Category: Auckland Council

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council wants to know if you think Māori seats should be introduced onto the Governing Body of Auckland Council.
To help you provide your feedback, we’ve summarised some key points to consider…

What are Māori seats?

Currently, our Governing Body has one elected mayor and 20 councillors elected from general wards. These councillors speak on behalf of their communities when major decisions are made that determine how our city can continue to thrive. No councillors specifically represent voters who are on the Māori roll.

Councillor Kerrin Leoni says without Māori representation at the highest level of decision-making, Māori communities are at risk of not being heard.     

“Yes, I am Māori but I represent voters in the Whau general ward – not Māori voters. We have no councillors who specifically speak for Māori on the Governing Body,” says Councillor Leoni.

“This is important to ensure Māori have a voice at the table when we decide how to allocate resources and how we can best support the needs of everyone in Tāmaki Makaurau.”

To fill Māori seats, Māori wards will need to be established so voters on the Māori electoral roll can elect one or two councillors on the Governing Body. Māori wards will sit alongside general wards, with the number of seats determined in proportion to population. Read more about Māori wards here.

Why is this important?

Decisions made at the Governing Body table are big-ticket items that impact on everyone – from deciding how much we contribute through rates, to long-term regional planning. Read more about the Governing Body here. 

The Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB) currently advocates for Māori in council decisions by participating in committees and voting on issues covered by those committees.

But IMSB members do not have any input on Governing Body decisions, nor do they represent Māori voters on council decisions. The IMSB is a separate entity, set up by law – to ensure Auckland Council acts in accordance with the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is well-informed on issues of significance for Māori in Auckland.

Why now?

This is the first opportunity for Aucklanders to choose Māori seats. Previously, Auckland Council has been limited in its ability to introduce new seats because our council (unlike any other council in New Zealand) has the number of councillors set at 20. That restriction has now been lifted through a recent central government law change.

Another challenge has been the ability for public polls to overturn council decisions on Māori seats. That provision was removed in 2021. Since then, 32 of 78 councils around Aotearoa have now introduced Māori wards, resulting in more than 60 newly established Māori seats around the country. 

Why it’s important to have your say…

Auckland’s mayor and councillors want feedback to help them make the right decision.

“We are asking all Aucklanders to tell us how they want representation to look at the Governing Body table” says Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown.   

“I encourage everyone to speak up so we can approach this decision well-informed about what Auckland wants – to bring in governance change or keep the status quo.”

To introduce Māori seats, Auckland Council would like feedback about whether to do this using the existing formula, or whether it should seek legislative change.

The current legislation means that election by Māori voters happens in the same way general ward councillors are elected. This process is called the parliamentary model and will allow for one or two Māori seats on the Governing Body. Māori voters on the Māori roll would vote for a Māori ward councillor instead of a general ward councillor.

Elected Māori seats are provided for in the Local Electoral Act 2001, and a formula is used to determine how many seats a council might have. This is to ensure proportional representation for all councils who wish to introduce Māori representation. 

An alternative, which would require a change to the law, is for two Māori councillors to be elected and one Māori councillor appointed by mana whenua. This is known as the royal commission model, which guarantees representation for mana whenua – iwi or hapu with ancestral rights over the land in Tāmaki Makaurau. The Royal Commission into Auckland Governance advised that this was a good model for Auckland in 2009.

How do I make a submission?

Don’t delay – consultation closes on 24 September 2023. You can have your say simply by completing the feedback form here.

To find out more, read the Māori seats for Auckland Council consultation document or summary, and FAQs here.

You can register for an online webinar on 28 August here, or attend an Auckland Libraries drop-in session:

• 29 August – Te Manawa Library (Westgate)
• 31 August – Central City Library; 10:30am -12pm
• 6 September – Te Paataka Koorero O Takaanini Library; 10:30am -12pm

Marae information hui will be held on:

• 4 September – Papakura Marae; 1-4pm
• 8 September – Hoani Waititi Marae; 1-4pm

What happens next?

After you’ve had your say, the Governing Body will consider feedback and aim to make a decision on 26 October 2023.

If Auckland Council does establish Māori seats for the 2025 local elections, these seats will be determined through a representation review. This involves a review of councillor numbers and is required by law every six years.

