Auckland's march towards super-city status has already prompted a host of characters - from incumbent Auckland Mayor John Banks to broadcaster Paul Holmes - to announce plans to campaign for the mayoralty.
So the Otago Daily Times asked mayors in Dunedin, Invercargill, Queenstown, Alexandra and Oamaru if they would also like to wield expanded powers at the head of a new super council.
Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin was categorical: "In a word, no."
He, like other mayors, already had a casting vote that could be used to break deadlocked votes if necessary. However, using it was not his "natural instinct", and he was not interested in acquiring even greater powers.
"There are very few certainties in life but I think that's one of them," he said.
"Why do you need the councillors if you can make all those decisions yourself?
"It's like a dictatorship; we have fought wars about things like that."
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes, who has said he expects his present term as mayor to be his last, was equally blunt when asked if the extra power was tempting: "Absolutely not."
However, Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt appeared excited by the prospect of becoming a lord mayor.
"A mayor with executive powers. Oh my God, imagine that! Mayors at the moment are glorified ribbon-cutters," he said.
And Central Otago Mayor Malcolm Macpherson would not rule out the prospect of seeking such a post, either.
"It is such a remote possibility it doesn't need much thinking about. But if it happened, why not throw my hat into the ring?"
Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton answered with a question of his own. "Why have one super mayor?
"They might think they are God or something.
"I hope we might consider having a number of mayors of equal status and appointing one as chairman for a term, just as we do now with the Otago Forward [economic development] committee."
