Sitting through the council’s last meetings of the term has provided an opportunity to reflect on a tough yet rewarding three years.
Quite frankly, I wouldn’t wish the first few months of my mayoralty on anyone. Record rainfall and a metropolitan city flooding were not what I expected. The Recovery Office did well considering the speed with which it was stood up and the overwhelming amount of work it has done.
While we’ve taken many lessons from the past three years with the establishment of the Making Space for Water programme as part of the Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Recovery Plan response to the floods, those early days taught me the importance of staying focused to deliver better outcomes for all Aucklanders.
I’d like to think my policy agenda and the work the council has achieved this term is a testament to that.
The recent introduction of the Local Government (Auckland Council) (Transport Governance) Amendment Bill to parliament is a big win for Auckland.
I was elected on a platform to deliver better outcomes for this city, and the bill will restore democratic control of transport to elected members and local communities.
We’ve strongly advocated for other significant changes from the government this term, achieving major wins in water reform, the elimination of transit visas for Chinese visitors and changes to the Building Act. This included the removal of the "last man standing" rules, which previously made ratepayers the insurer of last resort. We have solidified future financial resilience for Auckland, considering how we can make money out of every ratepayer dollar. The Auckland Future Fund will continue to grow and be another source of income, taking some of the burden off rates. This idea of wealth creation does seem like a novel one to councils. We’ve also got the Port of Auckland finally producing better returns for Aucklanders.
I’m always looking for ways to make the most of what we have and what is unique about our region: its harbours, native bush and beaches, and our waterfront. Opening these up for public use means Aucklanders can continue the active lifestyle our city is known for. That's why I'm proud to have so cheaply opened Browny's Pool. There aren't many places around the world where you can safely jump into the ocean right off a city harbour and then go for a beer a short stroll away.
As I write, councillors are about to vote on whether we go ahead with a new plan change for Auckland that sets planning rules for housing. The old ones don’t work for an Auckland that’s been through such significant weather events, had one major transport project cancelled and another, the CRL, built. The blanket MDRS and rigid PC78 no longer serve Auckland; a new plan change that everyone gets to have a say on is the way forward.
Alongside this, we’ve kept rates rise for the average residential property to 5.8 per cent – the lowest of any city and driven advocacy for an Auckland deal that will unlock Auckland’s growth potential as well as for a bed night levy to help support the visitor economy in Auckland and around the country without socking the ratepayer.
So, while this term winds down, with several councillors retiring and choosing life outside the Town Hall, I’d like to thank them for their contributions to the Governing Body. These have set the foundations for the next council in the new term.
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