Viewpoint – Growth presenting challenges

March and April were busy months for Auckland. We hosted the World Masters Games at the end of April, bringing in 28,000 competitors from more than 100 countries. Less positively, we experienced over 600mm of rain in 30 days – the equivalent of five normal months of rainfall. That tested our stormwater and water infrastructure and showed that we need to build more resilience into the system.

It’s Annual Budget time and Aucklanders have had their say in record numbers. We received 8,058 written submissions, which is an increase of more than 140 per cent on the previous year, and triple the number of submissions from 2014/15.

Council’s Have Your Say events were well attended this year, with almost 1,500 Aucklanders attending one of these many events held across the city. It is really encouraging that so many people have taken the time to participate in planning for the future.

The major policy proposals received positive feedback. The proposed rate rise of 2.5 per cent, growth infrastructure charges, a living wage for council staff and a targeted rate on accommodation providers all received majority support of between 57 and 65 per cent.

Auckland is growing fast. At present, rates are the main means by which Council raises the revenue needed to meet growing demands. Growth is good, but it also presents challenges with congestion and housing affordability. I believe ratepayers have carried the burden of servicing Auckland’s growth for too long. It is important to keep rates increases as low as possible by finding efficiencies and exploring alternative forms of raising revenue.

I am having discussions with the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance about how Government can assist Auckland with its growth pressures. Aucklanders need to pay their fair share, but Government has to give us wider mechanisms to raise revenue. With more taxes paid to central government, it also needs to revenue-share with local government, which has to meet many of the costs associated with unprecedented growth. The feedback from Annual Budget submissions suggests that Aucklanders share that sentiment.

The Million Trees project is progressing well and the enthusiasm of the organisations and people that have come forward so far to be a part of this project is really great. We are going to be planting trees along streams and waterways, as well as in urban parks and regional reserves. We need trees around waterways to slow runoffs and to help stop siltation and nutrient leaching. We also need trees to absorb carbon emissions to slow global warming. More trees will also add to the beauty of our city and will be an asset for future generations to enjoy.