LOST THE BATTLE: John Banks makes his concession speech at the Auckland Town Hall with his family beside him after losing the Auckland super city mayoral race to Len Brown.

Prime Minister John Key is confident Auckland has elected a mayor who can do the job and says he looks forward to working with him.

Key said incoming super mayor Len Brown ran a ''good, disciplined campaign''.

''He's set out a vision for Auckland and we look forward to working with him on that vision and building what we believe is the potential for a world-class city. He has the overwhelming support of the people ... and I'm confident he can do a good job. It's a big task in front of him.''

1 of 11 INVERCARGILL: Tim Shadbolt is re-elected for another term. 2 of 11 DANIEL TOBIN CHRISTCHURCH: Bob Parker celebrates his win with wife Joanna Nicholls-Parker. 3 of 11 PETER MEECHAM AUCKLAND CITY: Len Brown celebrates his win at Sorrento Restaurant on One Tree Hill 4 of 11 INVERCARGILL: Suzanne Prentice relaxes with her grandchildren, Bridey Dalton, 4, and Blake Dalton, 3, after hearing she had lost to Tim Shadbolt. 5 of 11 JOHN BISSET/Timaru Herald At least four of the five Team Timaru members have been elected to council; pictured are Jo Taylor, Tracy Tierney, Steve Earnshaw, Shane Bray and Hamish Fraser. 6 of 11 SCOTT HAMMOND/The Marlborough Express MARLBOROUGH DISTRICT: Mayor Alistair Sowman celebrates his win with Jessie Sowman and Thelma Sowman. 7 of 11 DON SCOTT/The Press CHRISTCHURCH: Jim Anderton conceded defeat at a 2pm press conference. 8 of 11 AUCKLAND: Len Brown at the Otara Markets at the time of the vote count. 9 of 11 ROSS GIBLIN VOTES ARE IN: Mail officer Noel Felipe sorts local body election envelopes at the Te Puni Mail Centre. 10 of 11 LAST MINUTE: Kate Brill was the last to vote at the Christchurch Council Chambers before Saturday's 12noon cut-off. 11 of 11 MICHAEL PARKS/Manukau Courier Mangere East library assistant Rachel Booth helps Priya Shivani Dass to cast a special vote in the Auckland Council elections at a booth set up for people whose ballot papers weren't delivered on time.

''I've worked with Len. I've always found him to be a very constructive person, he's positive. I don't find him to be overly left wing and he probably doesn't find me to be overly right wing. So I don't see any issues coming from that relationship.''

He would not be drawn on what went wrong for Brown's nearest rival, John Banks.

JASON OXENHAM/Stuff.co.nz SWINGS AND ROUNDABOUTS: Len Brown has beaten John Banks to become Auckland's first super city mayor.

» Super-city election results.

» Full coverage of the 2010 local government elections.

» Election information and results in your area.

PETER MEECHAM/Stuff.co.nz HIGH FIVE: New super city mayor Len Brown meets a fan during a visit to the Otara markets this morning.

Brown has held up a vision of a unified, tolerant and prosperous Auckland in his victory speech.

Brown beat Auckland City mayor John Banks to become Auckland's first super-city mayor today by more than 60,000 votes.

After 95 percent of the votes were counted, Mr Brown had 221,000 votes compared with 161,000 for Mr Banks.

Businessman Colin Craig was in third place with 40,483 votes.

Brown addressed about 100 supporters and family at the Sorrento function venue at One Tree Hill this afternoon, after going into a private room to take a call from a Returning Officer confirming that he had won the election.



He told the crowd that the call was immediately followed by a call from rival John Banks congratulating him and offering his 100 per cent support.



"I'm so proud to stand in front of you today and say that I am the mayor for all of Auckland," Brown said.



Brown said the super-city was an opportunity for inclusiveness.

"This city has been one built on hopes and dreams and a vision of a people unified, tolerant, prosperous - today we absolutely reassert and recommit ourselves to the vision of our founding fathers," he said.

