Here is my statement regarding the Pacific tsunami -

Manukau Mayor Len Brown says the thoughts of the people of Manukau are with the families and the people of the nations affected by this morning’s earthquake and tsunami in the pacific.

“It appears there have been fatalities and injuries caused by the tsunami that hit Samoa and American Samoa particularly hard,” says Mr Brown.

“Pacific people are an important part of Manukau’s diverse communities making up 27 per cent of the city’s population.

“We also have a very large Samoan population and I am sure that local residents have been trying to get hold of their relatives in Samoa and American Samoa who have been severely affected.”

Mr Brown says he visited Samoa and American Samoa as part of the Manukau City Pacific Trade Delegation in August.

“It makes it very personal because we met so many wonderful people in the islands, and they left a lasting impression on me.

“We as a council are working to see how we can support the relief effort that will undoubtedly be required in coming days.

“Our thoughts go out to the governments of Samoa and American Samoa and to the families of the victims and all those affected by this tragedy,” says Mr Brown.

There were a couple of very interesting articles in the Weekend Herald about the government’s planned structure for important Auckland activities under the new council.

Civic leaders here are worried that Wellington is setting up the new Auckland council so that it will only have arm’s-length control of many important functions.

Why is this important? I’ll explain:

Delivering transport infrastructure is a key function of local government and increasing public transport options across Auckland will be a key issue for the new council.

Last week we received news that there were 58.6 million public transport passenger trips across the city last year – the highest since the mid-1980s. Pleasing as it is that there has been an increase, it is a tragedy that in 2009, with all the population growth of the city over the past two decades, public transport use is where it was in the mid 1980s. I believe Aucklanders want to see better public transport options in their city.

During the next year I will be listening to the public to find out what specific transport options are important to them. And I’ll be campaigning on their priorities for Auckland’s transport system.

If elected, I would then want the council to implement the plan that Aucklanders will have voted for and will want delivered.  Voters will expect me to deliver on my campaign policies – yet, the structure the government is setting up means the new council will have only indirect influence over key areas like transport.

The main reason given for setting up the supercity was to give more direction and cohesion to decision-making in Auckland – especially concerning transport.

Now the government seems to want to take a lot of the decision-making for transport away from the new council and section it off away from democratic control. It wants to put transport, water and wastewater under the control of an appointed board, or Council Controlled Organisation (CCO). It has also suggested that activities from economic development through to arts and culture could possibly be run under this type of structure.

While six to eight of the transport agency members will be appointed by the council, no more than two will be sitting councillors. The government will appoint another non-voting member in an “advisory” role.

This structure isn’t inherently bad – especially when it is delivering some commercial services. But it could make it difficult to implement the civic plans Aucklanders voted for if we are always arguing the toss with several unelected board members. Such boards are harder to hold to account for the outcomes they deliver – elected councillors will still be holding the can – and are another layer of bureaucracy, absorbing money which could be going directly into services.

Surely we don’t want to do all this work setting up a new Auckland council, getting people with a vision for Auckland’s future to run for office, just to have them appoint people to boards which then run the city?

The third bill to set up the Auckland council will be introduced to Parliament in mid-November and will contain many of the decisions that will determine how successful the new council will be.

I believe it is crucial that the council represents the will of all the communities that make up Auckland and that their elected representatives have a real say in developing the region’s infrastructure. I’ll be working to make sure that happens.

I see some who seem to be setting themselves up to attack me at every opportunity have become very exercised over comments I made to a reporter about Sue Bradford.

I will reply by simply saying this – in local government you need to be able to work with people from across the political spectrum.

For the new Auckland council to work, we are going to need to bring together people from many different parts of the community – from across the business community, from churches,  from different parts of the region, from different groups in the community.

I believe it is time to end the divisive negative politics of the past. I am willing to work with anyone who wishes to see an united Auckland.

Sometimes that means working with people who you might not always agree with.

For instance, this week I am meeting with Bishop Brian Tamaki to hear his ideas about what will be important in the new city. Last week, I spent time with director of Family First, Bob McCroskrie.  Neither, obviously, are on the same side of the fence as Sue.  But they all share a commitment to the community and that is a value I want to see in the new council.

