本帖最后由 匿名 于 2016-3-9 14:15 编辑
Len Brown affair 'shouldn't affect job'
Political commentators believe Auckland's mayor has done the right thing in admitting his two year affair with a woman who served on a council advisory board and stood in this year's election.
Bryce Edwards says Len Brown has dealt with the fall-out very well in front-footing an interview in which he was "humble and apologetic".
And former National Party president and PR expert Michelle Boag said Mr Brown did the right thing yesterday in doing a "major mea culpa".
Mr Edwards told Breakfast this morning that he didn't believe Mr Brown should step down and he thinks news of the affair is "quite irrelevant".
New Zealanders tend to regard the private lives of politicians as their own issue unless it has some bearing on their ability to carry out public office, Mr Edwards said.
"I don't think it will affect his ability to be mayor."
There has been an "informal agreement" that the media don't report on the private lives of politicians in New Zealand, Mr Edwards said.
"For years there have been prime ministers who have had affairs that haven't been reported."
If New Zealand goes the way of Britain and America in using everything a person does as "fair game", Mr Edwards believes that would erode or be very corrosive for politics.
But he said Mr Brown has a core support in Auckland of conservative Christians and by campaigning for office on his personality and trust he has opened himself up to criticism.
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"There is an issue of trust there, absolutely."
And Mr Edwards said while he believes the mayor will survive it is an unfolding story and there might still be more to come out.
Michelle Boag agrees, saying Mr Brown can survive politically but there may be more material to come.
"If this woman does intend revealing a whole lot of other stuff there could be a backlash against her because I think there could be an element of attention seeking," Ms Boag told Breakfast.
"New Zealanders love a mea culpa and the New Zealand electorate is very forgiving," she said.
Ms Boag says Len Brown has been "a little bit naive and foolish" and he obviously recognises that.
"He will have to accept being the butt of a bit of ridicule, a few jokes."
Everyone will put their own perspective on the issue and bring their own personal bias, Ms Boag said.
"I think it is a political agenda.
"Having an affair with a woman 25 years his junior who has got nothing to lose is not a smart thing to do," Ms Boag said.
"That's been a lapse of judgment."
'A political motive'
Freelance journalist Stephen Cook reported on the Whaleoil website that the newly re-elected Mayor had been involved in the affair.
Simon Wilson told Seven Sharp he thinks the timing of the revelation was deliberate.
He said the woman in question was a political opponent of Mr Brown, as she was a local board candidate for the Communities and Residents ticket, which means the National Party in Auckland.
"I understand she was also a member of John Palino's campaign team. And she doesn't get elected.
"It's hard to imagine that she would have acted completely alone on this."
Mr Wilson also pointed out that John Slater, who is the father of the blogger who released the information, was John Palino's "manager or adviser".
"Clearly this has been released with a political motive."
The "maximum damage" is done to Len Brown by releasing the information after the election, Mr Wilson said.
'Harm, shame and humiliation'
Mayor Brown, meanwhile, said in a TV interview he has caused his family "harm, shame and humiliation" by having an affair.
Mr Brown said he hoped the media and community will respect the privacy of his wife, Shan Inglis, and their three daughters.
He had won the support of the majority of Aucklanders and had no intention of standing down, the Mayor said. |
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发表于 2013-10-16 12:44:04
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