March 31, 2026
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is urging councillors to vote down a proposal by Council-Controlled Organisation Tātaki Auckland Unlimited to spend $2.5 million of ratepayer money on a new concert venue at Western Springs.
Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen said the proposal highlights the Council’s lack of a clear plan for the future of Western Springs.
“Ratepayers are still none the wiser about what problem Auckland Council is actually trying to solve here.”
“Western Springs has operated as a successful concert venue for decades, while also accommodating Speedway and Ponsonby Rugby. Now, after burning through $11 million to force Speedway out, the Council wants to pour even more money into a solution looking for a problem.”
“The Council is making it up as they go along when it comes to one of Auckland’s most valuable public assets.”
“To push ahead with another $2.5 million spend up while Aucklanders are about to be hit with a record rates hike is simply unacceptable.”
“Ratepayers deserve discipline and a proper plan for Western Springs, not more money thrown at ill-conceived ideas.”
March 30, 2026
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance has responded to revelations by Councillor John Gillon that Auckland Council and its Council-Controlled Organisations have spent $5 million on catering over the past four financial years amid the biggest rates hike in the history of the Super City.
Josh Van Veen, spokesman for the Auckland Ratepayer’s Alliance, said:
“While Aucklanders are tightening their belts, the Council has loosened theirs at the buffet table.
“This is part of a wider culture of waste that ratepayers are increasingly fed up with.”
“Every dollar spent on catering is a dollar not spent on fixing roads, improving services, or easing the pressure on households.”
“It’s time to cut the waste. We back Councillor Gillon’s calls for an end to excessive catering and a crackdown on bureaucratic overspending.”
The Ratepayers’ Alliance has published an Alternative Budget to control expenditure and cap the average residential rates rise at three percent
March 19, 2026
The Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance has today launched StopWayne.nz, a new submission tool for ratepayers to push back against Mayor Wayne Brown’s proposed rates blowout.
Jordan Williams, spokesman for the Ratepayers’ Alliance said:
“Wayne Brown promised to cut spending and get rates under control. Instead, he is proposing the biggest rates hike in the Super City's history.
“This is the same Mayor whose office spent 608 times more on consultants than his predecessor. The same Mayor on whose watch administrative overheads have blown out by 30 percent.
“Brown is hiding behind the City Rail Link to try and justify the rates blowout. Aucklanders see right through it.
The Ratepayers’ Alliance has also published an Alternative Budget to Brown which controls expenditure and caps the average residential rates rise to three percent.
“Auckland Council spends $869.4 million a year on backroom functions and non-core activities. That is $1,423 per household. Brown was elected to get that under control.
“There is plenty of fat for Wayne Brown to cut. We’ve shown how it can be done without impacting on core services or infrastructure. He has no excuse.”
Individual submissions can be made at StopWayne.nz. The Alternative Budget for Auckland Council is available at ratepayers.nz/alternative_budget_2026.
February 03, 2026
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is challenging Mayor Wayne Brown’s misleading claim that a rates cap would only save Auckland households the equivalent of a can of baked beans a month.
Josh Van Veen, spokesman for the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance, says:
“The numbers simply do not lie. In Auckland, average residential rates went up 20.9 percent between 2022 and 2025, from $2,992 to $3,617.33. A 2-4 percent rates cap would have saved the average Auckland household between $251.73 and $442.19 over the last three years.”
“It’s all laid out in the Rates Cap Savings Dashboard, using Auckland Council’s own numbers.”
December 16, 2025
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is demanding a full breakdown of Mayor Wayne Brown’s historic 7.9 percent rates increase.On Monday, the council’s Budget and Performance Committee approved the mayoral proposal for public consultation early next year.
Earlier this month, the Ratepayers’ Alliance challenged Mayor Brown’s claim that the planned 7.9 percent rates rise is due to the cost of running the City Rail Link (CRL).
Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen said:
"The Long-term Plan budgeted an extra $294 million in rates revenue next year. Mayor Brown has always claimed that the increase was to cover the cost of the CRL.
"But the council has yet to put a specific number on how much of that can be attributed to the CRL.
"Yesterday, council officers indicated to the committee that nearly half of the rates increase could be due to factors other than the CRL, casting further doubt on the mayor’s claim.
"We are urging councillors to ensure the public consultation material includes a clear and detailed breakdown of what accounts for the extra $294 million that Aucklanders are going to pay in rates next year."