Source: Auckland Council

Totara Park Mountain Bike Club and Manurewa Local Board have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop quality biking facilities within the park.

Board chair Glenn Murphy says the Totara Park Masterplan includes growing a range of recreation opportunities while protecting and nurturing the park’s unique natural character.

“There’s no suggestion the park is going to suddenly get covered in tracks,” he says.

“It’s much more around working on a shared vision with the club, whose members volunteer huge numbers of hours to maintain and improve what is already within the park.”

“Totara Park is a much-loved asset that serves the community and people from a wider base, and the number of people attracted to it to make use of the riding tracks is testament to that.”

He says the club is aiming to provide a well-maintained mountain bike trail network that is suitable for a wide range of ages, skills and fitness levels, while also protecting the park’s environment.

“The MoU is a formal way of recognising that we will work together to nurture and develop recreational objectives and experiences within Totara Park,” Murphy says.

Board and club members celebrate a deal that will see riders working with Council to further develop facilities within Totara Park.

Club spokesman Kelvin Hieatt, a member of the neighbouring Papakura Local Board, says the groups being able to work together will make it easier for club members to do everyday tasks.

“At the moment it’s a case of riders identifying little maintenance needs and having to have them addressed by Council staff when we could very quickly get on to them ourselves.”

“Our members are incredibly grateful to have such a good facility within the park and this move will allow us to share a vision about what more could be done working collaboratively.”

Totara Park is one of Auckland’s largest destination parks, covering 216 hectares and including a wide range of activities, landscapes, ecologies and stream systems.

The site was bought by Manukau Council in 1966 and retains rolling hills grazed by sheep and cattle, but with significant stands of bush containing kauri, puriri, totara and nikau, some of the best examples of a lowland broadleaf forest in the city.

Murphy says shared tracks extend through the bush as well as across paddock areas and alongside Puhinui Stream, connecting to the Auckland Botanic Gardens to the southwest.

“With a tennis court, swimming pool, barbeque area, bridle trail and equestrian centre, walking tracks, adventure playground and mountain bike trails, it’s critical the long-term development and day to day operational activities are carefully co-ordinated.”

“Working with the mountain bike club makes sense, further cementing a productive working relationship and empowers the club to deliver improvements for the benefit of the riders as well as visitors who share the tracks and general facilities.”

Hieatt says the club was formed to develop, foster, and maintain the dedicated mountain bike facility within Totara Park.

“Our aspiration is to work with Council to deliver the best run bike park in Auckland.”

Stay connected

Want to stay up to date with all the latest news from your area? Sign up for our Manurewa Local Board E-news or our Papakura Local Board E-news and get it delivered to your inbox each month. 

Source: Auckland Council

Mayor and Minister of Transport reveal priorities for an Auckland Integrated Transport Plan

 

A faster, less congested, more resilient, low carbon transport system for goods and people is on its way for Auckland, with Mayor Wayne Brown and Minister of Transport David Parker confirming their vision and priorities for an integrated transport plan for Auckland.

“Auckland’s transport network faces a range of challenges which both the Minister and I agree will require legislative change and a more integrated partnership approach to decision-making across central and local government.

“We’ve agreed rapid transit is essential for the Auckland region and is a core priority for the Auckland Integrated Transport Plan. That includes speeding up buses, making the best of rapid transit projects that are underway and planning the next phase of the rapid transit network, including light rail,” says Mayor Brown.

David Parker says the recently issued draft Government Policy Statement for Land Transport includes commitments to key public transport projects for Auckland, as well as more money for maintenance.

“The Government will prioritise work on Northwest Rapid Transit, and we have agreed that further planning and investigation of the Airport to Botany rapid transit corridor is required,” he says.

Other key priorities for the Auckland Integrated Transport plan 2024-27 announced today include:

• Optimising the existing network – by working together to implement time of use charging to replace the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax, implementing dynamic bus lanes on key arterial routes to make buses faster and more reliable and reducing traffic management-related costs.
• Building resilience into Auckland’s Transport system – by funding maintenance and renewals at a sustainable rate to improve the condition of the road network and working together to align the Making Space for Water programme and transport investments.
• Identifying efficiencies and reprioritisation options – by ensuring low-cost transport solutions are fully examined before expensive programmes are agreed to, acknowledging that appropriate maintenance of the road surface is a road safety issue and examining funding for road safety to ensure they are delivering a reduction in deaths while meeting community expectations.
• Completing and maximising the benefits of current projects – by supporting removal of level crossings required for the City Rail Link to meet its potential and the completion of extensions to the Eastern Busway.

