the Town Hall. Hubbard used this issue as an opportunity to propose some extensive plans for re-development, including building a new library, large video screens for public gatherings and a road under the square. These plans were known as "Outside the Square". When the total bill was estimated at in excess of $750 million dollars, the plans were quietly shelved by council officers, describing the plans as "a low priority for the city's needs". Hubbard expressed his hope that the plans could one day be used to help redevelop the Aotea Precinct in the future.

Queen St Trees

In January 2006, Hubbard was forced into a u-turn over a proposal to replace thirty-six large exotic trees as part of a $30 million of Auckland's Queen St. A public outcry, led by prominent Auckland citizen Lesley Max and talkback radio host Leighton Smith, caused the Council to revisit their decision. After independent Arborists were appointed, a compromise was reached and seventeen trees were removed and replaced with other mature exotics.
The subsequent u-turn was estimated to cost Auckland ratepayers between $2.6 and $5 million dollars in extra costs and penalties.

Other Aspects

Hubbard received council funded media training due to initial concerns over his public performance. Throughout 2006, the media highlighted examples of council waste, such as record levels of travel expenditure for council politicians, including the Mayor. This overseas travel was defended as necessary to learn about good governance and city infrastructure overseas, but was met with hostility by some members of the media and a public disapproving of rates increases. Following a trip to Hamburg, the New Zealand Herald questioned Hubbard's public statements concerning the economic benefits to Auckland from a sister city relationship with Hamburg and discovered that a formal economic analysis hadn't been conducted. Subsequently, it was discovered that Hubbard's claim of $500 million worth of economic benefit from a Hamburg sister city relationship was based on a "vibe" or his own personal estimates.
   Hubbard promoted new heritage policies as well as some urban design standards for the CBD. His council brought in controls against development of older heritage homes and also appointed architects to urban design panels that oversee substantial commercial developments. Despite the new heritage policies, there were some controversial developments which took place at the expense of heritage properties, most notably the Jean Batten building (1937), and the Coolangatta homestead (1916).
   Although he publicly expressed an opinion against the Civil Unions Bill, putting his name to a letter urging MPs to oppose the legislation, Dick Hubbard sought to cultivate good relations with Auckland's gay and lesbian communities, primarily through attending and hosting a number of functions celebrating the gay community in Auckland. Hubbard controversially funded the 20th anniversary of homosexual law reform in New Zealand with an invitation only ratepayer-funded cocktail party costing $20,000.
   Dick Hubbard was at the forefront of the opposition to the Boobs on bikes parade in Auckland stating "I think such a parade down Queen St is totally inappropriate because it's ... particularly degrading to women." His strident and public opposition to the parade was one of the reasons given by the parade organiser Steve Crow for the record attendance at the parade.
   In September 2006, Hubbard and three of the major metropolitan mayors in Auckland proposed a Greater Auckland Council that would have seen some amalgamation and the breaking up of the Auckland Regional Council (a transport, harbour and environmental local authority). The plan was roundly rejected by media and local territorial authorities. The plan involved turning the four major metropolitan councils into 3 councils, and the postponing of elections for 2 years, without holding a referendum on the plan. One week after the plan was announced it was voted down by the Mayoral Forum of seven Auckland regional Mayors. Dick Hubbard also received motions of criticism from his own council for not having consulted with them prior to announcing the Four-Mayoral plan.

National Stadium issue, October-November 2006

When New Zealand was awarded the Rugby World Cup hosting rights for 2011, Hubbard pledged support to a temporary stand option for Eden Park. However he changed his support in October 2006 to a new National Stadium proposed by the Minster of Sport Trevor Mallard. The new stadium was to be located on the Auckland waterfront and funded by the New Zealand Government. Despite a majority of Council members supporting the waterfront option, the Auckland Regional Council rejected the proposed stadium unanimously and backed plans for a more substantial upgrade to Eden Park. Public opinion was also divided, with newspaper polling suggesting support for Eden Park upgrades. Hubbard is on the record as angrily reacting to the ARC decision, and the relationship between the Auckland City Council and the Auckland Regional Council was alleged to be somewhat damaged as a result.

Re-election bid, 2007

Hubbard was defeated by John Banks in the 2007 local body elections, by a margin of 10,000 votes. Hubbard won 35,314 of the votes compared to Bank's 45,387 votes in an election marked by low voter turn-out.

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