I will be a mayor who listens to people from across the community and brings them together. That is what Auckland is crying out for.  We need to be able to move past the divisive politics of the past when it comes to working with people.

That is why I could work with Sue Bradford if she was elected. Just as John Key has.

On Monday I was lucky enough to speak to the Devonport Rotary Club at the Waitemata Golf Club. Devonport is a special part of Auckland with an amazing history.

Maori settlement of Devonport dates from the mid-1300s – approximately the same time as the landing of the Tainui waka and a memorial on the Devonport foreshore commemorates this event.

The first permanent European inhabitant arrived in 1836 – a harbour master, foretelling the importance of Devonport as a maritime settlement.

Devonport was first settled in 1840. It is the oldest settlement on the North Shore and one of the oldest in the Auckland region. Initially called ‘Flagstaff’, due to the establishment of a signalling station on Takarunga/Mount Victoria, it was renamed ‘Devonport’ in 1868.

It was known (and probably still is know) locally as “the island” because of its geographic isolation from the rest of the North Shore.

The first ferry services started operating in the 1840s and the Devonport Steam Ferry Company was established in 1881 and transformed Devonport from an isolated settlement into a suburb. It achieved borough status in 1886.

The association between Devonport and the Navy is so long-standing that it pre-dates the formal existence of the Royal New Zealand Navy – and the suburb itself was named after the naval town in England.

The area around Calliope Dock was officially declared a Royal Navy base in 1909 and Devonport Naval Base remains the home to the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Devonport is now a thriving cultural centre of Auckland. Many of the buildings retained much of their Victorian charm and such prominent landmarks as the Esplanade Hotel, Kind Edward Parade Reserve and the Victoria Cinema add to the unique feeling of the area.

The town is a personal favourite part of Auckland for me and I enjoy nothing more that trawling through the fantastic second-hand bookshops, admiring the huge Morton Bay Figs in the reserve, grabbing a coffee at one of the main street cafes and filling up at the Devonport Wine and Food Festival.

We’ve got to make sure that in the new city structure communities such as Devonport retain their unique character and voice. And I am committed to that.

Last week I attended the official beginning of construction of the long-awaited Manukau city centre rail link and station.

It was truly a historic day and I was very happy to be a part of it.

The station and rail link is a joint project between KiwiRail, Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) and Manukau City Council.

It’s hard to believe, but the 2km rail line is the first new rail route to be built in Auckland since the eastern line in 1930.

If I am elected mayor next year you will see a renewed focus on delivering public transport across Auckland. Whenever new rail services have been opened in this city, Aucklanders have flocked to use them. You’ll be hearing lots more from me on this issue during the next year.

The other exciting thing about the Manukau rail development is the construction of a new tertiary campus building, which will form part of a three hectare campus being built by the Manukau Institute of Technology.

The Manukau station will eventually be as busy as the Newmarket station and only Britomart will be busier.

The new station will allow easy transition from train to bus and will become a hub for a majority of bus services in Manukau.

It will also encourage more commercial investment in the area, helping to drive the local economy.

Public transport, jobs and education. All great stuff.

More info here.

This is a speech I gave to the Westpac Manukau Business Awards gala dinner Friday, 18 September 2009 at the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre. There was a great range of businesses on show and some really great achievements. Well done to all the winners and finalists.

A major focus of mine in the new city will be working alongside business to deliver economic growth – you can read more about my ideas here. We have a proud record in Manukau of supporting business development, from developing international trade links and building infrastructure, to working alongside educational institutions to up skill the workforce. I will be an active mayor who works with all of Auckland’s different business communities to create a wealthy city.

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Ladies and gentlemen, good evening and welcome to this wonderful occasion.

It is great to see you all here to celebrate the innovation and excellence of Manukau businesses.

Since the inaugural Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards in 1994, this event has enjoyed a prominent place on Manukau’s business calendar, and recognised as a hallmark event in our city.

