Mayor Len Brown of the Auckland City has swayed from marital bliss and had an affair on the side. His mistress is Hong Kong-born Bevan Chuang (32).

She was an unsuccessful local board candidate for the conservative C&R at the recent election, and until recently a member of Auckland Council's Ethnic Peoples Advisory Panel.

A statement from  Brown’s office says:

 “I don’t intend to comment on the highly personalised allegations made on a blog site this afternoon.

“But I do confirm that I had a relationship with a woman that lasted around two years.

“I told my wife previously, and she and I are working through the issues privately. We are looking to protect our children as best we can.

“These are matters of an entirely personal nature and I ask that the media respect my family’s privacy.”

Brown confirmed the woman was not a council employee but served on a council advisory board and stood in this year’s election for a local board.