• Plan for the Port of Auckland to consolidate and move from its current location – by progressing planning work on key projects that allow increased used of rail freight between Auckland & adjoining regions, including the rail line from Avondale to Southdown, and time of use charging to support moving trucks to off-peak times.

“There is joint recognition that Auckland’s port will consolidate and ultimately move from its current location. While the timing and pace will depend on several factors and is likely to take decades to complete in full, the Minister and I agree consolidation should commence within three years.

“Aucklanders want us to deliver a faster, more reliable transport system and this progress towards an integrated transport plan includes sensible interventions to speed things up,” says Mayor Brown.

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council’s Governing Body yesterday approved in principle a more than $2 billion recovery package to improve Auckland’s storm resilience and co-fund buyouts for properties that are most vulnerable to extreme weather in the future.  

Auckland Council’s Group Recovery Manager, Mat Tucker, says that reaching this agreement with central government is a major milestone for recovery in Tāmaki Makaurau.

“Having this financial commitment from the Government means we are closer to giving people certainty about the future of their homes and can get on with the work needed to build more resilient communities.

“Because of the major financial commitment needed from Auckland Council, the Governing Body’s in-principle approval to the cost-share arrangement with the Crown requires consultation with Auckland ratepayers.

“For two weeks from mid-September, we will be seeking Aucklanders’ views on the government’s financial support package. The short timeframe for consultation balances the need to give everyone an opportunity to have their say with the need to provide certainty as soon as possible for displaced families. We recognise that many people are in very difficult financial situations and are anxiously awaiting answers.”

The package provides $774 million for Category 3 property buyouts, with a 50/50 cost share between Auckland Council and central government.

“We are now closer to being able to offer buyouts to people whose homes are assigned Category 3. These are situations where there’s an unacceptable risk to life from future flooding or landslides.  

“There are still complex details to be worked through, namely how we’re going to fairly calculate the value of homes being purchased. What we do know now is that any buyout offer will be less any insurance payout the owner might have received, so we’ll be working closely with the insurance industry to make this as straightforward as possible for property owners.

“We know people will have many questions on the technical and legal implications of the buyout programme, and we are working to be able to provide more details in the coming weeks.”

Property site visits as part of the categorisation process are ongoing. These on-site assessments are critical to determine whether a home has a high or low risk from future flooding or landslides, and whether there is a practical solution available to reduce the risk. Where there are no practical solutions, homes will be placed in Category 3. Read more in the last property categorisation update here.  

Muriwai update

Another major milestone was reached yesterday with the removal of 45 placards at properties that were impacted during the devastating landslides earlier this year.

Mat Tucker says that the geotechnical assessment programme to fully understand the risk to life from large-scale slope instability in the area is now substantially complete and a draft copy of the report will be shared with affected property owners in Muriwai on Monday.

“The draft results have shown that 45 properties in Muriwai can safely have their yellow or red placard downgraded because they are at low future risk, and we expect that about 10 more will follow soon. This means that repair work can take place if needed, and families can return home. This will be an emotional time for those families and is an incredibly significant milestone in the community’s recovery.”

The remaining properties within the geotechnical study areas will have an initial category provided next week.

“Some of the properties in Muriwai will be clearly in Category 3 and they will be eligible for a voluntary buyout when the programme is confirmed. Others properties will be considered initially Category 2 in the government categorisation which means they are high risk but need further investigation to understand if there are any practical engineering solutions that can make the property safe to live in. If there are no practical options, these homes will also be Category 3.” Read more about the property categories.

Mr Tucker says this is a continuation of placard downgrading work that has happened over the last few months.

“Where homes have been repaired, or new information has become available to show there is no risk to life at the property, we have removed placards. During the course of the geotechnical study, our engineering partner GHD has identified areas where groups of homes were able to have placards removed.

“Getting people back into their homes is one of the most important roles of the Recovery Office, and we’re pleased to make further progress on this.”

