It wasn’t a great day for leadership yesterday.

Not for Wayne Brown, nor for Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, and the reason for that failure is that yesterday, I had no idea who was in charge.

Wayne Brown spent most of the press conference finding officials who would absolve him of any failings in communication or decision making, and Chris Hipkins was upstaged by the gesticulations of the mayor trying to marshal officials and organise who would make the next statement. 

What I didn’t get the impression of was that anyone was in control, but rather we were relying on the individual expertise and commitment of people on the ground in all parts of Auckland to be doing their best to help those who were in need of support. 

I found it extraordinary yesterday that we were unable to secure any comment from someone connected at the council until just before midday. 

It may be that when we have an examination of everything that went on, that there there’s a reasonable explanation for why each decision was made and when.

But from a communications perspective, I’m sure many Aucklanders and New Zealanders would share the sense that I have- that when it came to letting us know that people were on top of it, we wouldn’t have had a clue based on the debacle we witnessed yesterday.

I don’t mean to be harsh, but perhaps the best we can say about Chris Hipkins was that he was there, and perhaps that’s all that we needed to see. 

No doubt comparisons will be drawn with his predecessor, Jacinda Ardern, but I think that would be unfair because she didn’t have the communications/diplomatic wrecking ball of Wayne Brown to contend with.

Look, let’s also take a deep breath. It was an unprecedented day with rainfall the likes of which we have never seen in Auckland. I have little doubt that not many cities infrastructure would have coped with Friday’s extreme weather without showing some scars.

And you know what? My guess is that behind-the-scenes Wayne Brown is talking to the right people, and I take his point is that it is his role to listen to the advice of professionals. 

Also, perhaps he is right in that the timing of the state of emergency is more of a moot point when it comes to getting boots on the ground.

But being a mayor is not a backroom role, he is front of house. He is not just the pilot, he is the cabin crew. He’s the face of the council and from a communications point of view – it was a train wreck.

And if I was to be so bold as to offer the new mayor and his communications team my advice - it would be that questions from the media aren’t always out to get you. Sometimes, people just want to know that you are onto it.

And that maybe today, if you and your communications team are receiving a little bit of heat and criticism, you've only got yourselves to blame.

LISTEN ABOVE

It wasn’t a great day for leadership yesterday.
Not for Wayne Brown, nor for Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, and the reason for that failure is that yesterday, I had no idea who was in charge.
Wayne Brown spent most of the press conference finding officials who would absolve him of any failings in communication or decision making, and Chris Hipkins was upstaged by the gesticulations of the mayor trying to marshal officials and organise who would make the next statement.  
What I didn’t get the impression of was that anyone was in control, but rather we were relying on the individual expertise and commitment of people on the ground in all parts of Auckland to be doing their best to help those who were in need of support.  
I found it extraordinary yesterday that we were unable to secure any comment from someone connected at the council until just before midday.  
It may be that when we have an examination of everything that went on, that there there’s a reasonable explanation for why each decision was made and when.
But from a communications perspective, I’m sure many Aucklanders and New Zealanders would share the sense that I have- that when it came to letting us know that people were on top of it, we wouldn’t have had a clue based on the debacle we witnessed yesterday.
I don’t mean to be harsh, but perhaps the best we can say about Chris Hipkins was that he was there, and perhaps that’s all that we needed to see. 
No doubt comparisons will be drawn with his predecessor, Jacinda Ardern, but I think that would be unfair because she didn’t have the communications/diplomatic wrecking ball of Wayne Brown to contend with. 
Look, let’s also take a deep breath. It was an unprecedented day with rainfall the likes of which we have never seen in Auckland. I have little doubt that not many cities infrastructure would have coped with Friday’s extreme weather without showing some scars.
And you know what? My guess is that behind-the-scenes Wayne Brown is talking to the right people, and I take his point is that it is his role to listen to the advice of professionals. 
Also, perhaps he is right in that the timing of the state of emergency is more of a moot point when it comes to getting boots on the ground.
But being a mayor is not a backroom role, he is front of house. He is not just the pilot, he is the cabin crew. He’s the face of the council and from a communications point of view – it was a train wreck.
And if I was to be so bold as to offer the new mayor and his communications team my advice - it would be that questions from the media aren’t always out to get you. Sometimes, people just want to know that you are onto it.
And that maybe today, if you and your communications team are receiving a little bit of heat and criticism, you've only got yourselves to blame. 
LISTEN ABOVE

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