I support a rates cap. In the last three years rates in Auckland went up by 22 percent (on an average) while inflation went up by just by 14 percent. I agree with the Central government that rates must be capped at the level of inflation. This means if inflation goes up by 2 percent, rates should rise by 2 percent. Inflation is generally pegged around 1 to 3 percent annually.
The bureaucrats may scream that a rates increase of 2 or 3 percent is not enough to run the council. My cost of living goes up with inflation but my salary does not and yet I have to manage by cutting nice-to-haves. Why is the Council different? The Council MUST cut spending on nice-to-haves and also reduce the 257 bureaucrats who are paid over $200,000 annually. The CEO of Watercare is paid $800,000 annually. Why must the Auckland Council fund cultural events and fancy projects at the cost of core services? We don’t pay rates to the Council to splurge on silly things. Auckland Unlimited spent $732,000 on a dumb advertising campaign to make people feel positive about the city.
I oppose the Auckland Council’s proposal to trial fortnightly rubbish collection in Te Atatu Peninsula (and Panmure and Clendon Park). Rubbish mist be collected weekly and it should be funded by our rates. I do not support charging extra for rubbish collection. Remember how they stopped berm mowing and put the onus on the householder? Remember how they took away rubbish bins last year without warning. SAY NO TO FORTNIGHTLY rubbish collection. They are starting consultations from 13 October 2025 and plan to begin the trail in February 2026.
Justine Haves Auckland the Council’s general manager of waste solutions must resign for even suggesting the trail. (Justine Haves is the same person who allowed one of her Council managers to work remotely from Queensland, Australia for six months!)
This is a scam. The New Zealand Herald had reported in 2021that Auckland council had installed 700 speed bumps at a total cost pf $97 million. One speed table costs around $140,000 (2021 price). Smaller speed humps cost $30,000 each. Then there are the totally unnecessary speed cushions, the small square humps in the middle of the road, that cost $5,000 each. Glen Eden has nine speed tables. Greg Presland, chairman of the Waitakere Ranges Local Board has supported the installation of more speed tables.
I will oppose the installation of unnecessary speed breakers. We need to see concrete evidence, with empirical data, that a speed breaker is necessary at a particular spot. The location of a speed hump must not be based on a bureaucrat’s fancy.
I support the proposed Local Government (Systems Improvement) Amendment Bill. The bill will restrict councils to focus on five core services: Network infrastructure (there are local roads, footpaths, water supply, wastewater and stormwater management), public transport services, waste management (rubbish, recycling and land fill), civil defence emergency management, upkeep of libraries, museums, reserves, parks and recreational facilities.
Till now core services were not defined hence councils spent rates on things that do not concern them.
Global warming, managing the homeless, celebrating festivals, making arts grants, holding cultural programmes, economic development and stuff like this are outside the purview of the council and the council should not spend any money on these activities. There is a group of people who always push back and want to spend more money on discretionary grants. Ask yourself, why?
This is tricky one. On paper the Council and local boards tick all the boxes. The Local Government Act 2002 and the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, provides a legal basis for transparency and accountability. All official records, reports, minutes of meetings and record of decisions are immaculately kept up to date and made public.
But, in the words of Sir Humphrey Appleby (‘Yes Minister’), they bury information in plain view. “The purpose of minutes is not to record events. It is to protect people.” The information is technically available but distorted to be useless.
When asked if the public has a right to know certain information, Sir Humphrey replies, “No, they have the right to be ignorant. Knowledge implies complicity, ignorance has a certain dignity”. By openly admitting the public’s blissful ignorance, he justifies keeping sensitive matters out of sight. Transparency means that the individual on the street is kept fully aware of where and how their tax money is spent. It is the duty of each elected representative to inform their constituents in plain language of what decisions were taken, who took those decisions and how the budget was allocated.
The summary report on Henderson’s future says: “Auckland Transport has identified Henderson as a priority area for walking and cycling improvements… We want to provide people with better connectivity and more travel choices. The aim is to create a walking and cycling network that caters for Aucklanders of all ages and abilities. This aligns with the Henderson-Massey Local Board’s aspiration for people to be able to get around without a car.
The Henderson-Massey Local Board are committed to and supportive of improving walking and cycling accessibility in the area. (https://at.govt.nz/projects-initiatives/past-auckland-projects-and-initiatives/hendersons-future). Did you agree to getting around Hendeson without a car? Nine out of 10 residents would not agree and yet the Henderson-Massey Local Board is blatant enough to make it look like it is the people’s choice.
It is not the local board’s mandate or responsibly to spend public money on pet ideological project that do not have the support of the majority of the residents. Only 25 percent of us vote in the local elections. This allows a small coterie of mates to get elected. Once elected they have the run of the place and can take decisions without fear of being held accountable. This war on cars has to stop. This waste of money on building fancy cycleways for a few ultra-green users must stop. Your vote for the right candidate can stop this.
