Not so sure about this

 

I have picked up this Conflict of Interest Declaration from the Minutes of the Auckland Transport Board meeting held December 16, 2014

3. Interests Register – Declarations/Conflicts The following conflicts of interest were declared: Mike Lee – Member, Public Transport Users Association.

Source: https://at.govt.nz/media/963213/Item-4-16-December-Open-AT-Board-Minutes.pdf

 

To be perfectly clear Conflicts of Interest do arise from time to time and are pretty well-managed most days.

However, Councillor Lee is also that – a Councillor, an Auckland Transport Director (which presents conflicts of interest as is with Council), Chair of the Council Infrastructure Committee which can have political influence on Auckland Transport, and now a member of a lobby group – the Public Transport Users Association.

To me personally I would expect some neutrality from Councillor Lee given his roles within AT and Council with him not being a member of a lobby group. Especially a lobby group called out before for some rather negative claptrap: PUBLIC TRANSPORT USERS ASSOCIATION NEGATIVITY TOWARDS AUCKLAND TRANSPORT

I hope Councillor Lee knows what he is doing without impairing good neutral governance around transport issues.