September 30, 2024
Leaked documents to the Post can reveal that Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is several steps closer to disestablishing the city’s beleaguered economic development agency, Tataki Auckland Unlimited.
“It’s been a long time coming” said Spokesman for the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance, Sam Warren.
“Like it’s sibling CCOs, Tataki Auckland Unlimited’s arms-length independence from Council has allowed for a near-untouchable gluttony of overpaid bureaucrats with oversized, ratepayer-funded budgets.
“Following requests made by the mayor, some previous attempts have been made to temper Tataki Auckland Unlimited’s enormous $125 million yearly budget. But in reality, much of what it does is simply not required by a council-controlled organisation.
“Bringing only its core functions in-house while scrapping the rest will result in a leaner, much more focused operation that will reduce the financial burden on ratepayers. Other CCOs that are guilty of wasting ratepayers’ money should also face the chop while the Mayor is at it.”
September 30, 2024
In a bid to promote ‘random acts of kindness’ during Art Week, Auckland Council has commissioned a new lighting sequence along its pink Lightpath in the CBD.
“It’s confirmation that Auckland Council has entirely ignored the Prime Minister’s calls for them to cut back on nice-to-haves” said Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Spokesman, Sam Warren.
“Right now, Aucklanders want their council to focus on doing the basics really well and keep rates affordable.
“This, and the wider Art Week campaign, has been funded through a targeted rate paid for by commercial and residential property owners in the city centre, who are already struggling.
“Blowing more money on an art installation might give some councillors the warm and fuzzies – but sponsoring a $3,600 lighting sequence to promote ‘random acts of kindness’ while rates are ever-rising has very Ardern-esque vibes to it that are perhaps best left in the past.
“The belt needs to be tightened, priorities need to be set. If Auckland Council really wants to see acts of kindness, it can start but reining in wasteful spending and focus on easing the burden of future rates increases.
September 26, 2024
The recently appointed chair for the country’s largest water provider has served only 12-weeks before being removed by the High Court following challenges made by the independent Maori statutory board for Auckland Council, Houkura.
Geoff Hunt was voted as chair of council-owned Watercare by councillors 3-months ago. During the process, Houkura made claims that standing orders were breached due to a procedural amendment by Councillor Maurice Williamson that was passed and enabled Hunt to win the role.
“We vote councillors in to represent us and make these important choices on our behalf. Isn’t it absurd that an unelected arm of council can go above democracy because they want their own person considered for the job?” said Spokesman for the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance, Sam Warren.
“Councillor Williamson’s motion was based on both legal and procedural advice by the secretariat, and in all forms was perfectly legitimate. It got voted on and then passed.
“Claiming that the process was procedurally flawed, Houkura wanted their own candidate considered for the role. Now it’s back to the drawing board as the appointment for one of the most important public sector roles in the country is to be reconsidered.
"Something is fundamentally broken when the independent Maori statutory board, which is entirely unaccountable to Auckland ratepayers, can strong-arm elected representatives and overturn their decisions.”
September 24, 2024
It can be revealed through the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act that Auckland Transport has cut staff numbers from 1923 in June 2023, to 1773 in June 2024.
Spokesman for the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance, Sam Warren, said:
“Over a 12-month period, 150 full time positions have been removed as part of a $30m cost-cutting exercise by Mayor Wayne Brown towards Auckland Transport’s bloated expenditure.
“The total number of consultants and comms staff however remains unknown to the public. It’s here where many of the unnecessary positions in AT exist.
“We can also reveal that 22% of Auckland Transport staff have management positions, which naturally comes with more pay and bureaucracy. With Aucklanders bearing the brunt of continuous rates increases, as well as stubbornly high living costs, a far leaner staffing model is required to get this expenditure under control.
“The cost of roading, infrastructure and public transport remain high, far outpacing inflation. Clearly there's much work to be done in this space to cut costs, and further cuts are necessary to meet budgets and get a handle on the Auckland Transport behemoth."
September 09, 2024
The Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance can reveal through Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act that Auckland Council spent $263,000 on four sets of stairs for Milford Beach's Southern Walkway.
As part of council's coastal asset renewals programme, the total figure adds up to $8,218.75 per step, replaced like-for-like with the addition of a handrail.
Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance spokesman Sam Warren, said:
“The photos provided to us confirm the Milford Beach stairs were unsafe, and work was obviously needed.
“However, just because something has to be done, doesn't mean the gold plated standard must apply.
“Auckland Council must implement better standards for replacement and construction work. Surely eight steps per stair should not cost $65,750 a pop.
"Common sense spending is desperately needed for Auckland Council and more must be done to keep costs low.”
September 04, 2024
Auckland Transport yesterday confirmed the appointment of Dean Kimpton as chief executive following an initial 18-month fixed term contract. Kimpton’s salary package, including a performance bonus, will be up to $713,000.
Commenting, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Spokesperson, Sam Warren, said:
“Kimpton is one of the highest-paid bureaucrats in the country. On no planet should he be earning more than Auckland Council’s own chief executive, let alone nearly a fifth more.
