Pippa Coom, Author at Pippa Coom

Hurdles to democracy too great in NZ’s most undemocratic election

More for you, Better for Auckland Media release: 30 October 2024

Following a record low turnout of 9.39% of eligible voters, the leadership of Entrust, New Zealand’s largest community energy trust, will once again remain unchanged. This confirms the incumbents repeatedly choose to run the elections to benefit themselves, not Aucklanders, say challengers from the independent More for You, Better for Auckland ticket.

This was, once again, a short postal election, minimally advertised, and characterised by multiple barriers to voting and a lack of coverage of the critical election issues.

“We knew challenging National party backed C&R for the Entrust leadership would be difficult, given the low turnout and the timing of the Entrust dividend payout just before the election started. However, the hurdles to democracy were just too great – and the extent to which C&R control the election process to their advantage was even more shocking than we’d imagined,” says Patrick Reynolds, spokesperson for the independent progressive group who came together to challenge C&R’s three-decade grip on Entrust.

The result is not unexpected but should alarm everyone who cares about democracy, the cost of power, and the energy independence and resilience of our largest city. We will, therefore, be considering what legal and legislative options are available to modernise the election” said Mr Reynolds

Voter turnout this year fell to just 9.39%, even lower than the previous record low turnout of 9.64% in 2021. C&R has known for many decades that the voting system they run is not fit for purpose. And yet, they have taken no steps to update the 1993 Entrust Trust Deed, ensuring they continue to “win” New Zealand’s least democratic election.

Entrust is the only community energy trust using a postal vote for its triennial election of trustees. It’s also the only one that pays a dividend just before voting gets underway. Moreover:

C&R allocates zero budget to promote or advertise the Entrust Election.

C&R provides no visible information about the Election on the Entrust website – only a link that is hidden behind a screen-sized advertisement for the Entrust dividend.

C&R allocates over $1.3m to distributing and advertising this dividend, just before voting starts – and only advertise their candidacy in the context of the dividend.
C&R has maintained a 16-day postal voting period, despite shrinking postal services – resulting in voting papers not arriving until up to 6 days after voting started.
C&R held the 2024 Entrust AGM 2 hours after the cut-off for posting votes, ensuring the electorate was not fully informed about a number of serious issues that were raised at Entrust’s only public meeting.

The one “innovation” C&R introduced this year was “rubbish bin” ballot boxes, made available at 10 Woolworth supermarkets for the entire Entrust District. As candidate Paul Young said as voting got underway “When I was first sent a photo of the ballot box in a Woolworth supermarket, I thought it must be a joke to use an orange rubbish bin. The Aucklanders I am speaking to are very surprised that Entrust would be so disrespectful to democracy. This is yet another disincentive to vote, if the ballot box doesn’t look like an official drop-off point for important voting documents.

“They are also hard to find, as there are only 10 ballot boxes for the whole of the Entrust district – and no Entrust map of the locations.”

Despite the many hurdles to participating in the Entrust election, including the cost of campaigning across such a large area with 323,000 voters, More for You, Better for Auckland was determined to offer Aucklanders a positive alternative with fresh leadership.

“I’m really proud of More for You, Better for Auckland’s campaign,” says Patrick Reynolds. “Within a very short timeframe, we brought together a strong line-up of candidates. We presented voters with future-focused and expert-backed policies that respond to all the energy threats and opportunities of our age. The response to our volunteer-led campaign was positive and energising.”

“You have to ask: how pathetic would the turnout have been, had we not publicised the election and the issues?

“With more future-focused strategic leadership of Vector, as envisioned by More for You, Better for Auckland, Aucklanders could continue to enjoy the annual dividend plus solar-powered resilient community hubs, cheaper power, and reduced levels of energy poverty. Above all, Aucklanders deserve an Entrust that runs transparent and fair elections, and that is accountable to the community.”

A huge thank you to everyone who stood up in all the various ways to support the More for You, Better for Auckland campaign. We are really heartened to have gathered so much support across a wide network and to have shone a light on what’s possible for Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s now in C&R’s hands to run an election that makes this a fair and honest contest of ideas.

Electric Waiheke: Vote in the Entrust election for cheaper, cleaner and more resilient power

A feature for Gulf News on the Electric Waiheke! event held at the WRT Sustainability Centre on 10 October

The demand for community generated electricity came through strongly at an Electric Waiheke public meeting last week at the Sustainability Centre, hosted by More for You, Better for Auckland on the first day of voting for the leadership of New Zealand’s largest community energy asset owner, Entrust.

Guest speaker Dr David Hall, Rewiring Aotearoa’s co-founder gave a compelling presentation based on Rewiring Aotearoa’s research into the multitude of benefits for communities from investing in roof top solar and batteries.

“The cost of solar systems have come down so far in price – and increasingly batteries too – that it makes economic sense to invest in rooftop systems to provide security of supply and guaranteed lower power bills. Our research shows that, as a national average, households can expect an average saving of $4,500 p/a (based on low cost finance now available or $1,500 if finance is at today’s standard interest rates) says Dr David Hall. “Electrifying homes and private vehicles in communities like Waiheke and all of Aotearoa we estimate will result in $10bn cost savings by 2040, lower emissions, massive efficiency gains in addition to improved well-being for households and whānau”

More for You, Better for Auckland, the independent team running in the election for the 5 Trustees of Entrust, plan to work with Vector to accelerate the rollout of solar and batteries across the city to unlock a low-cost source of power and deliver resilience for communities like Waiheke.

“Islands, like Waiheke are the perfect place to develop community electricity resources, solar and battery hubs, because upgrading the grid there is very expensive for the number of residents, so the economics are even more favourable. An island is ideal for building community structures and systems with new cheaper distributed technologies. An excellent example of the kind of change Entrust needs to be leading but currently isn’t.” says Patrick Reynolds, spokesperson for More for You, Better for Auckland.

Entrust should be supporting the development of a local community group to work through the options, discover their issues like continuity of supply, direct Vector to provide technical advice, and commission external expertise. It is likely there are way better and more cost effective options than simply continuing to expensively super-size the network and doubling down on keeping the island dependent on the national grid with a massive new undersea cable.

Furthermore Waiheke, is a microcosm of Aotearoa New Zealand, which is a similarly isolated system, working through all the issues for the island of distributed networks with an engaged community, provides for mutual benefit.

