Wayne Brown says he is 'privileged and humbled' to be Auckland's new mayor

Wayne Brown has claimed victory in the Auckland mayoralty race and says he is privileged and humbled to be the city's new mayor.

Brown said he had a mandate for change, he thanked Aucklanders for giving that to him, and said he looked forward to making those changes that they expect.

Two-term Auckland mayor Phil Goff stood down at this election and ahead of the vote polls were indicating that either Brown or Efeso Collins would claim the mayoral chains.

Auckland City Council said Brown was leading the race with 144,619 votes ahead of Collins by 54,808 votes. The progress results reflect about 90 percent of the votes.

"At more than 300 campaign events over the last six months, Aucklanders have made clear to me and fellow candidate Efeso Collins that you love our city, but that you know much of it is broken," Brown said in a statement.

"It is now up to me, the new governing body and the local boards to act on our mandate, fix what is broken and deliver the change you demand," he said.

The number one issue was transport, closely followed by crime, unfinished projects, rising costs and council waste, Brown said.

It was central government's job to listen to what Aucklanders wanted, he said.

"Let me be very clear: Wellington's job is to listen to what Aucklanders say are our priorities, and to fund them - not impose ideological schemes like the $30 billion airport tram, untrammelled housing intensification and Three Waters on a city that doesn't want them."

Brown said he would now work with everyone who was elected today, Auckland council officers who deliver services, "and Efeso, who I have come to regard as a friend and would like to work with over the three years ahead".

Brown said his priority was reform of council-controlled organisations and he would have some initial comments to make on that topic tomorrow.

Brown said he would receive a full economic and financial briefing on Monday morning from senior council officers.