Source: Auckland Council

Exercise. We know it’s good for us, but sometimes it’s just so hard to prioritise it. ‘Tomorrow I’ll start,’ we say. Well, spring – with its increasingly warmer, longer days and (fingers crossed) blue skies – is here to give you that burst of motivation you need to put on your trainers and get out the door. Here are some low-cost and free ideas to help you stay active this season.

Get organised, start small

Creating a new habit is much easier when you start small. Instead of setting yourself an overly ambitious goal of running a marathon in six months’ time, give yourself the best chance by committing to a smaller, more realistic challenge – even if it’s as simple as walking around the block during your lunch hour every day. The following week you can increase it to two blocks.

If you’re planning to exercise first thing in the morning, make it easy for yourself by laying out your gear the night before so you can get up and go, rather than heading back under the covers to catch some more z’s because you’re too sleepy to find the trainers at the back of your wardrobe.

External accountability is also a great motivator. If you’ve made a plan to exercise with a friend, you’re much more likely to stick to it than be a no-show. Plus, exercising with friends is a great way to keep fit while catching up. You can encourage each other by setting fitness goals together.

Become a gym bunny

Auckland Council has more than pool and leisure centre facilities across the region where you can become a member or pay per hour or per class. While each centre is different, most of them have gym equipment for strength training and cardio fitness.

If group fitness is more your jam, many offer exercise classes, such as Energy HIIT (high-intensity interval training), Zumba and yoga. Centres with pools also offer aqua group fitness classes such as AquaPOWER, which is great if you’re looking for a low-weight-bearing exercise.

Certain Auckland Council operated centres offer free one week trials to new potential members, during which time you can try out the facilities and classes. Click here to fill out a free trial form, here to find a pool and/or leisure centre near you and here for membership and casual prices.

Use free exercise equipment

Fresh air is free and so is the outdoor exercise equipment at 80 parks across the region. A list of parks with outdoor exercise gear – including the types of equipment on offer and location in the park – can be found here.

Let team spirit motivate you

If group sports motivate you, take advantage of one of the outdoor courts across the region such as the volleyball court at Milford Reserve.

Some of us are naturally competitive, so if team sports get you off the couch, why not get a group of friends together and head to a basketball or volleyball court at a park or reserve? There are a whopping 204 full and half basketball courts, 22 sand or concrete volleyball courts, 64 tennis courts at parks, reserves and leisure centres across Auckland. Most are free, or you can book courts at some leisure centres for a small fee. Or if you fall in love tennis then join one of the clubs that use our courts.

I want to ride my bicycle

There are bike tracks and shared paths all over Tāmaki Makaurau where you can embrace your best freewheeling self. Whether you want to bike through the bush or are looking for a flat path with heritage features, tailor a bike ride to suit your needs by using the filters on Auckland Council’s Akl Paths page.

If you want to explore outside your local neighbourhood, don’t forget you can take your bike on trains and most ferries (with a few exceptions) without paying an extra fare, and providing there is space. However, only compact folding bikes are allowed on buses.

Source: Auckland Council

Presented by Auckland Council, the Auckland Heritage Festival returns with the theme of ‘Peace, Love and Protest’ – marking 50 years since anti-nuclear protests were embraced by the nation.

From learning how protests throughout our history have shaped our national identity, to the ways we came together during significant times of joy and celebration, this year’s festival is an ode to Auckland’s rich history of protest and the spirit of community unity.

With over 160 events to choose from, here’s the best from this year’s Heritage Fest. Enjoy!

A sign of the times

Experience the impact of protest at Torpedo Bay Navy Museum with an interactive exhibit featuring an origami boat flotilla – add your own boat! Go behind-the-scenes of the protest to save our milk bottles with a special exhibition at Auckland Central City Library; or get out and about with peace campaigner Richard Northey’s walking tour of the Peace Heritage Walk.

Save Our Milk Bottles, 1989, Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, NZMS 1353.

Hear first-hand experiences from the people who helped make nuclear-free Pacific a New Zealand maritime story at Central City Library, or embrace love with a special exhibition of local wedding fashion from the 1890s to the 1980s at Blockhouse Bay Library.

Mavis Augustine (nee Jones) 1946, private collection

Go all in

What better way to celebrate Auckland’s history than by re-enacting it? Commemorate 130 years of women’s suffrage at Mount Roskill Library – dress up encouraged! Join a special 90-minute sailing aboard Breeze, the brigantine that stood in for Rainbow Warrior on the 1985 peace flotilla to Moruroa; or treat yourself to a High Tea at Onehunga Community House or Pah Homestead.

