Category: Auckland Council

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council’s Performance and Appointments Committee today appointed Geoff Hunt to be the chair of the Watercare Services Limited Board with effect from 12 October 2024.

A ‘revisited’ appointment

The council revisited its process to appoint the chair following a judicial review of the process undertaken for the appointment earlier this year. The outcome of that process was that the High Court set aside the appointment of the chair made on 25 June 2024.

The judgment did not direct concern toward the appointment itself, but rather the process that was followed to complete the appointment.

“Ensuring the appropriate appointment practices are in place, and carried out, to deliver well-governed council-controlled organisations is a priority for us and we have adjusted our processes accordingly,” says Alastair Cameron, the council’s Manager CCO/External Partnerships team.

The Performance and Appointments Committee is responsible for all appointments to the boards of council-controlled organisations, in accordance with the council’s Appointment and Remuneration Policy for Board Members and the Local Government Act.

About Geoff Hunt

Geoff’s career has been mainly in construction, operation, and maintenance of critical infrastructure. Over a 27-year period he has been CEO of four successful New Zealand-based companies operating in these areas. He has worked in the UK and the USA and has been involved in project delivery and infrastructure maintenance services in Australia, the Pacific, Melanesia, and SE Asia.

Geoff has worked in and held governance roles in both the government and private sectors and in industry bodies. He is currently a New Zealand Infrastructure Commission board member and director of two privately owned business providing materials to the construction sector. Through Geoff Hunt Consulting Ltd he advises on business performance improvement, staff relations and development, construction project delivery, and construction sector dispute resolution.

Geoff has a master’s degree in engineering, is an Engineering New Zealand Distinguished Fellow and a member of the Institute of Directors.

Source: Auckland Council

Waitākere Ranges residents can keep up their good work getting rid of pest plants, with community weed bins weekends returning for another year.  

The bins are provided thanks to funding from the Waitākere Ranges Local Board and Auckland Council, so that residents can dispose of invasive weeds from their own properties at no cost. 

“The work of locals to protect our special native bush makes a huge difference,” says Waitākere Ranges Local Board Chair Greg Presland.  

“We are proud to fund the weed bins as one part of environmental efforts by westies and we encourage all residents to consider making use of them.”  

Last year, hard-working weeders used the bins to clear almost 95 tonnes of weeds such as Chinese privet, climbing asparagus, honeysuckle, moth plant, plectranthus, tradescantia, and woolly nightshade. 

“Each year we see people getting better at using these bins in the right way,” adds Mel Ward, EcoMatters Environment Trust senior engagement specialist.  

“For example, we ask that people use the bins just for wild ginger seed heads and roots, as these are the parts that can regrow.  

“Wild ginger stems and leaves can be composted at home or left on the ground in the property’s bush area, which leaves more room in the community bins for other accepted invasive weeds.” 

Weed bins will be located at community sites across the Waitākere Ranges area on various weekends between October 2024 and June 2025.  

There are several Pest Plant Roadshows planned at community events where people can bring all their questions about invasive weeds. To find out more, including where and when to find a community weed bin, accepted weed types and event dates, please visit: ecomatters.org.nz/weedbins 

Bin locations 

Glen Eden: Konini School, 44 Withers Rd 

Huia: Huia Domain, Huia Rd 

Laingholm: Laingholm Community Hall, 69 Victory Rd 

Swanson: Central Landscape Supplies (9am-4pm), 598 Swanson Rd 

Te Henga: Pae o Te Rangi Regional Park, 114 Te Henga Rd 

Titirangi: Zig Zag Track, Park Rd 

Waiatarua: Waiatarua Community Hall, 911 West Coast Rd 

Weed Bin Weekends 

• 19-20 October 2024: Huia and Laingholm

• 26-27 October 2024 Waiatarua

• 9-10 Nov 2024: Glen Eden and Titirangi 

• 7-8 Dec 2024: Swanson and Te Henga 

• 11-12 Jan 2025: Laingholm and Waiatarua 

• 8-9 Feb 2025: Huia, Glen Eden and Titirangi 

• 1-2 Mar 2025: Huia, Swanson and Te Henga 

• 5-6 Apr 2025: Huia, Laingholm and Waiatarua 

• 3-4 May 2025: Glen Eden and Titirangi 

• 14-15 Jun 2025: Swanson and Te Henga 

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Sign up for the Waitākere Ranges Local Board E-news to get the latest news and events direct to your inbox each month, or follow them on Facebook.

