Lord Mayor: 'Gawd no' says Warrior Princess

Lucy Lawless – Stuff's choice for the first Lord Mayor of Super Auckland – has turned down the job.

"Gawd, no," Xena the Warrior Princess said after being told she topped the poll.

"I wouldn't take the job even if I had the slightest aptitude for it...which I don't."

This leaves the way open for Auckland Mayor John Banks - and he was a whole lot less coy about taking it when asked.

"That is a very interesting question," he told reporters.

"This is about New Zealand, its about lifting Auckland's game, it's about singing from the same song-sheet and the same tune, and if I got the opportunity to be that conductor, well, that would be something very challenging indeed does that answer your question?"

The poll drew more than 10,000 votes.

Ms Lawless gained 1924 votes or 18.2% of the populist poll.

Mr Banks was just 43 votes behind, on 17.8%

The poll may show the mood of Auckland  ready for someone a little less conventional.

Coming in third was Marc Ellis on a close 17.1 percent.

Other results were:

Stephen Tindall  13.3%

Judy Bailey  11%

Winston Peters  9.4%

Michael Jones  4.6%

John Tamihere  4.5%

Paul Holmes  3.9%

Would anybody want the job though, with meetings and planning the lot of the first mayor of Super Auckland.

That is the conclusion from the Royal Commission's job specification.

He or she will propose the "Long Term Council Community Plan" and draft annual plan.

The mayor will have to hold every three months a meeting to meet all the council members and every cabinet minister and MP living in Super Auckland.

The mayor will have to listen as they will "be entitled to attend and speak at such plenary meetings.

"The Mayor of Auckland must hold a minimum of four public meetings each year in different parts of Auckland to receive public feedback and input."

- © Fairfax NZ News