Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is looking at his security at work and at home after a man tried to take a swing at him at a National Party fundraiser.

Brown was at the fundraiser for the National Party's Auckland Central candidate, Candace Kinser, with his wife. According to RNZ, a man Brown did not know acted aggressively and tried to punch the mayor. Brown did not fight back and left the room.

Brown called the man "angry" and "little" (The Post), and "drunken" (NZ Herald). A spokesperson for the mayor said Brown did not start a fight, and that the incident would not stop him from going to public events.

The mayor and his family are now looking into extra security at work and at home.

Brown's spokesperson said threatening language from groups like the Auckland Ratepayers Alliance was part of the problem and needed to stop. The Ratepayers Alliance is a group that pushes back on council spending. Josh van Veen from the alliance rejected that, calling the idea that ratepayer groups were encouraging violence "bizarre" (RNZ).

The key difference here is that mayors do not get the same protection as government ministers or the Leader of the Opposition. MPs can get security checks and sometimes police protection. Mayors have to rely on their council to fund security through its regular budget process. Brown's review will test whether Auckland Council is willing to pay for dedicated security for the mayor.

It is also worth noting that Brown ran for mayor as an independent, meaning he is not tied to a political party. But he was at a National Party fundraiser, which some people may question, since it blurs the line between his role as a civic leader and party politics.

Ratepayer groups like the Auckland Ratepayers Alliance have long criticised council spending. But the mayor's office turning that criticism into a question of physical safety is unusual. Van Veen's dismissal of the link as "bizarre" suggests the alliance will not tone down its criticism.

What happens next is not yet clear. Brown's spokesperson said the incident is a reason to make changes, not to step back from public life. Whether that means a formal security team, new rules for events, or just being more careful at public appearances will depend on what the review finds and what Auckland Council agrees to pay for.