Breeze Sailing: A Peace Flotilla Legacy

Something for the tamariki

Auckland Heritage Festival runs throughout the school holidays, so why not teach your tamariki / children and rangatahi / teenagers to protest something more than what’s for dinner?

Join award-winning cartoonist Toby Morris to learn how to make the ultimate protest poster at New Zealand Maritime Museum; create your own peace, love or protest badge at New Lynn Library; or get the sports gear out and head to Grey Lynn Park to experience vibrant Pacific Heritage at Cultural Sports Village with games like Taulafoga, tug-of-war, and Pani.

Protest Posters with Toby Morris

Explore sacred spaces

Enjoy a guided tour of Masjid As Salaam, one of the newest mosques in Auckland, or Hāto Petera Catholic Chapel, and meet the people who worship there. Take a look inside St James Theatre to hear about the challenges facing its redevelopment with For the Love of St James; or join a one-of-a-kind musical journey at Auckland Unitarian Church with blockbuster hits played on a newly restored 1904 heritage organ.

Don’t miss a rare opportunity to visit the house, studios and garden of Donner House, built in 1947 by Auckland’s first city architect, Tiber Donner, or a tour of one of Auckland’s most intriguing heritage buildings usually off-limits to the public – New Zealand’s oldest Masonic Lodge – Ara Lodge 348 I.C.

Donner House and Studios

Talks

Hear from Fakafifine and activist Phylesha Brown-Acton, MNZM as she shares her life, heritage and the needs of Māori and Pasifika trans communities; don’t miss a talk at Central City Library from two women involved in New Zealand’s largest women’s protest march in May 1983 when over 15,000 women marched to support nuclear disarmament; and learn more about those on the frontlines with a special talk on the actions that led to the 1981 Springbok Tour Protests at Leys Institute Little Library.

Phylesha Acton-Brown, MNZM

Walks

Join a guided hīkoi / walk or pick up a tour pamphlet to learn more about the history hiding in the streets of Tāmaki Makaurau.

Auckland Heritage Festival favourites return with a guided tour of World War II gun emplacements and tunnels at Kennedy Park and ancient history of Rahopara Pā. Go on a fascinating fact-finding tour of Auckland’s oldest cemetery, Symonds Street Cemetery; or head back even further in time with geologist Bruce Hayward on a guided walk around and over three central Auckland volcanoes.

Symonds Street Cemetery

If you’d rather learn at your own pace, pick up a heritage hunt map to learn more about Ponsonby’s history; take a self-driven Geoheritage field trip to learn more about the topography of South Auckland, from the shores of the Manukau to the Waikato River; or explore East Auckland with three self-guided walks using Howick Local Board’s heritage walk app.

Self-Guided East Auckland Heritage Walks

Take a seat

If you’d rather absorb history seated, then head to Howick Historical Village for a screening of Ma wai ra’ an intimate short film on Owairoa Marae kaitiaki Taini Drummond by Roimata Prendergast and BRŌWNALFĀ, a Pacific-women led film collective.

Celebrate the Waiheke Peace Movement with a screening of ‘Kit and Maynie – tea, scones and nuclear disarmament’; or get a better understanding of our shared history with performances and films celebrating the 80th anniversary of Cornwall Hospital at Cornwall Park.

Vintage Markets

Get your vintage on with some great markets across Tāmaki Makaurau. Step inside historic Alberton House in Mount Albert for a vintage and antiques market; or head to Henderson’s Corban Estate Arts Centre with market stalls inspired by themes of peace, love and protest.

Source: Auckland Council

Presented by Auckland Council, the much-loved Auckland Heritage Festival returns from 23 September – 8 October with the theme of ‘Peace, Love and Protest’ – marking 50 years since anti-nuclear protests were embraced by the nation.

Sail aboard Breeze, the brigantine that stood in for Rainbow Warrior on the 1985 peace flotilla to Moruroa; get a sneak peek inside historic St James Theatre to find out how campaigners plan to save this grand old building; or send along your older tamariki / children and rangatahi / teenagers to learn how to make an effective protest poster with award-winning cartoonist Toby Morris.

