Prior to becoming mayor, Harvey served as Deputy Chairman of the New Zealand Film Commission from 1986 to 1992. From 1988 to 1990 he was chairman of the 1990 Commonwealth Games Arts Festival. A life member of the New Zealand Labour Party, Harvey served as President from 1999 to 2000, stepping in after the death of Michael Hirschfeld. While president, Labour apologised to a West Auckland family after Harvey lowered his shorts and yelled an obscenity during an argument in public with a long-time adversary in 1999.