As a young man, Darby supported Ngāti Whātua's occupation of Bastion Point and was there on the day of the eviction on 25 May 1978.

[2] At the 2010 Auckland Council elections, Darby ran for the North Shore ward of Auckland Council for Shore Voice alongside Ann Hartley, who was elected.

At the 2013 Auckland Council elections, Darby ran for Council again and was elected as a Councillor for the North Shore ward, polling higher than both incumbents, George Wood and Ann Hartley.

[3][4] Wood remained Co-Councillor with Darby, given the North Shore ward elects two Councillors, however Hartley lost her seat to Darby, with whom she had campaigned on the Shore Voice ticket in 2010.

[5] The new mayor, Phil Goff, appointed Darby the Chairperson of the Planning Committee.