Phil Mauger

In his one term as a councillor on the Christchurch City Council Phil Mauger had several high profile incidents. In 2020 he dug a trench in red zone land[5] without permission, exposing contaminated soil and creating a hazard; the repair and remediation of his action cost the council approximately $9000.[6] In November 2021 he sent a text to the then Mayor of Christchurch, Lianne Dalziel, about his son's desire to build a film studio. This was identified by the mayor and the council CEO as a conflict of interest issue.[7] He began a quarry without appropriate consents in place in March 2021;[8] as he believed, despite his many years in the construction business that the code of compliance from Environment Canterbury was sufficient. Mauger attempted to clear duckweed from a Prestons lake with a homemade contraption; this did not work.[9] In response to the stench from the waste plant fire Mauger offered to fill his fire-engine with bleach and spray it on the waste plant remains.[10] This idea was rejected by both council staff and a fellow councillor with a PhD in Biochemistry, as it would be difficult to administer and create more hazardous chemicals.[11][12] Mauger was issued a written warning for directly approaching staff at the Bromley composting plant and implying they could loose their jobs.[13] He received over 11 months of one on one briefings on boundaries of being a councillor, from Christchurch City Council legal services, after his direct approaches to staff, and a number of potential conflicts of interest.[14][15]

Mauger declared his intention to run for mayor approximately a year before the 2022 mayoral election. He received donations totalling $147,000, most of which was used prior to the three months before the election.[16] Electoral rules limit campaign spending to $70 000. Donors included property developers, car dealers and other business owners, including NBR rich listers Bruce and Kaye Miles.[17] Mauger donated to four councillor canditdtes,[18] and personally endorsed 13 candidates across the city council and local boards, in order to get 'like-minded individuals' in place.[19] Three of the four candidates he donated to were not successful (Will Hall, Kim Money, Alexandra Davies). Mauger won with a narrow majority.[20]

A review of his performance following six months in the role of mayor found he had not met his target of reducing rates, while he asserted wrongly that inflation was not 7% when he was elected.[21] Mauger stood for mayor unequivocally promising not to sell council assets[22] but has repeatedly raised the prospect of sale following his election.[23] Mauger has attacked fellow councillors for speaking out.[24] One of his mayoral promises was the establishment of a community forum;[25] but this had not been established by October 2023. In October 2023, following the national election, he made front page news by asserting that the costs for the council had risen as a result of a Labour government and frontline council services such as libraries and pools should be closed or operate reduced hours.[26] This was refuted as 'fearmongering' by another elected council member.[27]