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council is encouraging Aucklanders to enjoy themselves in the city centre with a range of activities to celebrate Play Week, an annual event that promotes physical activity, play and games.

Play Week is a national Sport NZ-led initiative promoting play as one of the top four ways to get active, alongside physical activity in school, active recreation, and sport.    

Auckland Play Week runs from Friday 25 October until Sunday 3 November and Aucklanders are encouraged to participate. Not only does play bring with it a positive impact on physical and mental wellbeing, but it’s also a great way of connecting with others. Get amongst the fun in a way that suits you with a range of options fit for all ages; from junk play in Te Komititanga to an introductory course on Mahjong, street game design workshops, Dungeons and Dragons sessions and much more. 

Eight ways to play!

Indoor play

Ellen Melville Centre for A Photographic Exhibition

Stop by the Ellen Melville Centre for A Photographic Exhibition – a multi-media window installation that invites passersby to experience the creativity of loose parts play, as seen through the eyes of school children. The images and words showcased are drawn from a single day of Junky Monkeys sessions at a Primary school, highlighting both the artistic expression and the joyful silliness inherent in junk play.

Dungeons & Dragons sessions

Or perhaps you’re keen to delve into the realm of your imagination? Embark on an adventure at the Dungeons & Dragons sessions which will take place in the Ellen Mellvile Centre. Dungeons and Dragons has seen a global resurgence in recent years so grab this opportunity to come experience what the fuss is all about and join in a game session with the master storytellers from Questbook. Designed for all ages – families and newcomers alike are welcome to come play.

Play Urban Design Workshop

You can also get your creativity flowing and come along to Isthmus Office Queen Street to join the Play Urban Design Workshop, an open studio workshop with interactive engagements to explore, test and consider what a Playfull City could look like. 

Or if you’re around Silo Park, join the game designers from The Open Fort for their Street Games Design Workshop, inside Silo 6 in the Wynyard Quarter.  Aimed at families and adults, they will take you through a fun game design process – designing, prototyping, playtesting and playing imaginative outdoor games using their giant kit of game props.  They will provide everything you need – just bring your creativity, imagination and fun!

Outdoor Play

Myers Parks Pop Up Games and Activities

Head along to Myers Park and have a go at one of the games and activities on offer by the Pop-Up Play team. There will be a wide range of equipment such as, hoops, footballs, rackets and discs to play with. You can also explore Myers Park with the Conscious Kids team and their play session later in the week, which is focused on nature and the environment.

Mas-Wrestling and Mahjong in Freyberg Square

Try something new at Freyberg Square! Choose from a special showcase of “Mas-wrestling” – a traditional and strength-based sport where competitors pull on a wooden stick to try and unbalance their opponent or come learn Mahjong with the 1-Missing 3-Lonely Wobbly Table Mahjong Club!  Their friendly, experienced sifu (teachers) will take players of all ages through the basics and teach some tips and tricks to experienced players.  This wonderfully social game is a great way to make new friends and test your memory skills.

Outdoor Soccer, Games and Cycling

Play Week will also be taking over Te Komititanga Square for a full day of outdoor play activities for all ages. Jump into the mini-soccer Hungerball arena and test your skills in this fast-paced communal game of frantic footwork. Stretch your imagination with the expansive loose parts playground from Junky Monkeys and Conscious Kids. Sit down with the folks from The Open Fort at their Play Cafe and make some new friends while playing games, running around on some secret treasure hunts or buzzing as bees in their giant Bee Garden game.