Manukau is one of the fastest growing and most culturally and economically diverse cities in New Zealand.

And, despite facing some of the toughest economic conditions in living memory, the dedication and hard work of Manukau businesses has ensured that Manukau is not being left behind.  I applaud the efforts of all of you here tonight.

We all know that running a successful business is not easy, especially in these challenging times.

It requires inspiration and determination not to mention perseverance and a real ‘can do’ attitude.

All the finalists here tonight have clearly shown that they possess these qualities.

The council initiated these awards to recognise, encourage and assist business growth in the city.

Economic growth is vital in order to meet our social goals and provide opportunities.

Councils have a vital role to play in helping businesses to grow and prosper.

You are looking for three things from your council: you want us to provide the infrastructure to allow your business to operate with certainty and efficiency, you want us to set out a clear vision of a pathway to growth with a plan on how to get there; and you need us to do these things cheaply.

Infrastructure is crucial. The wishlist is long but not new.  It includes high-speed broadband to business and the home; a modern, secure supply of energy; an efficient and integrated transport network linking road and rail networks with the port and airport.  With a significant upgrade of public transport as a focus.

Business also needs human infrastructure in the form of a highly skilled workforce.  Local government has a vital role to play working with the education sector so that our schools, polytechnics and universities are producing the skilled workers in areas of skill shortages.

I recently visited Otorohanga, to see the amazing work that small town is doing to make sure its young people develop the skills needed by business.  We need to empower our young people, giving them hope and dreams, and build for them a platform from which to excel.

Auckland must be a centre of educational excellence.  In Manukau, 18 percent of those aged under 25 are not in school, do not have a job, and are not in tertiary or skills training.  We need programmes, such as that in Otorohanga, which match young people with education and job opportunities.  We cannot afford to leave our young people behind.

Another area council can focus on is building stronger international links, especially around the Asia-Pacific region.  We need to turn our city into a major tourism destination – not just a transit point.  It is pleasing to note that Tainui and the Auckland Airport will build a four-star hotel at the Airport that is expected to be completed by the 2011 Rugby World Cup

We are blessed in this city with a unique blend of peoples and communities – Maori and Pakeha, our Pacific peoples, our Asian communities, and new communities from the Middle East and Africa.  They provide us with a unique vibrancy, bustle, energy, creativity, resourcefulness and diversity.  We can turn this city into an Australasian regional economic powerhouse – and that must be our aim.

As you will be aware, the face of local government in Auckland region is changing.

A new era of local government next year begins next year when the new Auckland Council is formed.

The new council will cater for the needs of some 1.4 million citizens and ratepayers region-wide.

Council has during the entire process, advocated through our submissions, for our communities.

We strongly believe in community and in ensuring that our views and what is important to Manukau’s diverse communities, is represented in the new structure.

While this is a period of uncertainty, with many challenges, it will also provide opportunities for Manukau City.  We as a council are working to ensure our voice is heard.

In the meantime, it is “Business as usual”.

Manukau City Council is and will continue to work to promote business development in our city.

That’s why Manukau City Council is proud to be sponsoring the Manukau Young Business Person of the Year category for the second year running.

Some of our young people are already making their mark and that deserves to be acknowledged.

Young business leaders are our city’s economic future.

Their focus and determination will ensure that our economy continues on the path of success.

On behalf of the council, I extend sincere thanks to all the sponsors and judges who have enabled these awards to continue growing in size and stature.

I particularly want to acknowledge the naming sponsor ,Westpac, who have been key supporters of these awards.

To tonight’s finalists – congratulations on your success and thank you for the effort and thought you put into your entries.

We value your innovation, entrepreneurship and commitment.

The council is passionate about our people and proud of the achievements of our businesses.

We want to ensure that Tomorrow’s Manukau is Progressive, Proud and Prosperous.

Thank you for doing business in Manukau.

One interesting development the Manukau City Council is involved in is the Little Bucklands Beach to Half Moon Bay pedestrian/cycle boardwalk.

We’re working to improve access to the coastal environment and Half Moon Bay ferry and bus station.