Waiheke experiences frequent power outages relying on one cable from the mainland to deliver energy to 5,900 households on the island. Jason Bryant who attended the meeting recorded 16 power cuts in the last year. “Our community of Orapiu at the far end of the island has just over 100 dwellings. A community grid would give Orapiu grid stability, and be cheaper for Vector to put in place than rewire the area and bring in a new cable from Onetangi. With close to 10% of houses already with rooftop solar, and many having storage capacity, it would make sense to offer the residents low cost energy certainty and resilience”. says Mr Bryant

Lindsay Jeffs, from Carbon Neutral Waiheke, facilitated the meeting. “If 1000 properties on Waiheke installed rooftop solar Waiheke would produce enough electricity to meet all its energy and light transport needs. To achieve this by 2030 requires Vector, a community owned energy trust, to fully embrace and support this achievable sustainable and cost saving goal. We as a community can do this and be leaders in the field.” summed up Mr Jeffs to the meeting.

After 30 years of National party aligned C&R controlling Entrust, this election offers the chance to vote for new leadership to bring focus on affordable, resilient and future-focused electricity system

“The C&R ticket that has controlled Entrust for three decades has resisted innovation and under-invested while overseeing rising energy bills and a dividend that is declining in real terms. In short, the incumbent leadership has dropped the ball, and it is time for visionary leadership.” says Mr Reynolds

More for You, Better for Auckland plans for a widespread rollout of rooftop solar will unlock a low-cost source of power that will boost competition and resilience. “The Australians have figured this out; 35 percent of their rooftops have solar panels,” says Reynolds. “In Auckland, it’s just two percent. If we followed their example and adopted solar panels and batteries at scale we would tap into a source of cheap, renewable power at zero transmission costs.” We’re exciting about what is possible with Entrust working directly for communities like Waiheke.

Former Waitematā & Gulf ward Councillor Pippa Coom is one of the 5 More for You, Better for Auckland candidates. She asked the meeting to help raise awareness about the opportunity to vote. “The incumbents on Entrust control the rules of the election because it is not subject to the Electoral Act. Despite turnout falling to an all time low of 9.6% in 2021 they have failed to modernise the election or extend the short two week postal voting period. C&R Trustees benefit from an expensive Entrust dividend advertising campaign just before voting starts but ensure Entrust has no budget towards promoting the election.

“We therefore felt it was extra important to host the Electric Waiheke public meeting to raise awareness of the Entrust election. I’m delighted that on the first day of voting we were able to bring Dr David Hall over to Waiheke for such a well attended meeting at the Sustainability Centre” said Pippa

The Entrust elections are held by postal vote. More for You, Better for Auckland recommends posting voting papers in the self-addressed envelop by Monday, 21 October to arrive on time. Alternatively, you can drop your ballot in the orange ballot bins at 10 Woolworths supermarkets across the city including the Woolworths in Ostend right up until 5pm on election day, Friday 25 October.

Time for a new generation: why I’m running in Aotearoa’s most undemocratic election

Power in the hands of one party for 30 years – that doesn’t sound very democratic, does it? And yet that’s the situation Entrust has found itself in, ever since its origins as the Auckland Consumer Energy Trust. Since day one, the C&R ticket has controlled Entrust as its own fiefdom, hanging onto all five trustee positions every three years.

In 2009, in hopes of being a trustee, I stood as an independent. I thought I had a fair chance, and I knew I had something to offer. As a former Vector lawyer I understood the field, and I wanted to serve in the interests of the community.

I quickly discovered this was a contest that was stacked against newcomers, the normal democratic process heavily distorted in favour of the incumbents by a well-feathered campaign, low turnout and a cumbersome postal voting system.

Afterwards, I wrote about that experience and how a lack of voter awareness combined with media incuriosity to essentially hand the trust to one party. I ventured a prediction: “It will be interesting to see what the media and electricity consumers make in future of power cuts, under-investment in energy infrastructure, rising energy bills, excessive Trustee fees, unsustainable dividend payments, a lack of community engagement by the Trust or any of the range of issues facing Vector and the AECT.”

These issues, already visible on the horizon in 2009, can no longer be ignored. For decades, C&R has failed to tackle them, leaving Auckland households worse off as a result. Worse, C&R dominance of the Trust gifts them two trustees on the board of Vector (each receiving an extra $107,000 pa director fee), where they also hold back innovation. They show no ambition to support consumers beyond doling out an annual dividend that continues to shrink in value.

And over the years, the Entrust election has become even less democratic. In 2021, the late Rod Oram wrote of the 2018 election “C&R made it a real turnoff, hence only 12.44 percent of voters cast their ballots” (Chance to clean out an Auckland shambles). Incredibly, 2021 turnout plummeted even further than that record low, to a mere 9.5%.

You would think that as trustees, C&R would be concerned about this. Surely they would want a proper mandate. Instead, they’ve done next to nothing to reverse the decline in voting. This is shocking. It is completely within their power to modernise the two-week postal voting system, which is no longer fit for purpose, with fewer post boxes, and far less frequent mail deliveries.

It seems it suits the incumbents that the voting system they control creates multiple hurdles to participation. This isn’t just about remembering to post a ballot. Just one example of the many barriers: in 2018, the City Vision team discovered that the C&R Entrust Trustees had actually banned the independent Electoral Officer from promoting the Entrust election turnout!

The way C&R runs the election is even more of a barrier for apartment dwellers and renters, which includes many young people. Only the person whose name is on the power account receives the voting papers. (They’re also the person who receives the annual dividend, conveniently timed to arrive just before the election.)

In an apartment building, it is often the body corporate on behalf of all the residents who gets the voting papers. In a flat, it could be the landlord, or a person who doesn’t live there, or a flatmate who quietly pockets the dividend and bins the ballot without the other flatmates knowing.

And forget it if you need to cast a special vote from out of town or overseas – because there is only a two-week voting window. (This year, the Electoral Officer recommends posting voting papers by 21st October to arrive in time for election day on 25th October.)

In 2024, there will be the option to use ballot boxes located at 10 Woolworth supermarkets across the Entrust district, up until election day. But this overdue “innovation” has come too little, too late – and there’s no information yet about which supermarkets, and where (as at 4 October the Entrust “election resource” page is empty and there has been zero promotion of the election coming up in less than a week).

Perhaps the most shocking aspect of the election is the timing of the annual dividend just before voting starts. It’s cunning stuff: the dividend lands in voters’ accounts just ahead of the election period, is misleadingly mentioned in electioneering, and trustees’ names and faces are all over the official messages about the dividend and benefit from extensive advertisements paid for by Entrust. This muddying of the field is not allowed in local government elections, and for good reason.The Parliamentary Justice Committee inquiry into the Entrust Election in 2021 found that “payouts made just prior to an energy trust election could be seen as influencing voters in favour of the existing board”.

