My Account
A political governance and oversight group has been established to ensure that funds raised by Auckland’s Climate Action Targeted Rate (CATR) are spent on the intended programmes and projects for which the rate was established.
The 10-year targeted rate will fund improved bus services, hydrogen or electric public transport, further tree planting and improvements to walking and cycling networks.
At an Auckland Council Governing Body meeting on July 28, the establishment of the oversight group was passed, but not before Cr Wayne Walker asked why the climate rate needed an oversight committee, when other targeted rates did not.
“This is one of a series of targeted rates. We have got a water quality targeted rate, an environment targeted rate, a transport targeted rate and a regional fuel tax,” Walker said.
“We do not have oversight groups for any of these rates.”
Mayor Phil Goff said that Auckland Transport would be delivering many of the changes under the CATR.
“There is a good reason to have a monitoring group because it is being largely administered through a Council controlled organisation,” Goff said.
Strategy and Research general manager Jacques Victor said it was the first targeted rate which was largely at arm’s length from Council.
“We are talking about more than $1 billion here. We want to give people the comfort of knowing that the funding is used exactly as the targeted rate was struck,” Victor said.
He added that the sheer level of interest from the public justified the establishment of an oversight group.
Cr Richard Hills said the oversight group had been requested by local boards, members of the public and even some councillors.
“This is going to be the group that can check and challenge,” Hills said.
“We are always being told that Auckland Transport is not listening and we should have more political oversight of it.”
Hills said that making sure AT was doing what Council and the public wanted from the CATR was crucial.
It is proposed that the governance group consist of the Mayor, the deputy mayor, the chairs of relevant committees and an Independent Māori Statutory Board member.
While it will guide decision-making and report back to the Governing Body, it will have no operational powers.
