March 25, 2024
A new Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance – Curia poll released today shows Aucklanders back Wayne Brown’s proposal to lease out the management of the Port by more than 2 to 1.
The poll also showed that Aucklanders support the Mayor’s proposal to create a Future Fund to manage its investments in Auckland Airport and its Port company by nearly 3 to 1.
Commenting on the results of the poll, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Sam Warren, said:
"Aucklanders want to see Council get smarter about infrastructure. Leasing Port operations while keeping the land in the hands of ratepayers would see a significant upfront source of revenue, that could be used to to pay for infrastructure and reduce the impact of future rates rises.”
“When ratepayers are facing hikes of up to 38% over the next 3 years – moving to a more efficient, profitable model makes sense to the majority of people, who are tired of the status quo.”
March 25, 2024
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is calling out 'Stop Stealing Our Harbour' for scaremongering about Ports of Auckland, misleading Aucklanders that an operating-company/property-company proposal before Auckland Council would see the CBD port expand or stick to its current footprint.
"Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman, Sam Warren, says: 'Stop Stealing Our Harbour' are launching the ship before building the dock.
"We understand from Council sources that private operators have in-fact offered to take over the Port operations using a smaller footprint to both free up land back for public use, and return more to ratepayers than the current mismanaged model allows. It’s a win-win.
“Auckland needs a Mayor and Council to look at all options to calm the Super City’s fiscal whirlpool. Unless a magic ferry comes along to pay to move the port, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
"The question should be, who is best to operate the port in the most efficient, and environmentally friendly fashion. Clearly the status quo is failing.”
March 22, 2024
The Minister for Auckland, Transport, and Local Government, Simeon Brown, has announced plans to restore Auckland Transport’s accountability to elected Councillors. Commenting on this, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman, Sam Warren, said:
“As the only council-run transport system in the country without democratic accountability, it is clear that Auckland Transport’s current system is unfit for purpose. It’s a failure, and an expensive one at that.
“Given its refusal to make proper savings by cutting wasteful, ideologically-driven pet projects and its inability to improve the quality and efficiency of its core services, Auckland Transport being left to mark its own homework clearly isn’t working.
"Mayor Brown was elected to get on with cutting waste. Allowing him to take better control of CCOs is an important step forward in cutting a culture of wasteful spending and promoting greater local accountability to Auckland ratepayers."
March 07, 2024
Commenting on the Government's repeal of the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Sam Warren, said:
"This will be welcome news for Aucklanders struggling with fuel costs once this comes into effect on June 30."
"It's encouraging that the remaining unspent funds are to be ring-fenced and put into infrastructure projects like the Eastern Busway, City Rail Link and road-corridor improvements."
"The issue now remains for Auckland Transport to focus on sufficient roading maintenance – rather than wasteful spending on back-office bureaucracy and unpopular pet projects."
February 29, 2024
According to information obtained under the Local Government Official Information Act (LGOIMA), the Auckland Ratepayers Alliance can reveal that Watercare has spent over $3,500,000 creating and marketing an app that measures smart-meters across Auckland.
Watercare has spent $3,335,521 on development, $29,747 on marketing and yearly maintenance of $213,000. Furthering this, of the 540,000 dwellings of Auckland, only 44,246 smart-meters have been installed by December. The use of $500 gift card prizes, social media ads and other artworks had only seen 56,681 downloads up to December 2023.
Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance spokesperson Sam Warren said:
“While people in other areas worry about running out of water, Watercare is spending millions on developing and advertising a smart-meter app that only 10% of Aucklanders can use. Already this year Auckland Council is having to loan $130 million to bailout the organisation after storms, a sewer collapse and rising costs.”
“With a yearly maintenance cost of over $200,000, spending on the app should be paused and focus must return to fixing leaks, replacing pipes and installing meters. Only then can the app return at a higher uptake at a time that makes sense.”
February 29, 2024
According to information obtained under the local government official information act the ratepayers alliance can reveal that Auckland transport has spent $150,000 on a 47 day campaign to inform Aucklanders why 400km of roadworks was occurring at the peak of summer.
Auckland Ratepayers Alliance Spokesman Jordan Williams said:
“The work of Auckland Transport is out of touch with ratepayers expectations of how its work should be advertised. Creating an entire “Summer Road Reno” programme was meant to ask for courtesy to road workers but came across wasteful and arrogant.
