A Journey with Leadership

Raised in a tiny Hokianga settlement, Leigh Auton learnt about farming and politics at the hands of his conservative family. He dreamed of following them, but family tragedy and his father’s desire for more for his son saw him enrol at Auckland University.

That decision launched a career in town planning and local government that would shape New Zealand’s biggest city.

The ‘Mr Fixit’ to sort out big issues, the infrastructure builder, he studied at Stanford, helped redress generations of Māori grievance around land confiscation, served as a director of Housing New Zealand and for Ngāpuhi’s asset and fishing interests, yet still found time to devote countless hours to community and charitable causes.

During a career that saw him serve Sir Lloyd Elsmore, Sir Barry Curtis, Len Brown and others, he also had an active role in the implementation of the Super City that saw Auckland’s councils become one. His legacy is dotted across the wider city and beyond, yet Auton has preferred to ply his trade quietly and remain out of the limelight, remaining relatively unknown.

A Journey with Leadership explores just how a Hokianga farm boy shaped a city and the lives of those who live in it.