You can also join the City Centre Ride ‘n’ Seek – with Biketober well underway, consider the City Centre Loop for your next bike adventure. During October, come check out the Loop and Ride ‘n’ Seek as you go! There are 5 interactive boards around the Loop where you can enter a draw to win some fantastic prizes! The City Centre loop is a 6.7km network of off-road paths and protected cycle lanes connecting you to all the city centre has to offer.

Learn about play and why it’s important

Join a panel conversation at Aotea Centre

You can also join an in-person event at Aotea Centre, Auckland Conversations – How can we make Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland a playful city?, where a panel of Play Experts will dive deeper into the topic of play, encouraging participants to imagine what it would be like if Tāmaki Makaurau was full of opportunities for play and fun, for people of all ages.

The Urban Room Webinar

Join the conversations around play and why it’s crucial for tamariki and adults alike! You can jump online to be part of the webinar “The Urban Room” in conversation with Tim Gill, author of Urban Playground: How child-friendly planning and design can save cities, and learn how Tim’s groundbreaking research shapes play and mobility for our young people and results in better cities for all.

The Auckland city centre Play Week programme is supported by Auckland Council and the city centre targeted rate and all activities and events are free to attend. For more information, visit OurAuckland.

Source: Auckland Council

Are you a community leader? Someone with the vision, community focus and commitment to help Auckland achieve its goals?

There’s now one year to go until Aucklanders decide on the leaders who will take on the big opportunities heading our way.

Those elected to Auckland Council’s Governing Body and its local boards will be taking on a critical leadership role for our large, diverse and growing region.  They will govern our organisation; guide and make decisions on how best to allocate resources and drive value for money for ratepayers and Aucklanders alike.

With major infrastructure projects set for completion from 2025, notably the City Rail Link and Central Interceptor, this is the time Auckland can level up on its ambitions. That includes how its businesses thrive, how communities grow and meet their housing needs, how people get around efficiently and easily, how it takes on its environmental challenges and how its centres become great places to be.

Tāmaki Makaurau’s leadership is a big team, with a range of roles and responsibilities: from the mayor and ward councillors, who make regional decisions as members of the council’s governing body, to local board members who represent 21 areas of Auckland and make local decisions.

“It’s time to consider who will be next to take on that responsibility and lead Auckland towards becoming a world-class city,” says Auckland Council’s chief executive, Phil Wilson.

“Elected members have roles that need to show a combination of great leadership skills, advocacy and quality decision-making abilities on behalf of the people they represent.

“Regardless of your background, if you think you can make a difference and be the voice of your community, definitely consider standing as a candidate.

“With our region being so rich in culture and ethnic diversity, it’s important that people from all walks of life are represented,” he says.

“Auckland’s growth and uniqueness has shown how our size and scale has a range of different needs to address, requiring varied thinking and approaches from across the region to weigh in on plans and projects, and to prioritise and what’s best for our communities.

“Elected representatives play a part in almost everything the council does – from decisions on arts, events, sporting and park facilities, libraries, community centres, to infrastructure, environment, emergency preparedness and much more,” says Mr Wilson.

“I genuinely hope people take advantage of this opportunity to stand up for their communities.”

Standing for your community

Ever thought about what you could do to change things or considered taking on something more meaningful that would benefit your neighbourhood?

If you’ve got what it takes or know someone else who could be part of the team to represent Auckland’s 1.7 million people – now’s the time – with less than a year to go, start considering the possibilities.

To make a run for it, nominations open on 4 July 2025 – you’ll find key election dates here. Everything there is to know about how to be nominated is here.

And whether you intend to stand or not, the team is counting on everyone to be enrolled before voting season starts. Make sure you’re in enrolled here. 

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council is in the process of delivering its three-yearly property revaluations, ahead of the 2025/2026 rating year.

Ensuring there is a robust and consistent process for determining the property valuations used to set rates is vital to ensure rates are fairly shared between property owners.   