Returning to his major campaign platform of transport, he said: "We are going to deliver transit in this city as a springboard for economic growth."

Brown said it had been a tough and torrid campaign.

"John and I have given it our very best shot and have covered off all the concerns people could have about how we might and should and could go forward."

He thanked his family and supporters and also thanked Banks for the call to congratulate him on his victory.

Among his supporters at One Tree Hill were his father, his wife and his three daughters, and four sisters.

JOHN BANKS

In a press conference shortly after the results were announced, Banks praised Brown for his "tenacity" and "commitment".

"I want to congratulate Mayor Elect Len Brown for his superb campaign, his perseverence, his tenacity and commitment," he said.

"I've applauded his campaign and his efforts and I've given him my assurance he has my 100 percent support as he begins this challenge of uniting Auckland.

"It's been a long, hard road over the last 18 months," he said.

Brown will begin his term on November 1 when the new Auckland council - replacing eight existing councils - begins.

Brown was elected mayor of Manukau in 2007, succeeding Sir Barry Curtis.

A lawyer, Brown was a Manukau city councillor for four terms before he was elected mayor.

Voter turnout was expected to be up on the last election to around 50 percent.

CONGRATULATIONS

Local Government Minister Rodney Hide has congratulated Brown on becoming the first elected Mayor of the new Auckland Super City Council.

''Mr Brown ran a very successful campaign and this was reflected in the polls today. I wish him all the best in his new role, and look forward to working with him to ensure that Aucklanders get the best from their new council,'' Mr Hide said.

Meanwhile, Mr Hide said the Auckland Governance reforms had generated an unprecedented level of public awareness of local government elections nationwide.

''Preliminary election results are being released throughout the country and the initial indications of voter participation show an overall increase in votes cast compared to 2004 and 2007. It's great to see a big boost in interest in Local Government.''

Mr Hide also congratulated incumbent Christchurch mayor Bob Parker for holding onto his seat following the massive earthquake that damaged much of the city over a month ago.

''This is a fantastic result considering the difficult period Christchurch has been through and I would like to congratulate Mayor Bob Parker on his election for another term.

''Votes are still being counted throughout the country and not all results are in; however, I would like to congratulate all those who have been successfully elected, or re-elected.''

LEN BROWN'S ACCEPTANCE SPEECH

"This city has been one built on hopes and dreams and a vision of a people unified, tolerant, prosperous - today we absolutely reassert and recommit ourselves to the vision of our founding fathers.

"It's that vision of hopes and dreams that has powered us through the decades of the 170 years of the Auckland as we know it today.

"Our common humanity, and the beauty of our location, are our touchstones. We have not on this day turned away from what divides us, we have rather turned towards what unites us.

"In this time it is the value of inclusion - our greatest strength our real power, our people who have united and delivered a comprehensive message into the streets, into the homes, into the townships and into the communities across Auckland that we are a united people. Diverse, multi-ethnic but united in our humanity.

"I'm so proud to be able to stand in front of you today and say that I am the mayor for all of Auckland.

"To my fellow Auckland citizens, to the north to the south to the east to the west. To Oukekohe, to Orewa to Titirangi, to the Shore, to Takapuna, out to Grey Lynn, all around Manukau, Papakura, to you all I'm reaching out to you today, I'm reaching out to you all on behalf of us all.

"On this day I take up the mantle of Sir Dove-Myer Robinson. We are going to deliver rapid transit in this city as a springboard for economic growth.

"We can make this the world's most liveable city. So there's no time for naysayers, there is no time for stepping back this is time for stepping up.

"Our community, New Zealanders as a whole, are looking to we Aucklanders. In this time of unity to give a great and comprehensive lead to this country into the international market places and I intend to take this unique opportunity in the history of Auckland to lead out that change.

"So I want to reach to the country, acknowledge you, so many of the people from the small towns.

"What I want to say to the country is to give them my respect from we Aucklanders. We sit with you equal partners in the table of New Zealand inc. And to the Government, I give my regards and my hope that the will of Auckland as expressed through this overwhelming support for my Auckland candidacy is listened to, adhered to, and that we work in a strong partnership through the months, the years, and the decades ahead to build Auckland into the great, great, great city that it can be.

