August 08, 2024
An Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance–Curia poll shows 59 percent of respondents want Auckland Transport to be made directly accountable to Auckland’s mayor and councillors. Only 25 percent think it should make its own decisions, and 16 percent were unsure.
Respondents were asked: “Unlike in other parts of New Zealand, Auckland Council does not have direct oversight of Auckland Transport or responsibility for setting the Regional Land Transport Plan that decides on transport infrastructure projects. In Auckland, this is done by the separate Auckland Transport body. Do you think the Auckland Transport should be made directly accountable to the mayor and councillors on Auckland Council or make its own decisions?”
The full polling report can be found here: https://www.ratepayers.nz/at_poll
Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Spokesperson, Sam Warren, said:
“The current model has been a disaster. Operating with independence from Auckland Council looks good on paper, but certainly not in practice.
“Auckland Transport has instead become its own bureaucracy captured by ideology and largely detached from accountability to elected officials, and ultimately, Auckland ratepayers.
“The outcome has been a barrage of excessively expensive pet projects that are neither practical, nor wanted, by the majority of Aucklanders simply wanting a reliable transport network without all the spin.
“A rethink into how Auckland Transport works is well overdue. Unlike every other council in New Zealand, Auckland Council does not have direct oversight over its own transport provider, nor in setting the Regional Land Transport Plan that decides on transport infrastructure projects."
August 05, 2024
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance can reveal through the Local Government Official Information Act Auckland Transport has spent more than $157,505 to create and promote its ‘Mix Your Go’ campaign in an attempt to get commuters to vary their chosen modes of transport.
Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Spokesperson Sam Warren commented:
“If they spent less time on comms and more time on improving roads and services, Auckland commuters might actually start trusting Auckland Transport as an agency.
“Instead, vast amounts of time and public resources are put towards marketing campaigns telling us to subscribe to their ideologically driven dribble.
“It’s hardly a mystery. Stick to the basics, do them well, and let the product speak for itself. Because no amount of spin will distract the average commuter from the fact that their train has been cancelled for the third time this week."
Auckland Transport declined to provide information on the costs associated with sign writing the 'Mix Your Go' campaign onto its bus fleet as they are currently under negotiations with their sign writer.
August 01, 2024
In an effort to find savings, Auckland Council’s property agency Eke Panuku was instructed by Mayor Wayne Brown to relocate its office from Wyndham Street to Levels 21 and 22 of Auckland Council’s Albert Street headquarters.
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance can reveal through the Local Government Official Information Act the cost of moving and renovating was $920,000.
Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Spokesperson, Sam Warren, said:
"Eke Panuku has long taken ratepayers for a ride. This however destroys any credibility they might have left.
"Eke Panuku blew $685,000 on just one of the floors. This involved things like updating the décor, installing pictorial decals, and opening up the flow and light for desk density for Level 22. How much of this work was necessary?
"A further $280,480 was spent on bathroom upgrades, including fixing some plumbing issues apparently affecting the floor.
"No work has been done to date on the floor below, but given the obscene cost of just one floor, the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance has no faith this could ever be done responsibly.
"Remember, this was under the instruction to save money, not spend it. Mayor Brown has gone to lengths to find savings for Aucklanders. When CCOs like Eke Panuku get up to this kind of mischief, the question remains if these agencies can be trusted at all."
June 10, 2024
In a recent Stuff article, Auckland Transport Chief Executive Dean Kimpton says copping blame for ongoing issues 'part of the job'.
Kimpton says, “[we’ve] got 1.7 million customers and 99.9% of the time it’s going really well for them.
“But when the 0.1% goes wrong, it’s attention-grabbing and for many and it’s the only thing they get to see”.
Auckland Ratepayer’s Alliance spokesperson Sam Warren commented:
“Sadly, Auckland Transport has earned its reputation. Even getting just the basics right proves too much of an ask for the organisation.
“Suggesting the network runs the way it should 99.9% of the time is incredulous, even delusional, when considering the recent news that trains are now only coming every 20 minutes during peak hours as a result of ongoing industrial action.
“Anecdotally, seven out of nine staff in our office take public transport either by bus, ferry or rail. It’s now become a running joke around the water cooler each morning as we watch stragglers coming in 20–40 minutes late, without fail. Stepping back, imagine what this costs Auckland businesses each year in efficiency. AT needs to sort themselves out and claw back the trust of Auckland commuters.”
May 20, 2024
Through a Local Government Official Information Act request the Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance can reveal that $285,000 has been spent by Local Boards and Tataki Auckland Unlimited to Rebel Business School Aotearoa to train locals to start their own business. $270,000 has been spent to set up these meetings since 2018 with $15,000 spent on a long term impact study.
Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman, Sam Warren said:
“Local Boards are showing Aucklanders that the council isn't the only one that knows how to spend large. A long term study wasn’t needed to demonstrate this is a waste of ratepayers' money.
“Rebel Business school provided a 10-day courses resulting in unaccredited certificates that only acknowledges 'the effort they [attendees] put in to attend.' If councils want to get more people starting up new businesses – the first step is to cut wasteful spending and lower rates so people can afford the start-up costs.”
May 17, 2024
Yesterday Auckland Councillors voted on the future of the Super City through the Mayor’s Long-Term Plan, settling on a series of cumulative rate increases, year on year.
Commenting on these increases, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Sam Warren, said:
“For many Aucklanders, the Council’s decision to increase rates during a cost-of-living crisis will be a hard pill to swallow.
“The Mayor has made strides to keep increases lower than initially proposed, however there is little justification to move rates beyond the level of inflation, considering the culture of wasteful spending we see within Auckland Council.
