Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is in strife with the media again after cursing at The Spinoff writer Sam Brooks.
The Mayor was at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki on Wednesday to open the gallery's latest exhibition.
After Brown mentioned in his speech that looking to cut arts funding was a "false perception" and "not true", Brooks wanted the Mayor to elaborate on what he meant by it, The Spinoff reported.
The Spinoff reported Brooks introduced himself as a writer for The Spinoff before asking the Mayor about the potential cuts to council arts funding in the latest budget for Auckland council.
The Spinoff said the Mayor told Brooks: "Don't f***ing come and talk to me, write a submission and make it clear that you value it."
But when Newshub asked the Auckland Mayor's office about the comments Brown made, a spokesperson said Brooks did not say he was a journalist from The Spinoff.
"Following a speech at the Auckland Art Gallery on Wednesday night, a young man interrupted the Mayor mid-conversation to question him about potential cuts to council arts funding," a spokesperson said for Brown said.
"The young man proceeded to aggressively question the Mayor about the proposed council budget to which he was directed to make a submission.
"At no time did he reveal he was a Journalist from the Spinoff, instead introducing himself as a writer."
In the Mayor's speech on Wednesday, he said the annual council budget is "challenging".
He said it was important that every community sector that receives council funding is under review.
"The arts are not exempt from this review process. They are not sacred cows outside the annual budget consultation process. Like all other sectors, they must participate in the current public process," Brown said in his speech at the art gallery on Wednesday.
"I want to make it clear that I support the arts and culture community, which are essential to this region's life. I urge the arts community to participate in the budget consultation process and make their case for their current funding levels."
Newshub has contacted The Spinoff for further comment.