The Entrust election can’t be approached as if it is a normal democratic election. C&R candidates don’t even bother to campaign in person, or attend public meetings to defend their policies or record, and as the election fast approaches we are seeing this same lazy approach in 2024. This is terrible for Auckland and for democracy. Luckily, there’s a better option.

That’s why I’m running for the Entrust board on an independent ticket called More for You, Better for Auckland. It’s time for a proper 21st C approach to our city’s power needs.

We have a great team that promises fresh leadership, expertise in innovation, and a vision for more affordable power and a more resilient system.

We’re motivated to run because there is so much at stake, and now’s the time to seize the opportunities the incumbents have been sitting on all this time. Entrust controls a $2.8 bn asset on behalf of the community. With visionary leadership and smart investment, there is so much potential to lower power bills, secure the energy supply and build community resilience.

More for You, Better for Auckland will deliver the innovation, diversity, transparency and accountability that Entrust needs. We have the fresh skills, experience, and solutions-focused policies to take Entrust forward for Auckland. You might have seen our colourful billboards. Check us out – we’re up for the challenge.

Voting starts Thursday 10 October, and 364,000 households will have the opportunity to ensure Entrust does more for you, and is better for Auckland. Look out for the Entrust voting papers in your letterbox. Do whatever it takes to get them in the mail by Monday 21 October, or into a supermarket ballot box near you before election day Friday 25 October.

The power is yours!

First published in Indian Newslink 5 October 2024

How to fix Auckland

Sir Bob Harvey asked me to contribute to a Metro magazine feature “How To Fix Auckland”. The brief: 250 words on a “wild crazy and if necessary wise take on vision and dreams for our future”

Bob and Hayden Donnell have brought together “22 of Auckland’s opinion leaders to share ideas for reshaping the future (and adding their own 2 cents, too)”

Here is my contribution

Freedom and adventure for Auckland’s children on a connected city network

I’ve heard Bob Harvey tell the story of when as a teenager he first rode his bike from Newton Gully all the way out to Karekare, the beginning of a lifelong love affair with his favourite place. His bicycle gave him the keys to the city, and a freedom he could take for granted.

My “wild and crazy” idea is that this should be an everyday reality for every child and young person in Tāmaki Makaurau right now, rather than a fond memory or a future dream. They deserve what young Bob enjoyed: the sheer joy of jumping on a bike and pedalling until you find a beach.

And when our youth can just as easily ride to kura, the playground, local shops and after-school jobs, we’ll have fixed Auckland in a multitude of ways.

The good news: we have the blueprint, knowledge and resources to make this vision a reality. We also have the public support. In every survey ever done, two out of three Aucklanders back a bikeable city, and with deeper discussion – as in a recent Koi Tū citizens’ assembly – it rises to 85%!

As every place where youngsters bike in large numbers has discovered, the deciding factor isn’t hills or weather. The not-so-secret sauce is simply a connected citywide network, just like the one drivers enjoy, and yes including the Auckland Harbour Bridge!

This dream is achievable today, if three key players play along:

Auckland Transport acts on the Mayor’s direction to find low-cost opportunities to complete the cycling network.
Councillors hold firm on their unanimous commitments to “supercharge walking and cycling” and build a city children can independently get around.
Government gets “back to basics” by investing in affordable active transport.

The rewards go far beyond empowering our kids. We’ll also solve congestion, improve health and well-being, ensure greater equity and access, and lock in cleaner air and fewer emissions. To me, what’s wild and crazy is that anyone’s still dithering on this great deal!

Illustration: James Stewart

Auckland Conservation Board update

Auckland Conservation Board members with Te Kawerau a Maki representatives CEO Edward Ashby and Environment Officer Mihi McMahon for the meeting held at Arataki Visitor Centre on 10 April

I was appointed to Te Runanga Papa Atawhai o Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland Conservation Board (ACB) in August 2023. The Board has an advisory and community liaison role in the conservation of the Auckland region. As part of my role I am the liaison with Te Rūnanga Papa Atawhai o Te Tai Tokerau Northland Conservation Board. My liaison report to their May meeting was a good opportunity to provide an update on what the Board has been up to so far this year.

Highlights

The year started for ACB with a field trip in February to Ōtata, The Noises a chain of islands, rock stacks and reefs, lying within the inner Hauraki Gulf Marine Park / Tīkapa Moana / Te Moananui-ā-Toi. One of the islands’ owners, Sue Neureuter (in the photo right with board members and DOC’s John Galilee), guided our members around the largest island, Ōtata. The tour included seeing wētāpunga, which had been bred by Auckland Zoo, who hold wētāpunga from their source population on Hauturu/Little Barrier. We support the Neureuter family’s proposal for a High Protection Area around the islands to restore the marine ecosystem.

The Board attended a joint formal meeting with the Waikato Conservation Board in mid-March 2024 in Hamilton. A number of shared issues were discussed including advocacy goals to support the work of the Northern NZ Seabirds Trust (Sentinel – Seabirds of Aotearoa exhibition has just opened at New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa with the support of the Trust. On until 27 October) .

Our recent advocacy has included:

presenting our submission to the Environment Select Committee on Hauraki Gulf Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill with several recommendations on how best to support a partnership approach with mana whenua that will help ensure the continued health of the Hauraki Gulf for everyone’s benefit. The Board strongly supports the need for Marine Protected Areas because they work!
presenting our submission to Auckland Council’s draft Long Term Plan. We called on the Mayor and Councillors to restore the NETR (Natural Environmental Targeted Rate) and the WQTR (Water Quality Targeted Rate) to their past levels and adjust them for inflation. Both rates were established 6 years ago to address the underinvestment in the environment in the Auckland Region after amalgamation and ongoing declines in the natural environment on land and in the sea. It is the right thing to do to stop the further degradation of harbours and freshwater and to prevent loss of species from predation and invasive pests such as Caulerpa.
preparing a joint submission with Te Hiku o Te Ika Conservation Board and Te Rūnanga Papa o Te Tai Tokerau / Northland Conservation Board in opposition to the government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill

Our strategic priority areas are:

Addressing the crisis of Auckland’s declining indigenous biodiversity, particularly in the marine and freshwater environments.
Enhancing relationships with Treaty partners by supporting the implementation of Treaty of Waitangi partnerships and the requirements of section 4 of the Conservation Act.
Supporting the transition to a lower-carbon conservation delivery model, having regard to the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019 and reducing the Board’s own carbon emissions.