Billboards across 17 locations and online graphics used puns such as:
“While you’re going fishing, we’re road fixing.”
“While you’re working on tan lines, we’re paining road lines.”
At a cost of $105,022 on advertising and $44,978 on creative development including a new logo didn’t create respectful drivers while waiting in these roadworks. Auckland Council needs to set clear advertising standards to prevent costly, ineffective mistakes across its council controlled organisations.
February 19, 2024
Wayne Brown rates shocker – proposals include 38% rates hike
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance will go to war with Wayne Brown unless he backs down on putting an option to councillors to increase rates by 37.94% over three years, as contained in the Mayoral options in the proposed consultation document to the Council Long-Term Plan (10-year budget) to be presented to councillors tomorrow morning to vote on whether to put out for public consultation.
Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Spokesman Jordan Williams said:
“Clearly Wayne Brown has been strong armed by Council officials, left wing councillors, or both. How can a Mayor who ran on a platform of fiscal restraint now propose rate hikes of up to 38% over three years? That’s an extra that’s $1,371 in rates for the average Auckland homeowners. This isn’t a u-turn, it’s an orbit of the moon.”
"Even the Mayor’s preferred ‘core option’ – 20 percent over three years – is outrageous. Wayne Brown was elected to rein in Council waste and redirect spending into higher priorities such as infrastructure investment. The Mayor proposes no such thing, rather reaching deeper into ratepayers' pockets at the time they least afford it."
“Not even in Len Brown’s dreams did he propose rate hikes as large as this. Mr Brown is putting before councillors an option to write wasteful officials a blank cheque.”
February 09, 2024
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is slamming Auckland Transport boss Dean Kimpton for his failure to front and answer questions about the Meola Road omnishambles, despite being paid considerably more than the Prime Minister and AT spending $5million a year on communications.
Responding to this morning’s reporting in the NZ Herald, Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman, Jordan Williams, said:
“While Mayor is trying to defend the Auckland fuel tax to fund Auckland Transport, yet again AT officials are letting him down.”
“Under Dean Kimton, AT continues to show contempt for the public, and public money. AT spends $18 million a year on marketing, and another $5 million on communications. Yet they still won't front to answer questions from the City's major newspaper.”
"It seems that rather than ‘communications’, Auckland Transport is spending millions to hide its CEO from the media."
“Mayor Brown is right in his comments last week that the management at AT ‘have lost the plot’. There needs to be a wholesale clear out of personnel and culture.”
February 08, 2024
Responding to news that the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax will be coming to an end in June 2024, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Spokesman, Jordan Williams, said:
“The regional fuel tax never would’ve been needed if Auckland Transport focussed on investing in the supercity’s roads rather than wasting money on backroom bureaucrats and unpopular pet projects like cycleways.
“Given the hundreds of millions in the Regional Fuel Tax slush fund that are still sitting unspent, the state of Auckland’s infrastructure clearly is not a cash issue; it’s an issue of council and AT staff who are failing to deliver.
“The focus now needs to be getting Auckland Transport up to snuff. The priority must be making sure that any replacement for the regional fuel tax down the line doesn’t end up as yet another way to fund council waste by reaching deeper and deeper into Aucklanders’ pockets.”
December 04, 2023
Spokesperson for the Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance, Jordan Williams, has expressed scathing criticism regarding the recent developments surrounding the City Rail Link project. Williams says:
“The City Rail Link project has become a symbol of financial incompetence. Even if the 8% rates rise went through, it would take the annual rates of approximately 72,108 ratepayers just to cover its $220 million running costs. For just a few kilometres of track, the magnitude of fiscal irresponsibility and ineptitude is staggering. Auckland Transport and the planners of the CRL have flagrantly disregarded the hard-earned money of Auckland’s ratepayers at a time when many are struggling with the cost-of-living.
We urgently call on Mayor Wayne Brown to take decisive action. This isn’t merely about fixing a financial error; it's about reinstating the public's confidence in our city's leadership. Mayor Brown must spearhead a thorough investigation into this fiasco, ensuring that those responsible are held to account. We cannot allow the public purse to be so blatantly misused. It's time for our city's leaders to prioritise the interests of the ratepayers, initiating much-needed reforms in our approach to the city's development."