With over 160 events – many of which are free or low-cost – taking place across Tāmaki Makaurau, Mayor Wayne Brown is delighted to invite residents and visitors to join the festivities.

“The Auckland Heritage Festival is a unique journey through our city’s rich history that acknowledges our heritage and shares the stories of our beautiful region,” he says.

“‘Peace, Love and Protest’ focusses on Auckland’s more recent history, adding a modern twist to the festival that reflects the dynamism of our ever-evolving community.”

With walks, talks, vintage markets and an afternoon tea or two, there’s plenty on offer to interest everyone and learn about the generations of Aucklanders who have shaped the Tāmaki Makaurau we know today.

Take a look at our shared history with performances and films celebrating the 80^th anniversary of Cornwall Hospital at Cornwall Park, see a selection of protest images at Auckland Pride Centre, and don’t miss a rare opportunity to go inside Donner House, the home of Auckland’s first ever city architect Tibor Karl Donner.

The list could go on – and it does! Check out our picks for ‘Best of the Fest’ on OurAuckland and see the full list of events on the Auckland Heritage Festival website.

Auckland Heritage Festival runs from 23 September – 8 October across Tāmaki Makaurau.

Source: Auckland Council

We received preliminary data from GHDs modelling to be able to look at compiling a list of properties which could have their placards downgraded. Although the GHD results aren’t final yet, we have started the review process and are confident that the information is suitable for these placard changes. This process is underway and further inspections of these properties by Auckland Council compliance staff commenced on Monday, 21 August.

As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, property owners that can have their placard downgraded will be informed this week via email. In some cases, this will mean that some people can return to their homes safely (see message below from Watercare and Vector on this). Within this group, there are a small number of properties that will have their red placard downgraded to a yellow placard, which means there are some restrictions at the property, and this will be explained to these individual property owners by their case manager.

We recognise that this process of removing some placards will be bittersweet for the Muriwai community as some residents are able to go home, while others will still be waiting until next week to learn of their category and next step. We also acknowledge that property owners that don’t receive notification of their placard downgrading will have added anxiety ahead of Monday’s communication. We apologise for any additional stress this places on you. Our commitment has been to provide new information to homeowners as soon we have it so that homeowners have certainty as quickly as possible. In the case of removing placards, we want people to be able to have this certainty so they can plan for their return home.

Watercare message on returning home

Those properties on Watercare water supply had water turned off at the gate valve to reduce the risk of leaks while properties were not occupied. When you return home, please check the gate valve is turned on and flush your pipes by using an outdoor tap for 5-10 minutes. Should you experience any issue in restoring water to your property, or find a leak, please report this to our Watercare faults team online or by calling 09 442 2222.

As water supply to Muriwai is currently via tanker, we ask all residents to be water wise and make efforts to conserve water where possible.

Onsite wastewater systems

As mentioned in the 2 August newsletter, onsite wastewater systems require regular maintenance to ensure they operate correctly. Once you regain access to your property, we recommend requesting an inspection and service of the system prior to use. This can be done through your own service provider. 

The council website has information and guidance on managing wastewater on your property, as well as a list of service providers.

Vector message on returning home

Vector recommends that each property has its electrical installation inspected before livening to ensure it is electrically safe.

If any homeowner previously requested an emergency electricity / gas disconnection or temporary disconnection, please contact Vector on 0508 VECTOR (0508 832 867) to have the property reconnected. Homeowners should also contact their energy retailer.

Source: Auckland Council

Watercare’s works on the Muriwai Water Treatment Plant and reservoir are well underway. Coming up this week is leak testing of the reservoir and testing of the plant. Following this, further cleaning of the reservoir will be required, working with our water quality team to ensure that water supply will be compliant with Taumata Arowai standards.

As the return to service of the water treatment plant and reservoir is dependent on successful commissioning tests, and access to site needs to be reassessed for safety after each rain event, we are unable to commit to a firm re-opening date at this time. The best-case scenario is estimated to be late September to early October. In the meantime, the temporary tanker set-up will remain in place to ensure that there is a continual water supply to our Muriwai customers.

When the water treatment plant and reservoir do return to service, there will be no noticeable change for most customers. The golf club, surf club and a few other outliers will need to have their pipes flushed and tested and we will be in touch when this is planned to happen.