Proposed works include:

• Constructing a timber piled boardwalk on the foreshore, following closely the alignment of the existing banks
• Connecting the boardwalk to the existing Half Moon Bay boat yard footpath
• Connecting the boardwalk to Te Akau Crescent and the existing footpath at the end of The Parade.

This is what the concept plan will look like:

I think it’ll be a good development for the area and allow the public easy access to our coastal environment.

Let us know what you think here.

Here is my press release reacting to the passage of the second Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill:

New legislation fails to protect Auckland’s assets

Manukau Mayor Len Brown says Parliament should have included provision to prevent the sale of council assets in new legislation passed today setting up the new supercity.

“The legislation setting up the new city structure, with power vested in one mayor and one council, fails to include protection for strategic assets such as the airport, the port, and water.  This means that if Aucklanders want to protect their assets to provide a platform for growth, they will need to vote for someone with a track record of protecting public assets.

“Generations of Aucklanders have invested in our public ports, airport and water company. They are owned by the community.  They provide an asset base upon which we can build the infrastructure needed to turn Auckland into an economic and cultural hub for  the South Pacific.  They must not be sold.

“We must make sure the new council protects and develops our assets for all Aucklanders.”

Mr Brown welcomed the dumping of the proposal for undemocratic at-large councillors and the retention of the original northern Rodney boundary, however, he believes the government has made a mistake by splitting the Franklin district in half.

“The preferences of the Franklin community have been made clear. It is a long-standing community in its own right. To arbitrarily split Franklin in half is a slap in the face to them.

“The legislation also states that the new council will have to negotiate the roles and functions of the local community boards. It will be important that this work by the new council is undertaken quickly so that the new boards can get up and running and representing their community.

“As an advocate of empowering local democracy I was in favour of these roles being outlined in the legislation, however as mayor I will be work to make sure that local communities have their voices heard.

“With the new Auckland structure now almost set up, we will need to work to bring the new council together.”

This opinion piece appeared in last Friday’s National Business Review and outlines my thoughts on some of the economic development issues facing Auckland.

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Much attention is being paid to the super-city structure for Auckland.  What gets missed in much of the debate is what it might mean for the region’s economic development.

The proposed structure’s shortcomings need to be addressed – it needs much stronger community representation.  But it does present an unparalleled opportunity to bring a single clear focus to how we plan for, foster, and support economic growth.  It provides an opportunity to put in place a single, coherent plan with the aim of making Auckland one of the world’s top cities to do business.

From my dealings with the business community as Manukau’s mayor, the business community is looking for three things from local politicians: they want us to provide the infrastructure to allow them to operate with certainty and efficiency, they want us to set out a clear vision on a pathway to growth with a plan on how to get there; and they want us to do these things cheaply.

Infrastructure is crucial. The wishlist is not new but it is long.  It includes high-speed broadband across the region; modern, secure supply of energy; an efficient and integrated transport network linking road and rail networks with the port and airport.  Public transport must be a focus, and the Auckland port needs significant new investment to develop the capacity for much larger, modern ships.

The new Auckland Council needs an experienced councillor to lead a team focused on delivering a 21^st century infrastructure which puts Auckland up with the best cities in the world.  A lot of progress is being made now ahead of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, however much more could be done.  There is a need for a comprehensive and ongoing programme of major works.

Business needs more than just physical infrastructure.  It also needs human infrastructure in the form of a highly skilled workforce.  Local government has a vital role to play working with the education sector so that our schools, polytechnics and universities are producing the skilled workers in areas of skill shortages.  Invercargill City Council’s co-operation with its local polytechnic has proven to be of immense benefit to the Southland region.  While Auckland’s needs will be quite different, the new Auckland Council will need to develop similarly close and innovative relationships with key tertiary education institutions, in ways which support innovation and growth, and link them more closely to needs of the business community.

Another area the new council should focus on is building stronger international links, especially around the Asia-Pacific region.  John Key has correctly linked New Zealand’s future to developing greater ties to Asia’s economies.  His government is now building on the work Helen Clark put in place – the free trade agreement with China, agreements with Singapore, Brunei, Chile and Thailand, and a region-wide FTA with the ASEAN countries, the TransPac negotiations involving the United States, and negotiations on an FTA with India.

