Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Auckland mayor meets Key for first time in new role

Updated at 7:16 pm on 11 October 2010

Auckland's new mayor has already had his first formal engagement and has also met Prime Minister John Key.

Both Len Brown and Mr Key were at Sunday's official reopening of Eden Park after its redevelopment for the Rugby World Cup.

Mr Brown says he had a very good meeting with Mr Key on Sunday morning, and expects to have an outstanding working relationship with the Government.

Mr Brown says that as the mayor of Manukau he has worked very closely with the prime minister over the past two years, so it's business as usual.

Mr Key congratulated Mr Brown, saying he has a hard job ahead of him to pull all the pieces of Auckland together.

Mr Brown has said he wants to work to bring a sense of unity to the new city and says one of his first priorities will be to start work on sorting out transport.

Mr Key says the Government shares Mr Brown's and the council's ambition for Auckland to have an effective transport system.

But he says the Government is already spending $ billion in Auckland, including $.6 billion on rail.

Mr Key says ratepayers will have to pay their share.

Mr Brown received 221,365 votes, leading his closest rival. former Auckland mayor John Banks, by about 60,000 votes.

Mr Brown will formally step into the role on 1 November.

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