"Mayor Wayne Brown has also been very vocal about this same expectation, however the largely unelected Auckland Transport board that sets the chief executive’s salary does not think the mayor’s views are worth listening to, which highlights a very big problem.
“It’s long been an open secret that Mayor Brown wanted Kimpton gone once his fixed term contract ended, hoping that the recruitment process would be opened so others could apply.
True to form, the board of Auckland Transport weren't interested and shut this down, saying ‘Dean is our man’ despite his tenure being a disaster so far.
“Most Aucklanders will be wondering how Kimpton has earned the right to be the highest paid bureaucrat in Auckland Council and its CCOs, with a plurality of Aucklanders thinking AT’s performance is below average in a June poll.
“The same poll showed 59% of Aucklanders wanted Auckland Transport to be directly accountable to elected officials in Council, which is now likely the only solution left to get a handle on the defiant beast that is AT.”
August 28, 2024
It can be revealed through the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) that Auckland Council’s urban regeneration arm, Eke Panuku, has spent $126,400 on a two-day event in Pukekohe, South Auckland.
Commenting, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Spokesperson, Sam Warren, said:
“Only last week, councillors up and down the country scoffed at the Prime Minister’s announcement that his government expects councils to focus on must-haves and pull back on projects that are less essential.
“Given that so many are tightening their belts, most Aucklanders would think this is a shocking amount of money just for one local event.
“Eke Panuku has tried to justify the expenditure under the guise of ‘creating community cohesion during a time of significant neighbourhood change’. Perhaps the biggest change facing Aucklanders right now are spikes in local rates bills, and poorer delivery of our most basic services.”
“Once again Eke Panuku fails to demonstrate any fiscal accountability, and only further undermines confidence that they, and other CCOs, can be trusted with spending public money responsibly.
“Recently Mayor Wayne Brown has announced his desire for a major shakeup to CCOs, including the disestablishment of Eke Panuku. When Auckland ratepayers keep hearing about this kind of reckless spending by Council Controlled Organisations, support for his announcement would be a safe bet.”
August 20, 2024
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is welcoming news that the Manurewa Local Board will be the seventh local board in Auckland to allow members of the public to attend workshop meetings, previously hidden from transparency behind closed doors.
Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Spokesperson, Sam Warren, said:
“For too long ratepayers have been kept in the dark about what goes on behind closed doors. Good governance depends on transparency so that decision makers can be held accountable.
"Previously, councils and local boards have argued that decisions are not made in these workshops, but we have long been concerned that’s exactly what’s happening, and the open meeting is simply a rubber stamp for decisions already made.“
"The threshold for excluding the public from democratic processes should be exceptionally high. It is great to see another local board making openness the default for workshops, but this should have been done along time ago. Other local boards must work quickly to follow Manurewa’s lead.”
August 12, 2024
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance can reveal through the Local Government Official Information Act that Auckland Transport has spent $455,719 on a series of bike riding lessons, courses and workshops since FY 2023.
Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance Spokesperson, Sam Warren, said:
“They certainly are taking us for a ride. Most people wouldn’t dream of asking Auckland Transport for a driving lesson, or how to do an oil change – so why does AT think its their job to teach locals to ride bikes or fix chains?
“Pedalling these courses as ‘free’ is taking one too many liberties with the public purse, especially as Aucklanders are facing a series successive of rate hikes over the next few years.
“It’s not free; it actually cost $233,784 in 2023; and $221,935 in 2024. As for 2025, all bets are off. Our advice to Auckland Transport is to put the brakes on these ridiculous courses and focus on actually running a functional transport network."
August 09, 2024
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has today made headlines proposing a restructure into council-controlled organisations (CCOs), including stripping away the planning and strategy functions of Auckland Transport.
What is intended to be a significant shake-up, Mayor Brown contends Auckland Transport would be better to serve only as a delivery agent of transport services, and instead give full control to elected representatives.
Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Spokesperson, Sam Warren, said:
“Mayor Brown’s proposal is on the mark. Auckland Transport’s independence looked good on paper, but the reality has been something else.
“Deeply embedded within the culture of AT is a we-know-best arrogance that many Aucklanders have come to loathe in recent years.
“An unfortunate misconception exists that the Mayor and his councillors have more control over AT than they actually do. Due to this arm’s-length relationship, the region’s transport provider has had virtually free rein to pursue its own agenda, which seems to be at odds with the wants and needs of most Aucklanders.
“Aucklanders just want the basics done well. No amount of spin from AT will change the feeling of your bus being delayed, your train cancelled, or a $490k raised pedestrian crossing scraping the bottom of your car on your morning commute.
“Restoring a sense of accountability to Auckland Transport is desperately needed to bring the Super City back up to speed.
“We implore Local Government Minister Simeon Brown to work with the Mayor to introduce the legislative change required that would see Auckland Transport stripped of the powers it has used to make things harder for everyday Aucklanders.”