The council, alongside our independent property valuers, are committed to ratepayers receiving values that reflect the market as at 1 May 2024 as accurately as possible.

Auckland Council head of rates, revaluations and data management Rhonwen Heath said there is much rigour around property valuations and this year’s values will now be delivered in the new year.

“As part of the process, the Valuer-General audits property valuations and has requested some additional work on the Auckland valuations prior to public release,” says Rhonwen.

“This means that Aucklanders’ property valuations will now be released in early 2025, rather than late 2024.

“The additional time we will take to get property valuations right will help Aucklanders have confidence that the values used to determine rates from 1 July 2025 have been accurately and consistently calculated.”

Revaluation does not change the total amount of rates revenue council collects, but helps to distribute rates fairly between ratepayers.

“The Valuer-General has very high standards, which reflects the importance of this work, and we are committed to meeting those.”

Auckland Council appreciates the public interest in the valuations and looks forward to releasing them as soon as possible.

For more information on Revaluation 2024, visit aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/revaluation

Source: Auckland Council

Following last year’s severe weather events, Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters has been working to improve stormwater network resilience by renewing the existing network. We have been coordinating with the Tāmaki Makaurau Recovery Office to investigate stormwater management in two key areas of Muriwai that were impacted: Motutara Road and Domain Crescent.

Change in scope of the project

The original scope of the project had two elements:

1. An embankment (bund) on Domain Crescent

2. Renewing open roadside drains to increase the stormwater capacity on Motutara Road and Domain Crescent and installing sediment traps to reduce blockages and improve maintenance.

Further investigations found that the Domain Crescent embankment needed to be bigger than originally planned, resulting in increased costs. This has led to a change in scope for this element of the project. Affected residents have been contacted by our Recovery Office staff.

Stormwater renewals will go ahead

The proposed stormwater renewals on Domain Crescent and Motutara Road will still happen. The project is now in the design stage. Construction is expected to begin in 2025.

Muriwai community update

We’d like to hear your knowledge about the existing stormwater network and to discuss the proposed stormwater renewals. The Healthy Waters project team including our designers will be available to hear your feedback and respond to your questions.

Venue: Main Hall, The Surf Club at Muriwai

Date: Wednesday 30 October 2024

6pm: Refreshments 6:30pm: Presentation 7pm: Questions and answers

For more information, please email healthywaters@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

Source: Auckland Council

From Monday 16 September, 24 areas including Auckland’s city centre, will be subject to a freeze on the opening of new off-licences as Auckland’s local alcohol policy starts coming into effect. Pubs, bars and clubs will also need to carry out new practices designed to help keep customers safer. 

The policy was voted for unanimously by councillors at a Governing Body meeting on 29 August this year. Councillor Josephine Bartley, chair of Auckland’s Regulatory and Safety Committee, says limiting the number of liquor stores in our neighbourhoods is something communities have asked for and is a step forward in creating a thriving, healthy and safe Tāmaki Makaurau.

“When I grew up, my cousins and I could walk up to our neighbourhood shops and at the time, they consisted of a bakery, lawnmower shop, dairy, and a fish and chip shop. Today the same neighbourhood shops consist of a takeaway, dairy and a heavily branded liquor store. Children today are faced with liquor stores in their neighbourhoods and town centres like it’s a normal thing.

“These communities have been crying out for change – wanting to see better for their neighbourhoods by objecting to new liquor stores opening up. They have said enough is enough!

“The freeze aims to put a stop to new liquor stores opening in areas where alcohol is having a negative impact on peoples’ health, or there is already a high number of liquor stores in the area.”

What changes today?

From Monday 16 September, the District Licensing Committee (DLC) must consider the local alcohol policy when it’s assessing applications to open new off-licence premises, such as liquor stores, bottle shops and supermarkets selling alcohol. The policy recommends that applications to open off-licences in the city centre, as well as 23 other suburbs across Auckland, should be refused. These areas already have a high number of liquor stores and experience higher levels of alcohol-related harm.

