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The debate about how people move around Auckland got personal at an extraordinary Environment and Climate Change Committee meeting on August 18.
Auckland Councillors voted to adopt the Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway (TERP), but not before one councillor pointed his finger at his colleagues, suggesting that the privileged were unfairly making decisions on behalf the less privileged.
The pathway outlines how Auckland will reduce its transport emissions by 64 per cent by 2030.
Cr Fa’anānā Efeso Collins, who is also a Mayoral candidate, said earlier in meeting he was travelling to Warkworth for a mayoral debate, prompting Cr Daniel Newman to ask how he was getting there.
“The TERP is not about complementing the lifestyles of Aucklanders,” Newman said. “In my view, it is about squeezing Aucklanders in order to change their lives. The people who are doing that squeezing are comparatively privileged people.
“We are highly paid elected members, directors, senior managers. We’re here for a 10am debate about a blueprint on how one engineers the lives and movements of people who start much earlier than that.”
Newman, who is seeking re-election, said he had been putting up signs around his ward using a car because it was convenient and short trips worked for him. His comments were directed at proposed action within TERP to reduce the number short trips taken by Aucklanders.
“I don’t wish to preach a standard for others that I do not practice in my own life,” Newman said.
“I want to ask you this, how many of you travelled around your wards on a bicycle? How many of you carried your poles and your pegs and your tools on the back of a bike?”
Cr Pippa Coom, who was spotted bringing her bike into the town hall from a torrential downpour earlier in the day, put up her hand, indicating she had done just that.
Cr Josephine Bartley said she had driven to the committee meeting that day.
“I am very mindful that I am sitting here on a vote about transport emissions reduction when I drove here and I am going to drive home in my four-wheel drive,” Bartley said.
“I do not want to come across as a hypocrite. There are lots of other people out there who are like me, that want to do something … they do not want to be hypocrites, they want to do their part for the environment, but they need viable options.”
Bartley said Aucklanders needed efficient, reliable, affordable public transport options, “if we want people to change their behaviour, we need to give them options to do that”.
Chair Richard Hills said he was nervous ahead of the vote but had been woken up that morning by his nine-month-old son kicking him in the face.
Hills said that he thought about what his son would think in 20 years time if the committee did not pass the TERP.
“It will improve our air quality, improve our water quality, give people options and just create a better environment. It is not about creating a dystopia, it’s about trying to avoid it,” Hills said. “It is late, but it is better late than never.”
