MAUGER’S MACHINE

Mayoral hopeful Phil Mauger is donating to four city council candidates’ campaigns as part of a bid to get ‘‘like-minded’’ people elected.

The four are among 13 candidates Mauger has endorsed, all of whom are running either as independents or under the right-leaning Independent Citizens banner.

Mauger, if elected mayor, hopes to avoid leading a council stacked with left-leaning People’s Choice members. The current council has seven People’s Choice councillors.

‘‘If I am [on the council] by myself, it will be bloody awful. It’s very important that I get people that think the same way as me,’’ he said.

Mayoral rival David Meates said the strategy would cause division and people were over ‘‘petty politics’’, but Mauger said he would ultimately work with anyone.

The four to receive Mauger donations, all of which were under the $1500 threshold for post-election declaration, are:

Alexandra Davids, who is running in Central against incumbent People’s Choice councillor Jake McLellan; Kim Money, who is running in Coastal against Cr Celeste Donovan, a former Green Party staffer; Will Hall, who will face off against Cr Sara Templeton in Heathcote, who is known for her sustainability values; and Mark Peters in Hornby – a seat held by People’s Choice councillor Jimmy Chen, who is not standing again.

Mauger said there were no strings attached to his payments, and no expectation they would vote with him if elected. He stressed the candidates on his list were not an official team.

‘‘I’m not going to agree with them all the time.’’

McLellan said it was clear Mauger was putting together a team, but he was welcome to do so.

People’s Choice was not backing a mayoral candidate and would work with whoever is elected, McLellan said.

Templeton said it was clear there was a grouping, and she thought there was a risk of an A and B team situation, like there was under Bob Parker’s mayoralty. Mauger said he does not want this to happen.

Coastal councillor Celeste Donovan said transparency was important. ‘‘I think what we are seeing is a well-resourced group, spending a lot of money to fund candidates with a particular outlook, to get elected.’’

Meates said people wanted decisions made in the city’s best interests, adding: ‘‘To do that, surrounding yourself with like-minded people is not necessarily representative of the views of the city.

‘‘If you’re already determining who your team is, you’re going to make it much more divisive.’’

Of the 13, the only one not to explicitly support Mauger was Papanui candidate Victoria Henstock who said she was not on ‘‘team Phil’’ or ‘‘team David [Meates]’’. Henstock and Mauger both recently came out against the council’s $22 million Wheels to Wings cycleway.

Others, particularly Ali Jones and Libby Ornsby, would not rule Meates out.

Three existing councillors – Aaron Keown, James Gough and Sam MacDonald – are among Mauger’s strongest supporters.

Keown’s election signs have the same design as Mauger’s, Gough is meeting residents with Mauger on Saturday, and MacDonald is a key adviser to Mauger.

Alexandra Davids said Mauger donated $1450 to her campaign. She supported him, but was hesitant to be put into a grouping because she was an independent.

Kim Money said Mauger’s donation went towards the cost of a letter she was sending to voters. She said she had known Mauger’s parents for a number of years and he had mentioned standing to her when she was already thinking about it.

Mark Peters said he had ‘‘strong encouragement’’ to stand from people ‘‘perceived’’ to be on Mauger’s team. Mauger had ‘‘put his money where his mouth is’’ and provided a donation, he said.

Will Hall – a long-time family friend of the Maugers – said he had decided to stand on his own, but spoke to Mauger about it.

Mauger had made a donation for flyers, he said. ‘‘I think he’ll make a really great mayor, with the right team around him, he could be fantastic.’’

The 13 endorsed by Mauger

Aaron Keown (Harewood), James Gough (Fendalton); Sam MacDonald (Waimairi) Victoria Henstock (Papanui); Ali Jones (Innes); Kelly Barber (Burwood); Libby Ornsby (Banks Peninsula); Rene´e Walker (Riccarton); Paul Lonsdale (Halswell); Will Hall (Heathcote); Alexandra Davids (Central); Kim Money (Coastal); and Mark Peters (Hornby).