Rob Abbott, Principal Specialist Alcohol Licensing at Auckland Council says that new stores in the 24 areas subject to the freeze would need to meet a very high threshold for the DLC to consider granting a licence.

“The local alcohol policy says that applications to open new off-licence premises, like bottle shops, in one of the 24 ‘freeze’ areas should be refused due to the high number of existing bottle shops in the area, and as these areas see higher instances of alcohol impacting on peoples’ health and safety. The DLC has to take this into consideration when it’s assessing applications. There would have to be a very, very good reason for a new licence to be granted.”

‘New’ off-licences are shops that have not been licensed to sell alcohol within the past six months. Existing stores in the areas can keep trading. This includes when ownership of a store is being transferred to another person, or when the licence comes up for renewal – as long as it continues to meet the required conditions.

Outside of the 24 areas, applications for new off-licences in neighbourhood centres face a ‘rebuttable presumption’. Rob explains that this means it will also be tougher to open a new off-licence in other areas of Auckland.

“There are over 400 neighbourhood centres across Auckland – they’re usually areas with rows of shops. The local alcohol policy will also make it more difficult to open a new off-licence in these areas,” he says.

From September 16, the DLC will also assess applications for new alcohol licences and renewal of existing licences, to decide if they should have special conditions put on them. This will apply to off-licence premises, as well as pubs, bars and clubs, and includes requirements for them to do things like keep an incident register; display information on transport, such as taxis, to help customers get home safely; have CCTV; and train staff to a certain standard. 

For more information on the local alcohol policy, visit OurAuckland or read the policy on the Auckland Council website.

Source: Auckland Council

Meet the incredible Māngere-Ōtāhuhu locals who are not just key players in New Zealand’s largest water project but are instrumental in its development and care.

Since 2019, Watercare has been hard at work building Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest wastewater tunnel – the Central Interceptor (or ‘CI’).

This ambitious project is set to transform the central city, ensuring cleaner inland waterways and more pristine open spaces for everyone to enjoy.

The CI team have been keeping Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board up to date on the project, and recently introduced them to locals working on the project, Shaye Va, Sustainability Advisor and Lukan Paitai-Tuiatua, Project Engineer.

Board chair Tauanu’u Nick Bakulich shares, “Māngere-Ōtāhuhu is abuzz with activity, especially with two locals playing key roles in New Zealand’s largest wastewater tunnel project.

“It’s also great to have Ajesh, a delivery manager, who hails from Fiji, living in our area. Their impactful contributions led to their invitation to our August workshop, where they updated us on their work, shared their journeys, and we are very proud to provide a platform to showcase their remarkable skills and hopefully inspire a new generation of project engineers, delivery managers and sustainability advisors.”

Tongan/Samoan Shaye Va, worked at local Moana Nui-a-kiwa Pool and Leisure Centre, came to Watercare through the Tupu Toa Internship Programme. Her role focuses on ensuring work is done efficiently while minimising waste, maximising recycling to a name a few. She embraces the mantra, “If you can see it, you can be it,” as a guiding principle in her efforts.

Lukan, with Samoan and Cook Island Māori roots (Ngāti Porou), attended a local high school. His role is overseeing two of 17 construction sites, focusing on project management and design and says, “my greatest joy at work? connecting with people and building relationships.”

It’s all in a day’s work for our talented community.

L-R: Togiatolu Walter Togiamua (board deputy chair), Ajesh Jeram (delivery manager, MPS), Lukan Paitai-Tuiatua (project engineer) and Shaye Va (sustainability advisor).

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Source: Auckland Council

A significant milestone has been reached as Auckland’s major cultural organisations join forces to tackle long–standing challenges and enhance collaboration. 

The Auckland War Memorial Museum, MOTAT, and Stardome, each operate independently under different outdated laws. These individual arrangements have not encouraged collaboration within the sector or enabled Auckland Council to specify and monitor outcomes to make the most of available funding. 

