Environment

To improve Auckland’s environment, we will:

Climate

• Review Auckland Council’s climate change targeted rate.
  
  
• Revise Auckland Council’s emissions reduction plans to focus on priority areas of more sustainable transport, built and natural environments to reduce emissions quicker and more economically.
  
  
• Make electric buses and ferries more available and expand EV chargers in public car parks throughout Auckland.
  
  
• Supplement the five-yearly State of the Auckland Environment report with annual report cards.

Harbours and Coastlines

• Prioritise investment for storm/waste water separation to get cleaner beaches faster.
  
  
• Screen and remove waste materials from storm water before it reaches the harbours.
  
  
• Prioritise investment into coastal inundation mitigation projects to better manage the impact of rising sea levels.
  
  
• Improve the management of Kaipara, Manukau and Waitematā harbours and the Hauraki Gulf.
  
  
• Oppose plans to amalgamate the Hauraki Gulf and Auckland’s Regional Parks network.

Parks and Green Space

• Balance growth with ample green space provision.
  
  
• Protect Auckland’s existing green spaces from government-imposed intensification plans.
  
  
• Use Development Contributions to improve existing green space and provide additional green space to meet demand locally and regionally.
  
  
• Boost community tree planting.
  
  
• Review Auckland Council’s input to revegetating Auckland’s maunga.
  
  
• Revise playground investment rules to include better sun-protection (e.g., shade sails, tree planting) and include provision for mobility-impaired playground equipment.
  
  
• Reactivate Notable Tree Register and improve tree protections across Auckland.
  
  
• Revise stadium strategy with an emphasis on making best use of Auckland’s existing facilities.
  
  
• Seek government funding for national important facilities, such as Eden Park and the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Sport

• Partner with, and invest in, Auckland’s community and regional sports organisations and facilities to drive sport in Auckland from the grassroots up.
  
  
• Address the significant shortage of covered courts, including with the use of cost-effective court covers and non-slip sports tiles suitable for netball, basketball, volleyball, futsal, tennis and other sports.
  
  
• Retain Auckland’s existing golf courses on publicly-owned land to continue providing accessible facilities, and build walking and cycling paths around golf courses to increase public access and use

Pest animals and plants

• Expand Pest Free Auckland plans and increase funding for local board initiatives to reduce pest plants and animals at a local level.
  
  
• Invest in education programmes that support local pest management.

Waste

• Incentivise all producers of waste, including commercial and industrial, to reduce, reuse and recycle.
  
  
• Make inorganic recycling easier. Boost resources to combat illegal dumping and increase fines.
  
  
• Expand the waste minimisation plans to include recycling facilities in all parts of Auckland.
  
  
• Mining waste stream as much as is practically and economically viable.
  
  
• Investigate the construction of a waste to energy plant to reduce landfill.
  
  
• Increase community-led recycling opportunities.
  
  
• Incentivise long-term, effective water conservation measures for residential, commercial and industrial users, including the reuse of grey water, and wastewater for industrial purposes.

Watercare

• Oppose the forced amalgamation of Auckland’s water resources planned under the Three Waters approach.
  
  
• Prioritise investment into Auckland’s water storage and incentivise domestic tank water storage to ensure reliable safe water supply.
  
  
• Improve Watercare’s governance and future planning to ensure robust accountability for the funding of infrastructure.