An important area when local government can assist is in the development of sister city international partnerships.  Cynics see these as little more than junkets.  With concerted focus and effort to leverage off the relationships, they can have considerable effect.  Auckland City Council-commissioned analysis of its international partnerships programme estimates that, in aggregate, it means an additional $55 million of GDP to the Auckland city economy each year.  This could be significantly increased if we target potential economic relationships that result from cultural and social contacts.

China must be an area of particular focus.  Auckland need to utilise our Chinese community’s expertise and knowledge to build much stronger business ties between our respective business communities.  They possess the language and cultural understanding to ease the difficulty of doing business.

Tourism is a major industry.  The proposed Queen’s Wharf transformation is a welcome development.  Auckland can be a visitor destination jewel, and not just a transit point to Rotorua and Queenstown.  We lack a world-class convention centre of sufficient scale to attract major conferences and symposiums.  Such a facility would augment those already provided by private providers.  And the hotel sector would benefit from the increased visitor load attracted by a major convention facility. Auckland is the natural location for such a project.

A single city will provide the business sector with a single coherent set of regulations around the management of resources and development.  A particular benefit will be the ability to develop a spatial plan for Auckland’s future development.  Auckland’s rural hinterland hosts some of New Zealand’s most fertile land and is too important to be sacrificed for more urban sprawl.  There remains much scope for more intensive styles of urban living as we manage the growth footprint associated with the city becoming home to two million people by 2030.

How we pay for the developments Auckland so desperately needs is a key issue.  I remain sceptical that the new structure will automatically deliver the savings which some have suggested.  We need to look at alternative funding sources which don’t foist yet more of a burden onto residential and commercial ratepayers.  Many cities, for example, impose bed taxes on the visitor industry to help fund tourism facilities.  Our airport departure charges, for example, are also low by international standards.  Modest targeted charges like these could raise significant funds.

These are just some of the challenges facing the new Auckland Council.  But as a unitary body, it will be much better placed to develop a strategy to deliver on the vision we all share – to turn Auckland into an Australasian regional economic powerhouse – and do so in a cost-effective and efficient way.

Late breaking news: I could have called this post “Why the boundary decision needed to change” – the Government has backed down on the northern boundary leaving it in its current position. That is good news for the reasons I list below. However they have refused to change the southern boundary and I believe that is still a mistake.

Recently I wrote a post talking about the report of the Auckland Governance Legislation Select Committee on the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill. You can read the report of the select committee here.

I want to focus on one aspect of the select committee report that I believe needs changing. That’s the decision around the northern and southern boundaries.

The good news is that John Key has signalled he is willing to amend this decision.

I hope he does so, because if the parliament doesn’t alter the boundaries it will result in a host of problems. And I predict that if the decision isn’t changed now – we will have to revisit it in a couple of years anyway when the problems become stark.

The select committee’s decision is wrong for a number of reasons.  Firstly, it jeopardises the coherent and co-ordinated approach to Auckland’s future growth and development.  Second, it leaves a number of key strategic Auckland assets outside of the proposed boundaries (although oddly they will be still be owned by the new council).  Finally, there is considerable opposition to the decision to artificially divide Rodney and Franklin from the two communities directly affected.

The decision to alter the boundary was first raised by ARC Chair Mike Lee who got wind of the changes prior to the release of the select committee report. The altered Rodney boundary has subsequently been criticised by other local body politicians, environmental groups and Federated Farmers.  As Mike and environmental advocates like Gary Taylor have made clear, the changes threaten planning controls that have helped to keep property developers under control.

That is exactly right. If the legislation is passed as is, development will occur just on the other side of that boundary and pressure will go on the Kaipara District Council to rezone the land. Development of infrastructure won’t keep up and the area will suffer. Pressure will build to allow access to Auckland’s transport, water and sewerage facilities and we will end up covering it anyway.