Relevant on-going issues top of mind for ACB:

the spread of caulerpa
impact of the wreck of the “Niagara”
fairy tern habitat
sand mining off Pakiri
kauri dieback
impacts of severe weather on walking tracks
understanding the implications for the Auckland Region of the 6.5% cut to the Department’s budget

In addition, monitoring implementation of the Auckland Conservation Management Strategy (CMS) 2014-2024 is a priority for the Board. Resourcing issues have delayed work on the review of the CMS. Reporting to the board by DOC on key milestones in the CMS is expected through 2024.

Acknowledgements

Andrew Baucke with Chair Nicola MacDonald, and members Kate Waterhouse, Gael Ogilvie, Pippa Coom and Rahul Chopra

Board members attended the recent retirement function for Andrew Baucke, Director Operations for the Auckland Region. We welcome new director Alex Rogers on 20 May.

Chair, Nicola presented Andrew with a stunning taonga carved by Ngāti Manuhiri and gifted by Ngāti Manuhiri and Te Papa Runanga o Papa ki Tāmaki Makaurau / The Auckland Conservation Board.

The name of the taonga, Te Tohu can simply mean, The Mark or The Sign and aptly signifies the significant contribution of service that Andrew has made to conservation and Te Taiao.

Nicola MacDonald Environmental Hero of the year award winner

We are all extremely proud of ACB Chair Nicola MacDonald for winning Kiwibank’s Environmental Hero of the Year from a very strong field of nominations and finalists. Nicola ended our April meeting at Arataki Visitor Centre in the Waitākere Ranges as she addressed the audience in accepting her award at the New Zealander of the year awards night on 27 March:

Hei tiaki i te whenua

Hei tiaki i te moana

Hei tiaki i nga tamariki, mokopuna

He kaitiaki koe

He kaitiaki au

Mauri ora!

More about the Board here

Beyond Bikelash: Building and maintaining momentum

How do we move beyond “Bikelash” and the stoking of a harmful culture war against active transport? This is what Sara Templeton and I considered in our presentation to the 2Walk and Cycle Conference in Wellington 17-18 March. We teamed up to share our political and personal experiences of involvement in our cities’ cycleway programmes and of the bikelash that accompanies them.

We then joined a panel discussion Overcoming resistance: the politics of change with keynote speakers Janette Sadik-Khan (link to the Frocks on Bikes ride with JSK on her visit to Auckland ) and Salvador Rueda, and Wellington City Council Deputy Mayor, Laurie Foon with Session Chair Joel MacManus.

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to give my presentation to the Women in Urbanism Aotearoa (WiUA) AGM on 22 April.

Low traffic neighbourhood pilot Freyberg Street

On Saturday, before the conference, for the first time I experienced the city on a bike, my ebike I brought down with me on the train. Thanks to Patrick and Beth for the tour. It really felt like the city is making progress – not just for riders but for everyone. New crossings, safer walking routes, improved bus stops raised tables, a real low traffic neighbourhood. All important ingredients for a people friendly and liveable city.

I was impressed with the momentum underway in Wellington. Just as Sara mentioned in her presentation councils can keep delivering and we must support our council leaders to do just that (submitting on plan, presenting at council, emailing decision makers).

I was really delighted to be a speaker at the conference. I’ve been attending 2 Walk and Cycle since my first conference in Taranaki in 2009 originally as an advocate and then as an elected member over my 12 years on Auckland Council. I always learn a lot and feel energised by the people power in the room.

Headline in the Press following the Asia Pacific Cycle Conference 2017

I first met Sara at the Asia-Pacific Cycle Congress in Otautahi in 2017 when it felt like the sting was coming out of “Bikelash” for both of our cities. As it was reported from the Congress “A national rash of cycleway projects is making some motorists grumpy. But the cycle lobby seems to have its strategy sorted” .

It goes on “But now – impossible to believe, she (referring to me) agrees – Auckland is in the middle of a $200 million investment in 52km of dedicated cycleways. “There’s been a radical realignment of our cycling universe. One of Auckland’s political advantages is that the cycleways are an Auckland Transport-run programme and so less susceptible to rate-payer pressure, she says.” (ha!)

Incredibly those projects in 2017 I said where “safely in place” are still not delivered 7 years later, 6 years behind schedule. At the 2Walk and cycling 2021 I asked the question Why is it taking so long to deliver an urban cycling network? Leadership, sexism, the claylayer, the overplaying of community opposition were all factors and continue to be barriers.

Meola Road, Pt Chev to Westmere, under construction March 2024

What I would call a “bikelash” local government election in 2022 and budget cuts further threatened the programme in particular three routes covering the inner west of Auckland including this one in the photo.

It took an exhausting campaign by a well resourced community – 7 schools, 50 organisation, local residents associations, 3 business associations all in support- has got AT back on track but only just.

Stop de Kindermood protest in the Netherlands in response to rising road fatalities in the 1970’s

I often look at this photo – its on the wall of the Big Street Bikers office – and wonder what it will take in Aotearoa to really push through on delivery after so many delays. What will be the NZ version of the Netherland’s stop de kindermoord (stop child murder) protest movement. Do we need direct action to turn government policy and force delivery by agencies like Auckland Transport.? Does every lever possible need to be activated?

Clearly it is not just bikelash we need to move beyond but a full on culture war.

Community advocates
Radha Patel, Western Springs College student leader, Newtown School parents presenting to Auckland Council, Boopie Moran presenting to the AT Board

From my time council I know the importance of playing the council influence game – present, lobby, submit. Showimg elected representatives the evidence and support should be enough.

Boopsie Moran, extraordinary community advocate taking the time to present to the Auckland Transport Board on Katoa, Ka Ora Auckland’s speed management programme

Mums who just want their kids to get to school safely fronting up to speak at council

Students like Radha who petitioned for a safe crossing to school and advocated for the project . It should not be this hard and exhausting for volunteers but we know how essential it is.

