Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and the Auckland Council Governing Body were briefed yesterday by the chairs and chief executives of Auckland Transport (AT), Watercare, Eke Panuku Development Auckland, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and Ports of Auckland Ltd (POAL).

The Mayor will hold one-on-one meetings with each organisation in the coming weeks.

“Auckland voters have demanded Auckland Council and all the organisations it owns stop wasting money on things the public doesn’t want – and there are some early signs that message is getting through,” Mayor Brown said today.

Nevertheless, the Mayor said he still found some of the briefings from the chairs, chief executives and officers “all a bit underwhelming”.

He said AT does not yet have answers on how it will address the current public-transport crisis, which he acknowledged is caused mainly by Wellington politicians and bureaucrats, including Waka Kotahi, the Ministry of Transport, KiwiRail and Immigration New Zealand.

“The good news is that AT has clearly taken on board the message from the Auckland voters it is meant to serve, but much more change is needed and has to happen fast,” he said. “Uncertainty and waste associated with central government’s unjustified $30 billion light rail project – about which I will have much more to say in the coming weeks – is also preventing a clear debate about what Aucklanders truly want from their transport system.”

Mayor Brown describes Watercare as the “least-worst” performer in the Auckland Council group.

“There is clear evidence staff are concentrating on running Watercare efficiently and effectively and delivering improving service, but some at board level have lost focus due to central government’s calls for the unpopular and divisive ‘three waters’ proposal,” the Mayor said. “No one has been able to say how Aucklanders – or Northlanders – would benefit from Northland’s water system being run by Aucklanders.”

Mayor Brown said Eke Panuku Development Auckland remains unable or unwilling to clearly state how much it costs Aucklanders in net terms every year, or why it needs to be subsidised at all.

In contrast, the Mayor said he has been “pleasantly surprised” by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.

“Acting chairperson Jennah Wootten and her team have responded positively and strongly to the change that is afoot in Auckland and are committed to doing more with less,” Mayor Brown said. “They get that you can’t artificially buy economic growth with ratepayers’ money.”

Mayor Brown said POAL, under its new chief executive, is clearly focussed on operating the port more efficiently and safely than under its previous governance and management.

“The chief executive has confirmed that Auckland ratepayers have been and continue to subsidise the port and the importers who use it,” Mayor Brown said.

Mayor Brown said there is no scenario under which the port will deliver an economic return to the people of Auckland, even if it manages to resume dividends in the future.

“No matter how much POAL operations improve, it is never going to pay for where it is, and even the promised but yet-to-be achieved financial returns would represent a woeful economic return on Aucklanders’ assets. The briefing confirmed that the sooner Auckland’s waterfront land can move to its highest and best use under public ownership the better off Aucklanders will be.”

Mayor Brown wrote to POAL last month outlining his short- and medium-term expectations for the 100% Auckland Council-owned company.

These included the port ceasing used-car import operations on Bledisloe Wharf as soon as possible and moving as quickly as possible to a 100% rail solution for containers to reduce congestion and lower carbon emissions.

He asked the port to work over the next five months with mana whenua Ngāti Whātua Orakei and other stakeholders, including business and community groups, on a plan and timeline to develop the area from the Ferry Building to Bledisloe Wharf into an area that can be enjoyed by all Aucklanders, with better access to the harbour including a view-shaft to the sea.

Mayor Brown says he is looking forward to continuing his dialogue with each of the council-owned organisations.

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