A stoush over Auckland's water rates could have disturbing consequences for the city's gay and lesbian population, with speculation mounting that an old and outspoken foe wants to return to the city council. Arch-homophobe and past-deputy mayor during the anti-gay John Banks mayoralty, David Hay, a nemesis of the Hero parade and supporter of the anti-gay Maxim Institute, is increasingly believed to be ready to stand for the Auckland City Council later this year in hopes of stopping Auckland's council-owned Metrowater company being used to supplement the city's rates take. If Hay was elected back onto the council, which he deserted last election for a place on the Auckland Regional Authority, he would likely become a focus for socially conservative councillors, possibly even supplanting pro-gay current deputy mayor Bruce Hucker. Hucker is also embroiled in the Metrowater stoush, and presently losing political support because of his advocacy of the so-called 'cash cow' policy towards the water provider. The Auckland mayoralty has over past decades swung wildly from pro-gay to ardently anti-gay in flavour. Pro-glbt mayors have included Dame Cath Tizard, Christine Fletcher and the incumbent Dick Hubbard. At the extreme other end of the spectrum have been Les Mills and John Banks. David Hay has been a long-serving anti-gay deputy mayor, while incumbent Bruce Hucker, during a long career as a councillor and more recently as deputy mayor, has been consistently forthright in his support for acceptance of the city's glbt population. Ref: GayNZ.com (j)