What I think is going to have the biggest impact on the decision makers as Sara covered is from the momentum gathering pace around the country of people taking advantage of safe infrastructure and jumping on active transport. The majority of households have a bike- increasingly an e-bike, the majority want to be able to walk, scoot, wheel and cycle. (Waka Kotahi, NZTA Understanding attitudes and perceptions of walking and cycling survey 2023)

Politicians cutting the ribbon on cycling projects Top Left Glenn Innes to Tamaki stage 1; Bottom left Te ara i whiti Lightpath. Right Quay Street temporary cycleway opening with John Key, Simon Bridges and Len Brown

Famously it was the feedback the focus group from boomers who had experienced the Otago Rail Trail that convinced John Key to invest in urban cycling back in 2014 ( and if you look carefully from these cycleway opening pics the common denominator is a Minister of Transport and now Waka Kotahi board chair Simon Bridges). This is normal transmission and it needs to resume.

Mayor Wayne Brown riding on the footpath, ACT leader David Seymour with his e-bike; Quote from Richard Prebble

The decision makers (and in the case of the quote our elder statesmen) are so close to getting it!

I want to end on a positive note. This is a giltch .

It is not normal for the Minister of Transport to decline to attend the conference,

It is not normal for senior agency leaders to not attend. It is not normal to be “othered” when active transport is just what everyone does at some point on every journey and kids want to be able to get to kura safely.

It is not normal for leaders to pivot to road building priorities so readily (and change course off the back of media releases ) but not to have provided the same service for active transport – in the case of Auckland over 12 years of a progressive, supportive council!

Cover of the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2024

It is not normal during a climate emergency for a GPS that is so ill-informed, incoherent and lacking in any credibility. Whatever your political persuasion the draft GPS (consultation closed on 2 April) Zealand’s transport system and the communities it serves, now or in the future.

We can bring the discussion back on track and continue building momentum using every lever in our powers – I am sure this will happen including judicial review of the decision makers. This is our street fight. We know that it is the right thing for the health, well-being and freedom of current and future generations.

Reimaging the GPS as Transport for Life. Illustration by Carol Green

I ended by joining the call to attend the Transport for Life rally after the conference calling for a safe, fair and clean transport system and an evidence-based pathway to a healthy transport future for everyone in Aotearoa.

Submit for a healthy transport future for everyone in Aotearoa

I’m making a submission on the Draft Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024-34 (GPS) by the cut off midday on Tuesday 2 April. The GPS sets the funding priorities for land transport for the next 1o years so is hugely important for delivering an efficient, safe, accessible, healthy and affordable transport system for all.

Unfortunately the draft GPS is not informed by evidence, ignores the fundamental reasons why people travel and will not deliver on the government’s strategic priorities. The GPS starkly deviates from sensible transport policy, value-for-money investment decisions, and best-practice transport planning seen in other countries around the world.

For Aucklanders the GPS will result in more congestion, higher travels costs, poorer heath outcomes from increased pollution and reduced access to active travel options.

It completely ignores the needs of the 30% of New Zealanders who cannot or do not drive. More people, especially the most vulnerable road users like children and elderly, will die or be seriously injured on our streets and roads if the GPS is allowed to progress as drafted.

The GPS will not enhance economic growth and activity in urban centres like Auckland. Our transport challenges can not be met by building more roads as proposed by the GPS – the Roads of National Significance (RONS) make up only 1% of Auckland’s road network and according to Waka Kotahi’s own studies have Benefit-to-cost ratios of 1 or less. The RONS are not a good use of public money and are inefficient.

Leveraging every opportunity to get more out of the existing network, providing more efficient ways to move goods and people and encouraging mode shift will have the greatest positive impact for the city. The rapid transit network (and cycling network) can be completed by making use of existing road space. It makes no sense for the GPS to ban the current approach of funding improvements to local roads from a single funding source. Requiring walking and cycling investment from only one activity class will be inefficient and expensive for councils and create additional administrative costs. It also makes no sense for the GPS to direct that investment is only to be made “where demonstrated volumes of pedestrians and cyclists already exist.” The Auckland Harbour Bridge would never have been built if the same criteria had been applied.

As a former Auckland Councillor and Local Board member I know from experience that people want safer streets, want more transport options especially for local trips, and support investment in walking and cycling infrastructure. This is not based on “ideology” but on the feedback from countless public consultation processes and Waka Kotahi’s own surveying.

It also concerns me that there is no mention of engagement with Māori and improving outcomes for Māori. Again, from my experience on council I know that when engagement happens properly and respectfully with Māori the outcome is improved and of a higher quality for everyone.

There are a lot more points to cover about what needs to be ditched and improved in the GPS. Fortunately, smart and informed people have put together a submission guide Transport 4 all to assist with feedback on the main issues. Auckland Council also gave astute feedback on the GPS

Further reading

The GPS is a disaster for local government

Submission from a group of academics specialising in transport systems, public health, urban development, and geography

Lawyers for Climate Action NZ submission

The draft GPS cover reimagined as Transport for Life by Carol Green

What a difference a year can make

A reflection on the Mayor of Auckland to end 2023 posted on facebook and LinkedIn (please head there for any comments)

At the Helen Clark Foundation Christmas drinks last week I joked with Mayor Wayne Brown that a year ago, at the same event, hardly anyone wanted to talk to the presumed “worst ever” Mayor of Auckland so he didn’t stick around- one year on he is heartily welcomed as the Mayor to defend the city from the new government (or more specifically Simeon Brown)!

Wayne definitely rates himself as a much better Mayor than people give him credit for. It turns out his politics are quite good. It helped a lot that he quickly discovered that the councillors who he thought were his natural allies and backed him because he was ABC (Anybody But Collins) were not the ones who could be relied upon to constructively work to fix anything (the “furious few” who just say no to everything as Simon Wilson calls them). The progressive grouping of councillors have had an extremely tough year but as they’ve gotten used to a very different style of leadership they’ve achieved the wins and taken control of key positions (yay for them!). Hayden Donnell has captured the shift in power in his piece for Metro Has Wayne Brown gone Woke?

I have to credit the Mayor for his ability to change his mind once properly briefed (a trait unfortunately lacking in many politicians). He changed his view on the Te Hā Noa upgrade of Victoria St and didn’t chop Eke Panuku as he originally threatened. He hasn’t caved into Herald headlines over decisions like the Downtown Carpark redevelopment or reducing greenfields sprawl.

He has moved away from taking soundings from the “saboteurs” and discovered a much wider community of “urbanist” support (he didn’t back the Great North Road or the Pt Chev to Westmere upgrades but he didn’t block them either as the saboteurs and Mike Lee unsuccessfully attempted against the wishes of the community).