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Desley Simpson, who has led a political working group to come up with this solution, says agreement has now been reached on how to address these concerns.   

“For years, the council has acknowledged our cultural institutions were set up to work separately and we invested significantly on reports and reviews to try and fix that,” Cr Simpson says. 

“Now, after a lot of time, effort, debate and discussion, we have delivered a way forward. Most importantly, we’ve found an approach that is supported by our wonderful cultural institutions themselves who have been an integral part of this journey.”

The working group’s two-stage solution will address issues identified in external reviews dating back to 2015. Previous discussions have not led to tangible changes to address these, until now.  

Phase one will focus on achieving better outcomes through collaboration, and a newly formed alliance will play a key role in this effort. The new alliance will bring together the Auckland War Memorial Museum, MOTAT, Stardome, and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, which owns and operates Auckland Art Gallery, the Maritime Museum and Auckland Zoo, to leverage shared resources and talent. This collaboration will lead to more efficient promotion and programming, coordinated advertising and marketing, and the ability to tell a culturally cohesive Auckland story. 

Phase two will involve updating outdated laws to better support this collaboration and enhance outcomes relative to the council’s funding. 

Cr Simpson says she’s pleased that all her fellow councillors have chosen to support a more sustainable and effective path forward for each of these key cultural institutions that are unique, valued and much loved.  

The council’s Governing Body unanimously agreed to progress the recommendations at its meeting on 26 September 2024.  

Read more about the recommendations here.

Source: Auckland Council

The Tūpuna Maunga Authority will be closing Auckland’s ancestral maunga (mountains) during Guy Fawkes from Saturday 2 November to Tuesday 5 November 2024 to protect them from fires. This will be the sixth consecutive year the Authority has closed the Maunga.

The closures come after a history of devastating fires caused by fireworks on Maungarei / Mt Wellington, Maungawhau / Mt Eden and Te Pane o Mataoho / Te Ara Pueru / Māngere Mountain.

Despite the successful closures in recent years, we continue to identify concerning incidents involving the dangerous use of fireworks and have seen suspicious fires requiring emergency services.

Authority Chair, Paul Majurey explains the need for these measures: “The Tūpuna Maunga are of immense cultural, historical, and spiritual importance, and we have a duty to protect them. The continued threat posed by fireworks is serious, and these closures significantly reduce the risk of fire-related damage during Guy Fawkes”.

The Authority will have security teams patrolling the Maunga throughout the closure period and signage to remind the public of the restrictions.

All Tūpuna Maunga, listed below, will be closed from Saturday 2 to Tuesday 5 November 2024, from 6 pm through to the usual gate opening times.

• Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill

• Maungarei / Mount Wellington

• Maungawhau / Mount Eden

• Maungauika / North Head

• Ōwairaka / Te Ahi-kā-a-Rakataura / Mount Albert

• Ōhinerau / Mount Hobson

• Ōhuiarangi / Pigeon Mountain

• Ōtāhuhu / Mount Richmond

• Pukewīwī / Puketāpapa / Mount Roskill

• Te Kōpuke / Tītīkōpuke / Mount St John

• Takarunga / Mount Victoria

• Te Pane o Mataaho / Te Ara Pueru / Māngere Mountain

• Te Tātua a Riukiuta / Big King

• Matukutūruru / Wiri Mountain

The Authority will also have security teams located on the Maunga Wednesday 6 November to Sunday 10 November.

The Tūpuna Maunga Authority continues to urge the Government to ban public sales of fireworks.

Paul Majurey says, “As long as fireworks remain available to the public, we have no option but to restrict access to the Maunga to prevent destructive fires and the extensive damage they cause. The Authority, alongside Auckland Council, the SPCA, and numerous other organizations across the country, will keep pressing the Government to tighten restrictions on the public sale of fireworks.

It’s crucial that fireworks are only used in controlled environments, allowing people to enjoy them safely through organized public displays, while reducing the risk to people, property, and our sacred Maunga.”