Career
His management of Hubbard Foods gained some prominence for its participation in and promotion of socially responsible business perspectives. Hubbard also spent a few years managing the Food Processing Factory in Niue, processing mainly lime, passionfruit and papaya. Hubbard also founded New Zealand Businesses for Social Responsibility (BSR) (now the Sustainable Business Network) and became Chairman of the New Zealand National Parks & Conservation Foundation.
He has been a supporter of Outward Bound in New Zealand.
He was elected Mayor of Auckland City on 9 October 2004, succeeding John Banks, who in turn succeeded Hubbard as mayor on 13 October 2007. Hubbard is married to Diana and has two adult children.
Hubbard was elected as part of a broad swing to the centre-left in the 2004 Auckland City local government elections, predicated on concerns about the style of the previous Mayor, and proposals to construct a major new multi-laned road through the city"s relatively affluent eastern suburbs. Although formally independent, Hubbard"s support on Auckland"s council was derived from the centre-left leaning City Vision, Labour, and Action Hobson tickets.
Re-election bid, 2007
Hubbard was defeated by John Banks in the 2007 local body elections, by a margin of 10,000 votes.
