One of New Zealand’s newest Mayors remains in a critical condition in hospital after collapsing on stage last night.
Manukau Mayor Len Brown was opening the Pacific Music Awards when he slumped to the floor with a massive heart attack, and he is now fighting for his life.
Len Brown has spent more than 30 years working with the people of Manukau, first as a lawyer, and for the past eight months as their mayor.
Last night he was speaking to hundreds of them at the pacific events centre when he collapsed.
Brown had been about to present the Pacific Music Awards, including the city council people's choice award to three houses down.
Volunteers performed CPR before he was taken to Middlemore hospital in an induced coma.
His condition has been stabilised but he's still in the intensive care unit at Auckland hospital.
Deputy Mayor and former cricket international Gary Troup spent the evening at his bedside.
“Len has been his normal vibrant self and no indications whatsoever, so it's a shock to everybody,” says Troupe.
There have been claims in the media that two cameramen were forced by Destiny Church members to hand over footage of Brown's collapse. But event organisers told 3 News this is rubbish. They said one cameraman, working for a TVNZ programme, was requested to stop filming and agreed to delete some of his material. Their bigger concern is the Mayor's recovery.