Currently, for every dollar of rates that comes out of the northern part of Rodney about $3 is returned. That money would need to be sourced from already stretched ratepayers in the north. Kaipara district will inherit more than 1000km of metal roads. The development pressures will change the nature of the area in the manner that unchecked expansion has affected other parts of the region.

Rodney Mayor Penny Webster and the people of Rodney have consistently argued they should sit aside as a stand-alone entity, and if that is not possible, then they should be all in.

If Rodney, in its entirety, remains inside Auckland, then it will continue to be part of the co-ordinated development of the region, which is positive. However, if all of Rodney remains outside the new Auckland entity, then, at least, critical planning capacity developed at RDC over many years will remain intact.  Having been part of the Auckland Regional Council for so long, RDC is well versed in the issues surrounding the management of Auckland’s development, and the need to protect important rural and coastal areas from poorly regulated sprawl.  It will continue to have a close relationship with the new Auckland Council.

The preferences of the Franklin community are something of which there is no equivocation, as they recently told TVNZ.

Franklin has made clear its preference to remain outside the Auckland structure in its entirety.  It is a long-standing community in its own right.  To arbitrarily split Franklin in half is a slap in the face to the 85 percent of Franklin residents and ratepayers who have consistently indicated that they want no part of the new Auckland structure. This is a conclusive majority to which the Government should show respect. It is a part of the region that (again) should be all in or all out.

Furthermore, the boundary decision is strange in that while many of the regions parks will still be controlled by the Auckland council, they exist outside of our boundaries. Regional jewels such as the Hunua Regional Park, the Whakatiwai and Waharau Regional Parks, plus two of the region’s largest water supply dams, will now sit in the Waikato region, but will be owned by Auckland. Development of these assets could become inconsistent and incoherent. They are of strategic importance to Auckland and should remain with the region’s boundary.

A huge part of the work programme of the new Auckland Council will be managing the growth of our region. The select committee report argues the boundary decision was made in part in order to shield the council from having to focus on developments outside of urban areas. This is a false choice. Firstly, there will be a dedicated northern and southern councillors who can focus on their area’s issues. Second, these areas are part of Auckland’s sphere of interest; we work, live and play in them. Finally, the boundary decision has lopped off approximately one quarter of Auckland’s landmass. With the region due to have two million inhabitants living here by 2030, all of the Auckland region’s development will need to be carefully managed.

We just cannot consider the growth of Auckland without taking into account the development of the communities at the bookends of our region. That is why parliament must reconsider the boundaries.

NB. The select committee report recommended the following:

The majority of us recommend amending clause 18 of the bill to direct the commission to determine that the northern boundary of Auckland city should be generally based on a line between the mouths of the Puhoi and Makarau rivers, dividing the current Rodney district in two. The majority of us believe that the rural northern area of Rodney should then become part of the Kaipara District.

While the southern parts of Rodney are undoubtedly urban or at least partly urban, the northern areas are not, and the large amount of land in that area would probably incur a disproportionate amount of work for the Council when it should be focused primarily on urban issues.

However, we consider that the Auckland regional parks in the northern parts of Rodney should continue to be owned and managed by Commentary Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill 13 the Auckland Council. The majority of us consequently recommend that Part 1 of the Schedule of the bill be amended to provide for the apportionment of Rodney District between Auckland and Kaipara Districts, and to reflect the transfer of part of the Auckland region to the Northland region. We recommend that the Northland Regional Council and the Auckland Council review arrangements for the future management of the Kaipara Harbour and catchment.

The majority of us consider that the southern boundary of the city should remain as it is in the bill as introduced. The northern parts of Franklin have clear commuter and public transport links with urban Auckland, are already within the Auckland Region, and are part of the Manukau Harbour catchment rather than the Waikato River catchment.

We note also that while the Mangatangi and Mangatawhiri catchments would become part of the Waikato region, they would still be owned and managed by the Auckland Council. The majority of us therefore believe that there is no need to amend the provisions governing the partition of Franklin, though we urge the commission to consider carefully retaining all of Pukekohe and Waiuku as part of the Auckland region, rather than splitting them each in two.