“Council must go to further lengths to demonstrate it can be responsible with ratepayer funds by cutting back its bloated bureaucracy and return focus to only providing core services before rummaging around in the pockets of Aucklanders."
May 13, 2024
In response to Auckland Transport’s introduction of 24-hour parking charges in the CBD, Transport Minister Simeon Brown has expressed support for the Mayor’s calls for greater accountability. Commenting, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance Spokesperson, Sam Warren, said:
“The Minister is rightly disappointed by the blockheaded decisions being made by Auckland Transport without any sense of accountability to Aucklanders.
“The only thing scarier than a Council Controlled Organisation – is one that Council has actually lost control over.
“With no public consultation, and evidently no communication with the Mayor, Auckland Transport has become a force unto itself.
“If the Minister is serious about restoring accountability, I am inviting him to join other Aucklanders in signing our petition to scrap the proposed parking changes and bring AT back in line by visiting ratepayers.nz/cbd_parking.”
May 12, 2024
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is launching a campaign to defeat Auckland Transport’s proposal to shakedown Aucklanders by way introducing 24/7 parking charges in the CBD, including public holidays.
Ratepayers’ Alliance Spokesman, Sam Warren said:
“These changes aren’t needed, weren’t consulted on, and will disproportionately hit casual and part time workers needing to work in the CBD at the very times public transport is least available.
“Parking charges are supposed to be for keeping parks turning over during periods of high demand. This isn’t that, rather a naked revenue grab by Auckland Transport.
“Auckland Transport seem determined to kill Auckland’s CBD. Enough is enough. We are calling on Aucklanders to join us in calling on Wayne Brown and the elected councillors to overrule Auckland Transport by signing the petition at www.ratepayers.nz/cbd_parking
May 07, 2024
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance has expressed scepticism over Mayor Wayne Brown’s decision to not pursue a 35-year lease of operations for the Port of Auckland.
Commenting, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson Sam Warren said:
“This decision has been made on the proviso that the Port’s profitability can be lifted.
“If that's the case, then that should be priced into the market value of the port lease – this appears to be nothing more than the Mayor being strong-armed by the self-interested unions, and he is now trying to claim he has a better deal.
“The Mayor has traded away near-guaranteed returns that would have been ring-fenced, diversified and ultimately put toward infrastructure. Instead we are getting more uncertainty for ratepayers and fantasy-land projections.
“We understand private operators would have offered a better deal with public access to larger areas of the port’s footprint – including the whole of Bledisloe Wharf. This deal pushes that overboard.”
May 06, 2024
Dear Supporter,
I don't often get to email you with good news for Auckland ratepayers, so today I'm celebrating.
I've spent the afternoon working through the details of yesterday's Watercare announcement by Prime Minister Chris Luxon, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, and Mayor Wayne Brown. It is nothing short of a Ratepayer Victory!
Aucklanders avoid 26% hike in water bills 💦
Watercare has a $13.9 billion shortfall over the next 10 years. Plugging this hole would see the water bill for the average Auckland household jump from $1,340 to $1,688.
Unlike for Council rates, Watercare's high costs aren't to do with a growing bureaucracy or wage bill – rather it needs to invest in capital plant (i.e. the pipes and pumps that will last generations).
But the mess we are in is because Watercare needs to pay up front as the Council's overspending and waste has seen the Council's group borrowing cap reached.
Put another way: Len Brown, then Phil Goff, maxed out the mortgage and credit card, so Watercare can't go to the bank.
What the Government is doing 🏦
The deal that has been struck with the Government will see legislation passed in Parliament later this month to take Watercare's liabilities off the Council's books. Basically the legislation will see that Watercare's finances are ring-fenced and the Council can't he held liable for Watercare's debt.
That will mean Watercare will again be able borrow prudently and smooth the cost of longterm infrastructure improvements – and not pass the buck directly onto Aucklanders with extremely high upfront water charges.
And unlike the last Government's undemocratic/co-governed Three Waters plans to take local assets away from Aucklanders – under this deal, Watercare will remain owned by ratepayers.
Ultimate control of Watercare (such as appointment of Watercare's directors) will remain with the democratically elected councillors.
7% is not "good", but not nearly as "bad" as 26% 🤔
Credit where it's is due – the Mayor stuck to his guns and got this over the line. A 7.2% increase in water bills is still too much – but it is a lot better than the 25.8% we faced!
It is certainly a lot better than Auckland ratepayers having to also subsidise Northland's water networks as would have been the case if the last government's 'Three Waters' proposals were fully implemented.
But why do I still have a sinking feeling? 🚰
The underlying problem that got us into this mess remains: Auckland Council has borrowed up the wazoo – and it doesn't have capacity to fund long term infrastructure investment.
As of 31 December, Auckland Council's total liabilities (i.e. how much the Council owes on your behalf) amounts to $31,901.29 for every Auckland household.
This dwarfs every other New Zealand council on a per household basis. Even post-earthquake Christchurch comes out better!
And what did we get for ? The best possible infrastructure (yeah right!).
Auckland Council's culture of wasteful spending remains. Unless something changes – rates will continue to be flushed down the toilet on pet projects and vanity schemes. That's where we come in.
Support our work in exposing this waste and advocating for better accountability in Auckland Council.
👍 Yes, I'll support less waste and a more accountable Super City 👍
Thank you for you support,
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Sam Warren
Spokesperson
Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance
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The Ratepayers’ Alliance relies 100% on donations from grassroots supporters wanting Auckland to live up to its potential. If you agree that Council needs to focus on efficiency and re-prioritise its already bloated budgets – rather than just reach deeper into ratepayers pockets – we are counting on your support.