Of course I don’t support all his decisions (he was on the wrong side of history with Māori wards when leadership was needed and withdrawing membership from LGNZ was petty point scoring) and especially his plan to privatise the Ports of Auckland but there’s some surprisingly positive things coming in the draft Long Term Plan out for consultation next year like the proposal for a $50/week cap on PT fares. I’ll be cheering on if he really can deliver on “fixing” transport cheaply and quickly especially “low cost opportunities” to deliver the Auckland cycle network as AT has been directed.

None of which is to excuse the Mayor’s problematic behaviour. He has a terrible habit of blurting out inappropriate comments and offensive remarks. Sometimes it can be funny and I don’t think he intends to cause harm (mostly) but unfortunately his un-PC style has resulted in a culture from the top that has unleashed the worst from some councillors and seen excellent council staff leave. There are really decent and smart people in the Mayor’s office who must be hoping for a fresh approach in 2024.

Shutdown the clown show Mayor Brown

It would be reasonable to expect the Mayor of Auckland and his team to be working constructively, positively and respectfully with Councillors to land an annual budget ahead of a crucial vote on Thursday. In my experience this is how previous Mayors and the majority of councillors have got things done in the service of Auckland. After all, Wayne Brown doesn’t appear to have majority support for the centrepiece of his budget proposal: selling Council’s Auckland Airport shares.

The threats, bullying and gratuitous abuse flowing from Wayne Brown’s own “straight to the bone style of communication” won’t be helping. Even less helpful: the Mayor’s messaging is in the hands of the guy who was responsible for running nasty, manipulative attack campaigns on behalf of the Auckland Ratepayers Alliance (ARA) during last year’s local government election.

In May last year, when Josh Van Veen was appointed campaign manager of the Auckland Ratepayers Alliance, he wrote an email to all councillors introducing himself adding that he looked forward to engaging “fairly and honestly”. It was quickly apparent he wasn’t true to his word, perhaps because he was under the spell of Jordan “Dirty Politics” Williams (founder of the Taxpayers Union and Auckland Ratepayers Alliance) who had previously run a number of misleading campaigns, including against Phil Goff’s emergency budget in 2020. (In Van Veen’s first statement for the ARA he claimed incorrectly that AT is spending $6,200 per household on cycleways)

The ARA material appeared mainly via social media but I was also misrepresented in an expensive illuminated billboard. The local government election rules don’t require ARA to account for any of this expenditure.

Leading up to the local government election in October 2022, Van Veen was responsible for a steady stream of offensive and deceptive material targeting mayoral candidate Efeso Collins, Councillor Desley Simpson and a handful of progressive councillors who refused to sign the “ratepayers pledge“

One of the Auckland Ratepayers Alliance deceptive and misleading attack ads

Now as the Mayor’s press secretary, Van Veen needs to work with all Councillors including those he labelled the “clowns” during the election. Far from clowns, these councillors and the Deputy Mayor are part of the group on council Wayne Brown quickly discovered who are the most pragmatic, principled and hard working.

The attacks on Cr Desley Simpson as Chair, Finance and Performance Committee, particularly showed the misogynistic side of the Auckland Ratepayer Alliance

In a further irony, those who did sign the ratepayer pledge and who benefited from ARA’s attack campaigns against those who refused, are now being called “financially illiterate” by the Mayor (Even as a candidate, Wayne Brown had the commonsense not to sign the pledge. No elected representative should pre-determine a position on rates before having all the facts in hand via the budget process and the results of the public consultation).

Ideally it shouldn’t be necessary to be reminded of the dirty politics of the election campaign. I am sure my friends on council would prefer to focus on finding a way to work positively with Wayne Brown and his office. It is particularly painful to revisit the ARA’s material (only a few examples shown here) especially as the ARA campaigns led to blatant racist attacks on Councillor Josephine Bartley that continue to this day. She is singled out for an unacceptable level of abuse that no other councillor faces for asking legitimate questions about the budget and speaking out on her position.

Mayor Wayne Brown has created a “clown show” himself. He could have argued on the facts and played the ball but chose (so far) to use intimidation and the nasty tactics of the ARA. It would not be surprising if his choice of Press Secretary is making it harder to find a constructive way forward. It really needs to be asked to what end is the Mayor continuing with the threats and bullying and what will it take before it is shutdown as unacceptable?

In the meantime, the best way to stand up to bullies is to make sure they don’t get their own way. There isn’t a budget crisis that necessitates selling off the airport shares. There are always alternatives (for example A Better Budget for Auckland team have provided two updated options) . The pressure will be on the Deputy Mayor and thoughtful Councillors to seek a more decorous, rigorous and respectful process to reach a good outcome on Thursday. I am sure they will cut through the Mayor’s “clowning” around and nastiness to achieve the best for our city.

Oh Waiheke

The final breakdown of elections results confirmed I won in Waitematā (city centre and central suburbs) but unfortunately it was a very different picture on Waiheke. I wrote the following for the Waiheke Gulf News (published on 1 December 2022) to set the record straight on a number of the election issues. It is also an opportunity to give thanks for the privilege of serving the Gulf Islands for the 2019-2022 term

It was a privilege to represent Waitematā and Gulf for a term as Councillor. I’ve appreciated the relationships I was able to develop in the community even though covid restrictions limited the amount of time I’d like to have spent on Waiheke over the last three years. There are so many people doing great things to support the well-being and resilience of the island (and make it a fun place too!).

It was also a pleasure to work with your local board to progress a range of issues including ferry fare equity, restoration of the Hauraki Gulf and stopping the proliferation of heli-pads. Another term just wasn’t to be unfortunately. But that is the reality of politics and the result of a very low turnout in local government elections.

However, I would like to take this opportunity to set the record on a number of claims that were made during the election campaign that were not correct and may have misled locals (the quotes are from Mike Lee’s election material) .

There have never been “plans to hand over control of the Hauraki Gulf to a non- elected ‘co-governed’ authority or similar non-democratic entity” this is a complete misrepresentation of the Hauraki Gulf Forum’s advocacy position adopted in March 2022. The Forum’s goal is to be the lead advocate for the Gulf to help turnaround its decline.
There were also no “related plans to break up our regional park network”. There have never been plans to break up regional parks or transfer control away from Auckland Council. The final Regional Parks Management Plan signed off in September 2022 was welcomed for strengthening collaboration between regional parks and the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park
Another often repeated claim was that “council spending and debt is out of control”. Since the election council’s budget hole has widened from what was projected as a result of the ongoing impact from rising inflation and interest rates, which is leading to costs rising faster than revenues. Last term Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, led the finance committee ensuring the budget was managed prudently and responsibly to retain an AA credit rating.