Watercare is currently investigating additional water supply options in addition to the current aquifer. We are yet to determine what supply will be available from the current aquifer long term, so to ensure resilient supply we hope to add an additional source.

As water is a precious resource, and there may be limits on the aquifer supply, it is essential for all water users to be water wise, and make efforts to conserve water, particularly as we head into the summer.

Similarly, while we are still using the temporary water tanker supply for the next month or two, it is important to conserve water to ensure supply for all as more people return home.

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council’s Governing Body has voted unanimously to endorse in principle, subject to consultation, a cost sharing deal with the Crown to fund more than $2 billion of flood recovery and resilience works.

The deal includes:

• Making Space for Water initiatives: $820 million to fund projects that will help build resilience against future flood events, including the core aspects of the Council’s Making Space for Water initiatives. These initiatives include increased maintenance, stream rehabilitation, culvert and bridge upgrades, overland flow path management, and the roll out of “blue-green” networks in critical flood-risk areas (which are stormwater solutions that enhance parkland and open space).
• Transport Network Recovery:  $390 million towards the recovery costs of the transport network directly impacted by the storms. Example projects include Mill Flat Road Bridge, access to Karekare and Piha and underslips on the Bethells Road.

• Category 3 buy-outs: $774 million to purchase an estimated 700 residential properties where there is an intolerable risk to life and it is not feasible to mitigate this risk.

The cost share agreement secures $1.076 billion of Government funding for these projects. This includes 62% of the estimated capital cost of the Making Space for Water projects ($380 million), 79% of the transport recovery costs ($110 million Crown funding and an expected $199 million from the National Land Transport Fund via Waka Kotahi), and 50% of the cost of Category 3 buy-outs ($387 million).

Mayor Wayne Brown noted that the in-principle agreement was a major step forward.

“The Auckland Anniversary floods, and Cyclone Gabrielle had a devastating and lasting impact on many communities, and seven months on, many Aucklanders with damaged homes are still grappling with a challenging future and significant impacts on their mental and social wellbeing.

“While the negotiation process took time, it has resulted in a much better deal for Auckland. This deal will enable us to move faster on our plans to make the region more resilient to future weather events, rolling out the Making Space for Water programme and reinstating a range of transport infrastructure to help our communities return to a sense of normal.”

Councillors and the Mayor also noted the significant financial cost to the Council and ratepayers.

“These efforts to recover and build a more resilient region are expensive, and some of that falls on ratepayers, so we need to consult with them on those costs.

“I have been signalling for some time that we have some major costs coming down the pipe for basic infrastructure. Now more than ever as a Council we need to be thinking seriously about how we are going to focus on what matters most and getting value for our spend,” said Mayor Brown.

A two week public consultation on the proposed Council-Crown co-funding of storm recovery and affected property buy-out will commence in mid-September, including targeted local engagement for affected areas. 

Subject to the outcome of that process, more decisions will be required by Councillors and the Mayor on the details of the buy-out scheme and how the Council’s share of the costs will be funded.

The complex process to assess and categorise affected properties continues. The Council has signalled that it would be looking to start direct discussions with homeowners on buyouts towards the end of October.

The Auckland sites currently identified as potentially suitable for proposed blue-green networks include:

1. Wairau Creek (Totaravale, Lower Sunnynook, Milford)
2. Kumeū River (Kumeū)
3. Waimoko Stream (Swanson)
4. Opanuku Stream (Henderson)
5. Porters Stream (Glen Eden)
6. Whau Stream (Blockhouse Bay)
7. Cox’s Creek (Grey Lynn)
8. Gribblehirst Park/St Leonards Road (Meola/Epsom)
9. Te Auaunga Awa (Mt Roskill)
10. Harania Creek (Mangere)
11. Te Ararata Greenway (Mangere)
12. Whangapouri (Pukekohe)

Maintaining our financial position

The additional debt for Auckland Council could add 7-9% to the debt to revenue ratio for the council over the next 5-7 years which remains well within its upper limit of 290%.

The council has all of its usual funding levers available to manage additional costs including capital expenditure choices, asset sales, service reductions, revenue choices including rates and debt.

The council continues to remain committed to prudent financial management with confirmed ratings of AA/Aa2 from S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service respectively, both on stable outlook.