There is a lot to like about Mayor Wayne Brown’s first few weeks in office. Already there is a stark contrast between the incumbent and the man he replaced. Brown, a man of action, has only served to highlight the inertia of the previous wearer of the mayoral chains. Goff reflected the government he came from. Do nothing, achieve nothing except waste huge amounts of ratepayers’ money on things the majority don’t want.
Mayor Brown has a Mayor Robbie look about him. He has an excellent right-hand deputy in Desley Simpson. If they can get a majority consensus around the Council table they have every chance of righting the ship. As the mayor said, he’s not interested in a right or left scenario, he just wants councillors to get on board and back his solutions. I would hope the likes of Mike Lee and Maurice Williamson will be given substantial roles; their voices need to be heard. It is these people who will get Auckland out of its financial hole and who will ensure wasteful spending is curbed.
It is heartening to know that Mayor Brown is going cast an eagle eye over the books, line-by-line, and take a hard look at the bloated Council and CCOs, the port and the airport shares. Everything should be on the table. He will examine every item to see if it is returning value to ratepayers. Essential services like rubbish collection will obviously be exempt. In all other areas the Mayor, Deputy Mayor Simpson and councillors like Lee and Williamson realise the city must be run in a more businesslike manner.
Auckland has suffered terribly under an incompetent mayor and Council, the majority of whom had no more business acumen than the Government. There has to be a household budget mentality to have any hope of overcoming the $270 million dollar hole the newly elected Council now has to dig itself out of. This bloated beast needs a lot of excess fat removed. There are far too many Council employees being paid far too much. Goff’s Council has been profligate in allowing spending to get out of control. The left has the quaint idea that because it’s not their money, they can throw it around like confetti at a wedding.
The seven newly elected councillors made their maiden speeches last week. Four spoke about equity, swimming pools, sharing the mahi and working constructively with the mayor to make positive changes together. One sang a mihi. Forgive me for thinking they are from the left and, like the Labour Party caucus, have no idea when it comes to fixing the huge problems the Council has to deal with. Andy Baker from Franklin said people from his area were still confused to be a part of Auckland. All wishy-washy stuff.
The other three, namely Mike Lee from Waitemata, Ken Turner from Waitakere, and Maurice Williamson from Howick were angry. In their view the Council is full of nonsense and they’re the men, along with the mayor, who are going to put a stop to it. Mike Lee spoke about a “$10 billion goldmine for contractors”, referring to the ten-year cost of running buses, road maintenance and other such contracts. Brown called Lee’s speech “a sobering address”.
It is the likes of Brown, Simpson, Lee, Turner and Williamson who are our best hope when it comes to cleaning up the mess the Council finds itself in. The other councillors need to recognise the severity of Council’s financial strife, and support the actions of these people. If they don’t want to, or can’t comprehend the financial hole they find themselves in, then they need to get behind those who can.
It is to be hoped that Lee, Turner and Williamson will be given areas of responsibility where they can effect the changes that are sorely needed. Voters have given them the mandate. These are the people to do it. I wish them well in their endeavours over the next three years.