There will no doubt need to be difficult choices council has to make on the options available to respond to the budget situation. Wayne Brown has put public transport sceptic and former Minister Maurice Williamson in charge of the “razor gang” – the new Expenditure Control and Procurement Committee. Under the old Auckland City Council a razor gang sold off pensioner housing and airport shares and cut services in response to a claimed “fiscal emergency” so close scrutiny will be needed of the Mayor’s proposed budget for 23/24 when it is announced in December.

Another concern is what happens to the Hauraki Gulf Forum when it meets for the first time in February. Under co-governance leadership the Forum has been able to achieve a great deal over the last 2 years including expanding marine protected areas and working with community groups on planting waterways. Anti co-governance aligned groups who attacked me over a sustained period will be seeking to reverse the progress made with the help of the reactionary councillors re-appointed to the Forum.

Regardless, I remain hopeful as I think the local government election 2022 will end up being a turning point that actually ends up strengthening the Hauraki Gulf Forum (especially the debate for co-governance) and the Super City in the best interests of Waiheke and Tāmaki Makaurau.

I plan to remain close to the Gulf Islands as my role may have changed but the work for the community and the environment continues.

A few photos from my time serving Waiheke Island 2019- 2022

Crew at the Love Our Wetland community planting day at Rangihoua on August 22

On Waiheke with the a view out to Rakino

Piritahi Marae Waiheke Marine Project — Hui at Piritahi Marae

Waiheke Art Gallery director Fiona — Waiheke Community Art Gallery

Councillor report February 2021 — Placing of a two-year rāhui on the island in a bid to stop four species of kaimoana from collapsing

Annual Plan consultation March 2020 with Cr Angela Dalton

Thanks to Sue for sending me this letter which unfortunately the editor of the Gulf News wouldn’t publish in full. Posted here with permission.

Editor Gulf News

3rd December 2022

Kia ora Editor,

I would like to thank Pippa Coom, the previous Gulf Councillor, for her work and her responsiveness to island concerns and her unprecedented attendance at island events (biking from her home to the ferry and back again) including evening events. I, also, applaud her letter in last week’s Gulf News. I was bitterly disappointed by the campaign of Trumpian style misinformation about the Gulf Forum promulgated by certain island public figures. I have followed the Gulf Forum for many years and when the independent review (contracted to the Environmental Defence Society) re the governance of the Forum, written by Raewyn Peart and Brooke Cox, was publicly released in February 2019 I read it carefully. Part of the review looked into why the Forum seemed to have no teeth to stop the health decline of the Gulf (Tikapa moana). Their clear recommendations helped the succeeding Board and co-chairs of the Forum to create a more efficient and effective body. Pippa has set the record straight. I did send a copy of the Peart and Cox review to the Gulf News following the publishing of misinformation but this email and its attachment was never acknowledged. This disappoints me.

ngā mihi,

Sue Fitchett

It’s a wrap after 12 years on Auckland Council

Now that the official results are confirmed it is time to call a wrap on the election campaign and my council career. It certainly wasn’t the result I was hoping for as I really thought Auckland was ready for a visionary progressive Pasifika Mayor Collins who is an empathetic and constructive leader.
I wish the Wayne Brown Mayoralty the best and hope that he will quickly figure out what really needs to be fixed but early indications are not promising. I find it particularly worrying that he is calling for the heads of the Council Controlled Organisations before he has even met the directors or been briefed on what they actually do. Former Deputy Mayor Bill Cashmore, as CCO Oversight Committee Chair, spent a huge amount of time working on the CCO relationship and implementing the CCO review. That work is now being trashed by Mr “Fix it”. I would suggest Wayne listen to IMBS Chair Taipiri and show some respect.

However, there are a lot of successes to acknowledge and celebrate. I am super proud and happy that City Vision’s Julie Fairey has been elected and will be joined by Labour’s Lotu Fuli and Kerrin Leoni (there is now one more Labour councillor than previously). They are going to be a formidable team of newbies. The re-election of Councillors Richard Hills, Shane Henderson, Josephine Bartley, Chris Darby and Angela Dalton is especially sweet as they were up against some hideous personal attacks. They have strongly represented their communities and campaigned with integrity so really deserve their wins.

Congratulations and many thanks to my City Vision whānau. I was fortunate to campaign with an impressive and diverse group of candidates with fantastic support from a team of volunteers. It was a mixed overall result for City Vision but I am really happy for all those elected, especially Richard Northey, Alex Bonham and Anahera Rawiri elected on to the Waitematā Local Board. I know they will continue to do great work.

Congratulations as well to the Aotea Great Barrier and Waiheke Local Boards. It is good news the boards are very likely to remain under strong leadership of Izzy Fordham and Cath Handley with a committed group of local board members (the chairs are decided at the inaugural board meeting). I reported every month to the three local boards in my ward and worked closely with them on issues of concern such as the proliferation of helipads and ferry fares . I share my commiserations with outgoing Linda Cooper and Paul Young, both excellent councillors who will be greatly missed for their hard work and regional focus.

I am of course really gutted about my own failure to win re-election to Auckland Council. It has been a huge privilege to serve as Councillor for Waitematā and Gulf ward following 9 years on the Waitemata Local Board. I’m grateful to have been on a Phil Goff led Council. He’s shown incredible leadership through a really difficult time and always kept his good humour.
Over the last term there had been lots of progress and achievements that I am really proud about. From work on local issues like safety outside schools and the covid recovery to being part of a leadership team that saw the adoption of Te Tāruki ā Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Pan, the Climate Action Targeted Rate with almost $1 billion of climate action investment over the next 10 years and the bold Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway. (I wrote up my reflections on the 2019-2022 term covering many achievements here) In particular, I’m proud of the progress we made on the Hauraki Gulf Forum following the adoption of co-governance leadership in February 2020. There is no going back from the path the Forum is now on.
I went out with a progressive, positive campaign to continue this work but unfortunately it wasn’t enough. I don’t have a Plan B at this stage but I remain committed to progressing restoration of the Hauraki Gulf, climate justice, and expansion of safe transport choices for Aucklanders. I will never be far from causes towards a fairer, more just and equitable society. I will keep fighting against misinformation and disinformation and holding the spreaders to account (here’s one example from the election campaign on Council’s “out of control budget” ). I will be pushing for electoral reform as the privatised local government elections with antiquated postal voting is clearly not fit for purpose, disenfranchising a large percentage of the population.