"I love Auckland.

"What I am and how you see me is exactly that way. Some of you are a little dissapointed that I am not as tall as I appear in photos, but thankfully some of you actually think I look younger than I appear in photos.

"You will see in me that in good times, and in bad I will be absolutely straight with you. You will see my front and not my back. You will see that my heart is firmly embedded in the community and my head is clearly focussed on policy and driving this city to new and greater heights.

"I want to thank John Banks. He called me as soon as I got the decision, 30 seconds later. And John said 'Len you have my 100 percent support'. So I want to say John, 'I deeply appreciate the magnanimous way in which you have rung me and conveyed to me your totally sincere appreciation and congratulations. To you and Amanda from Shan and I our heartfelt appreciation for that.

"It has been a tough and torrid campaign. But it has been worth it."

JOHN BANKS' SPEECH

"Team Banksie, in front of you I want to congratulate Mayor elect Len Brown for his superb campaign, his perseverance, his tenacity, his commitment.



"I've called mayor Len Brown I've congratulated him unconditionally, I've applauded his campaign and his efforts and I've given him my assurance that he has my total support as he goes ahead in this very difficult challenge of uniting a greater Auckland, and being the first leader.



"So well done to Len Brown, to his wife, his family, congratulations.



"What a privilege it has been for me, the 39th mayor of Auckland to come back from exile and be given an opportunity by the voters of Auckland City to represent their aspirations. What a great honour it has been for me to campaign relentlessly, from Waiuku to Maraitai, to Omaha to Woodhill, Little Huia and everything in between.



"I have met so many amazing and gracious, hard working Aucklanders, and I thank them for their hospitality and their generosity to me. It's been a long, long road this last 18 months. A long road. I never would've thought when I stood outside this town hall in 1964 while living rough in the Auckland Domain, that I would one day be occupying this privileged position as Mayor of this great city of Auckland.



"This is a land of opportunity, and I want for every citizen in a greater Auckland every opportunity that I've had in business life and public life. My aspirations for a greater Auckland is that all of the families that are struggling - their struggling can come to an end. All of the young people like myself all those years ago - out of luck and out of hope - will have hope and will have opportunity, prosperity and the success that I have enjoyed.



"That's what I hope for Auckland and I'm quietly confident this afternoon that Mayor-elect Len Brown and his council will deliver on that. There is much more fellow, New Zealanders, that unites us than divides us and regardless of all of our differences from the past 18 months, today I stand alongside Mayor Len Brown and his team committed to making this work for New Zealand.



"I want to thank my team, here at the town hall, Team Banksie, and all of those who have committed months and months and months to this campaign so freely and so generously thank you to each and every one of you, your efforts have been appreciated.



"I respect the wishes of the people of Auckland that the single voice for a single Auckland should be led by Len Brown. Mayor Brown has run a very good campaign and has mobilised his voters like never before to Mayor Brown's team and to the new elect, again, my sincere congratulations.



"I've had the opportunity to give them to him first hand. The people have spoken I respect the decision of the voters, this was always going to be tough because until this year 13 was an unlucky number for me and remains so this is my 13th campaign 10 victories and 3 losses, but this is not a loss, yes it is for Team Banksie - but I hope its a win for the Mayor - Mayor-elect Len Brown his team and the future of Auckland.



"Finally can I say this: many thanks to my friends that have come from all over the world to be with us here at this town hall on this day at this time. Many thanks for everyone who has committed the time. And to Amanda and the kids thank you very much for your unrelenting support, love, and tolerance that hasn't been easy. And it never is easy for the spouse and for the kids of people in public life.



"It has been an extraordinary privilege to me to have been a local councillor, a city councillor, a regional councillor, a member of parliament, minister of the crown, minister of local government, and Mayor of Auckland twice, what a privilege and what an honour, to those people that have made it happen to me, Thank you."

- with NZPA