Viewpoint – Guarding against corruption

Transparency is the key to preventing corruption and, believing this, I have been appointed as the senior politician on a new Audit & Risk Committee. This Committee’s job includes ensuring Auckland Council finds out about any fraud or corruption, and that any culprits are held to account and prosecuted. Regrettably, Rodney District Council was ineffectual at this. As a consequence, the price we have paid has been heavy. Investment that should have gone into our roads was stolen.Without transparency, we end up with what we saw with the Borlase and Noone corruption case. In her 227-page judgement, Justice Fitzgerald’s definition of corruption was all that needs to take place is for someone to offer “a benefit” to a public official or civil servant with the intention of influencing them. Whether the official is actually influenced is irrelevant, if they “knowingly accept” the benefit they become guilty along with the person offering the bribe. The Judge also stated this occurred, “within a culture of collaboration that was being encouraged at Rodney District Council and Auckland Transport (AT)”. So it seems others were lucky to escape the scrutiny of the Serious Fraud Office. I find this extremely disappointing. However, I am assured new cases will be opened if strong enough evidence of bribery or corruption can be provided to the Police, or the Press. Transparency is about shedding light on Council’s actions and about the public knowing why, how, what and how much. It is the surest way of guarding against corruption.

To this end, and with the growing support of other Councillors, I am championing empowering Local Boards, ratepayer groups and communities to receive far greater financial detail about how our rates and development contributions are spent. Also, the “preferred supplier” arrangements Council currently operate need to change to allow local contractors fair access to tender for work. My first 100 days:

1. Immediately reinstated a call for an audit of the Araparera Forestry deal; endorsed by Rodney Local Board member Colin Smith.

2. Forced a firm commitment from Mayor Goff to compile, and then publicly release, figures confirming if Rodney is paying more in rates than we are receiving. This is due out soon.

3. Initiated and led the debate that forced a vote approving a change in direction from Council. Aucklanders will now get the chance to give feedback on whether they want an average 2%, 2.5% or a 3.5% rate increase this year. This win included making Council publish the advantages and disadvantages of each option. The average rate increase is provisionally set at 3.5% as from July 1. A lower rate increase is now on the cards.

4. In my maiden speech, I told the bureaucracy to stop their wastage and over-spending, urged Council to get back to core business including road sealing and maintenance, called for local rates to be spent locally, identified the traffic issues at Hill Street and called for infrastructure to be in place before building consents are issued (Structure Planning).

5. Appointed as the senior politician on the Audit & Risk Committee.

6. Demanded a dramatic lift in the quality of financial reporting from the seven Council Controlled Organisations (CCO).

7. Built powerful relationships with the Local Board, local MPs and the heads of every department within Council to help assist and resolve issues for local ratepayers.