I’m really grateful for all the support I’ve received and the many working relationships I’ve built up that I hope to maintain. I need further time to reflect on what I should have done differently and why I didn’t secure support from those who share City Vision’s progressive values. What I certainly hadn’t anticipated was the need to fight an election on two fronts: against an opponent willing to stretch the truth (to put it kindly)* and an often nasty and misogynistic personal attack against me led by the Taxpayers Union. Their extensive database built up from many “anti” campaigns combined with the disinformation campaign against co-governance engineered by Democracy Action against the Hauraki Gulf Forum were all intended to influence the result in favour of C&R endorsed Mike Lee without directly campaigning for him. It was also the first election with very little media coverage at a ward level to counter all the fact-free and alarmist messaging (RNZ Mediawatch: The media and low local election turnout). It is difficult to know whether that had an impact on turnout and the result.

Having said that I absolutely recognise that I must take responsibility for not winning enough votes and support when it counted. There is clearly a lot of anger built up over covid that motivated voters who don’t want further change but also disappointment in what hasn’t been achieved over 12 years of a progressive council that I have been part of. Ironically it is failure to deliver on cycleways that worked against me! I think Hayden Donnell quoted in the Guardian is bang on the money in summing up what has happened.

“I don’t think that this is a complete rejection of progressive politics,” says Donnell, noting that Wellington’s rejection of the Labour-backed candidate took a swing left. “I think that the progressive vote … is disillusioned with how incremental the changes have been, and how their lives are not really meaningfully better than they were three, six or nine or 12 years ago. So you have these two things: you have an energised conservative movement, and you have disillusioned progressive counter-movement. And so you’ve got real gains for the conservative reactionaries across the country.”

I have written to Mike Lee to congratulate him and will continue to stay close to all the communities across Waitematā and Gulf. I know that the kaupapa is strong and there is no going back to the Auckland he, and the other anti- “woke” councillors, want to represent. I’m sad, but probably shouldn’t be surprised, that after campaigning for Mike over three elections he wasn’t able to gracefully pass the baton but ended up aligning himself with C&R and the National party to win re-election. It will be interesting to see how he works with Mayor Brown on issues like Ports of Auckland and adapts to the expectations of a far more respectful way of working with staff than he has previously experienced.

Despite the final result this time around I remain positive and, regardless of the opportunities that come along for me next, I think this election will end up being seen as a turning point that actually strengthens the Hauraki Gulf Forum (especially the debate for co-governance) and the Super City for the best of Auckland rather than rips it apart. The 9 progressive Councillors on the governing body are now the biggest and most capable grouping who I am sure will put up a strong fight to continue the excellent work under way in the interests of all Aucklanders.

I wish the new Mayor and council well and will stay close to the action as much as I can.

Photo taken from the shores of Lake Wanaka where I am clearing my head post election

*Some examples from Mike Lee’s election manifesto

opposing “plans to hand over control of the Hauraki Gulf to a non- elected ‘co-governed’ authority or similar non-democratic entity” – this is a complete misrepresentation of the Hauraki Gulf Forum’s advocacy position adopted in March 2022
opposing “the related plans to break up our regional park network” – there have never been plans to break up regional parks or transfer control. The final Regional Parks Management Plan signed off in September 2022 was welcomed for strengthening collaboration between regional parks and the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park
Claims that “council spending and debt is out of control”. The budget has been managed prudently and responsibility to retain a AA credit rating

UPDATED

Prudent and responsible management of Auckland Council’s budget

Anyone claiming “council’s debt and spending is out of control” or that council is “virtually broke” (and there are plenty of candidates who really should know better) needs to talk to Cr Desley Simpson, stalwart of the National party who has led the Finance & Performance Committee this term with her Deputy Shane Henderson. She has worked closely with the Mayor to oversee the prudent and responsible management of the budget. Savings targets have been exceeded, debt is well below agreed levels and most importantly throughout the financial challenges of the pandemic which knocked a $900m hole in Council’s budget, the credit ratings with S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investor Services of AA and Aa2 respectively have been retained.

The big numbers involved in serving 1.7 million Aucklanders are not something to be scared of as council invests in climate action and the much-needed infrastructure to meet Auckland’s growing population. Just this term the capital investment programmes of more than $6 billion has delivered the likes of the Quay Street upgrade, the Te Wānanga new coastal space on the waterfront, Te Komititanga public square on Queen Street, and Te Ngau o Horotiu, the new downtown ferry terminal.

The old Auckland City Council kept rates artificially low and failed to make long term investments in infrastructure by pushing out projects like water separation. This is why we have poo in the harbour. The water quality programme is now funded and making significant progress.

Debt is currently 16% of council’s assets and well below pre-covid levels of 270% debt to revenue ratio. It is not equitable or logical to pay down debt further by cutting services and assets on a balance sheet as stable as Auckland Council’s. As David Shand, a member of the Royal Commission that recommended setting up the Supercity, says “candidates who complain about Auckland’s debt and promise to reduce it are in my view, financially illiterate. Debt is a sound way of financing long-term assets and Auckland’s debt is within prudential limits.”*

A lot of false claims are made about Auckland Council’s rates too. We have never had the highest average general percentage increase of any council in NZ. Currently Auckland is 4th of the metropolitan cities (after Tauranga, Wellington and Dunedin). Rates have been kept below inflation in Annual Budget 22/23 at the same time significant savings have been achieved and costs have risen as a result of covid. Since amalgamation council has made savings and efficiencies of $2.4 billion. This term alone, operational savings and efficiency achievements total in excess of $260 million with group procurement savings of just under $150 million.

Auckland Council’s annual report 21/22 released on 30 September confirms we’ve been able to deliver $2.28 billion worth of capital investment, and exceed an ambitious target of $90 million in operational savings by $2.7million. This totals the annual savings and efficiencies at $92.7 million, which when added to the savings figures from the past two years, adds up to delivering a final total of savings and efficiencies well in excess of a quarter of a billion dollars this term.

We are now on the countdown to Election Day on 8 October. Check your letter box if you haven’t seen your purple envelope yet or call the Election Office on 0800 922 822 if it didn’t arrive. Voting papers can be dropped in Vote Boxes at transport hubs, Countdown supermarkets and libraries. (check the map here)

There is still time to make an informed decision on the candidates who are upfront about what they stand for and straight with the facts.

David Shand: Auckland Voters – here’s some questions you should be asking, NZ Herald 6 September (paywalled)