October 02, 2025
Responding to the Auckland Mayor's latest outburst - telling Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance members calling on the Mayor to sign the Ratepayer Protection Pledge to 'f*ck off' — Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance spokesman, Sam Warren says:
"The comments are water off a duck's back. He's known as Mr Grumpy for a reason."
"Wayne Brown likes to frame himself as a ratepayer hero. He talks the talk, but won't walk the walk. Hundreds of incumbent and hopeful candidates around New Zealand have signed the Ratepayer Protection Pledge. Other cities' leaders are saying 'yes' and have signed the Pledge. So should Mr Brown."
"Unless Wayne Brown changes tack, he'll be delivering the highest ever rates hike for the Super City. He should be swearing about that."
October 02, 2025
We were on the fence about sharing this, but I think you should know what Wayne Brown has replied to the requests by our supporters for him to join hundreds of incumbent and prospective Mayors around New Zealand and sign the 2025 official Ratepayer Protection Pledge.
In short, Wayne Brown sent us a message in response to Aucklanders respectfully asking him to sign the Pledge.
Here's what he said:
Friend, telling ratepayers to 'f**k off' for asking him to commit to entirely reasonable positions is incredibly telling.
Even if he doesn't agree with keeping rates to inflation – he's thumbing his nose flicking the bird at committing to council spending transparency, and voting against more unelected appointments to council committees.
So much for "fixing Auckland", Mr Brown! 💩
Friend, voting turnout is extremely low – which means your vote matters more than ever. With less than 10 days to go, make sure you have voted, and please make sure you've voted for council candidates who have done the honourable thing and signed the Ratepayer Protection Pledge.
To see which local candidates in your area have signed the Pledge, visit the Ratepayer Voting Guide @ Ratepayer.Vote
September 05, 2025
Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance has declared a major victory with the news today that democratic accountability will be returned to Auckland’s transport functions.
Sam Warren, a spokesman for the Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance, said:
“We’ve pushed incredibly hard for these reforms, and finally decision making has been returned to democratically elected officials who ultimately answer to Aucklanders.”
“Auckland Transport has become a law unto themselves, wasting countless ratepayer dollars on projects neither wanted nor needed. Returning key decision-making powers to Auckland Council is the only possible solution to fix the massive disconnect.”
“We applaud the Mayor, and the Ministers for Auckland and Transport, for their work on this reform. But with our congratulations comes a challenge to the Mayor: no longer can Auckland Transport be blamed for reckless spending decisions. The Mayor has expressed his desire to find savings and reduce waste - now there is no excuse.”
“As the bill becomes law, we expect far greater use of ratepayer money on only the essentials. No more $60 million bills on road cones, or gold-plated cycle ways that are never used. This reform is a generational opportunity to get Auckland back to reality.”
August 26, 2025
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance can reveal, through a request made under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, that ratepayers have spent $237,561 on the ‘Whai’ light-up installation that is currently displayed at Silo Park.
“It’s incredulous for Auckland Council to demand an extra $300 million this year from ratepayers, only to get caught funding light-up art installations. Have they no shame?”
“Council’s controversial 5.8 percent rates increase, which we now know is much higher, has hit households incredibly hard. When families are choosing between paying for rates or paying for groceries, can we agree that this is not a good use of money?”
“Auckland Council has claimed the average rates bill is $4,069 – on that assumption, they’ve effectively spent 60 households’ worth of rates on this one thing. And to ask us for more money with a straight face is just insulting.”
“Only five months ago we called out Auckland Council’s ridiculous $560,000 ‘Rainbow Machine’, and hanging fairy lights in Silo Park for a quarter million dollars simply isn’t a priority for households. Stick to the basics and start treating our money with some respect, otherwise we’ll find new councillors who will.”
August 26, 2025
Auckland Council this week will vote on underwriting a $30 million events fund that could see rates rise a further 0.4 percent if the Government doesn’t allow them to charge a bed tax.
Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman Sam Warren said:
“Councillors have things completely backwards. They’ve just added an extra $300 million on top of last year’s revenue; cut some spending before demanding even more money.”
“Pleading poverty to government so they can host big events is ridiculous, but if they’re so desperate for $30 million, why not cut the $32-million-a-year food scrap bin programme? Less than a third of Aucklanders use the bins, and the scheme doesn’t even stack up environmentally either.”
“There will always be an excuse for more tax, but Auckland Council has only exploded in bureaucracy and costs. Let’s find savings, pay down debt, and lower the rates burden so we can actually afford to live in this increasingly unliveable city.”
