Auckland Mayor John Banks is describing the possibility of the Government stepping in to accelerate the Eden Park redevelopment for the Rugby World Cup as a constitutional outrage.
Briefing papers to Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully warn of dire consequences if the project is delayed and suggest options including legislation to ensure Eden Park is completed in time.
These include using call-in provisions of the Resource Management Act, which would allow the minister intervene directly.
The papers say the only way to completely remove the risk would be some form of new legislative resource consent.
Mr Banks said city officials have not even received the final consent for the redevelopment, and when they do, it will be processed diligently.
"We're committed to the project, we're totally committed to the democratic process and the Resource Management Act, and even to suggest that they'll take it to Parliament and ram it through in the dead of night would be a constitutional outrage," he said.
Mr Banks said the briefing papers from an anonymous bureaucrat suggesting delays on the council's part are complete humbug.
Mr McCully has not yet been available for comment.
