We want Auckland to be a great place to live, work and raise a family. Creating strong communities is at the heart of what local government is about. It means creating places and spaces that cultivate belonging, inclusion, connectedness and engagement. It means creating a well-planned, built environment that supports our communities to thrive. It means providing value for money when investing in the core services you depend on every day.

We will push for a more efficient and environmentally friendly transport system that will get Auckland moving and put Auckland’s transport system on track by:

• Focusing investment in Auckland’s Bus Rapid Transit and Rail Rapid Transit networks where the need is greatest, the investment will be cost-effective and significantly reduce carbon emissions.
  
  
• Investing in park and ride stations, particularly on the periphery of the city.
  
  
• Prioritising separated Bus Rapid Transit busways to the Northwest, running through the Central City to the Northern Busway, and from Panmure to Ellerslie to connect the Eastern Busway to the Central City.
  
  
• Bringing forward multi-modal integrated transport corridor projects in high-growth areas (in the North, Northwest, and South), where massive housing development has not been matched by investment in infrastructure.
  
  
• Setting firm congestion targets for Auckland, and monitor, measure and manage.
  
  
• Working with central government to achieve an additional Waitematā Harbour tunnel or bridge crossing that will result in sufficient cross harbour capacity for road users, service and freight vehicles, bus, rail and active transport.
  
  
• Reversing recent changes to the NZ Upgrade Programme – reinstating Mill Rd multi-modal integrated transport corridor and the Southern Motorway Stage Two improvements including the Drury South Interchange.
  
  
• Considering the trial of an equitable road use charging scheme.
  
  
• Making greater use of dynamic lanes and synchronising traffic lights.
  
  
• Working with schools to make it easier and safer for children to get to school on foot and by bike.
  
  
• Adopting an integrated Auckland-wide approach to maximising the effectiveness of T2 and T3 lanes.
  
  
• Improving active transport in existing suburbs by fast-tracking safe cycling infrastructure, and using open space development contributions to purchase suitably located properties to create neighbourhood parks.
  
  
• Implementing a sensible parking strategy for arterial roads that provides cycle paths, bus priority, and retains regular kerbside parking in off-peak hours to support local businesses, and kerbside parking for residents and their visitors.
  
  
• Encouraging short-term parking in Auckland Council’s Central City carparks.
  
  
• Fast-tracking the electrification of Auckland’s ferry fleet.
  
  
• Replacing diesel busses with electric busses, as soon as possible in partnership with contracted bus companies.
  
  
• Returning Onehunga trains to Britomart.
  
  
• Investigating the retention of Auckland Council controlled parking in the Downtown Parking Building for short-term, day, and multi-day parking, including for visitors to the Hauraki Gulf Islands travelling from the Downtown Ferry Terminal.
  
  
• Investigating the double tracking and electrifying the Western Rail Line from Swanson to Waimauku, and integrated Metro Rail to the Airport via the CRL, the Western Rail Line and beside SH20 and SH20A for $2 billion instead of tunneled Light Rail for $15 to $30 billion.

To support design-led housing supply and improved central government investment in infrastructure, we will:

• Better protect the heritage and special character of Auckland’s built environment.
  
  
• Make it easier to build and refurbish houses by improving the efficiency of Auckland Council’s consenting teams.
  
  
• Call for greater infrastructure funding from central government to support housing development, and to repeal the legislation that makes it compulsory for Auckland Council (with exceptions) to allow three developments on single sites, of up to three storeys without a resource consent.
  
  
• More effectively consult with local communities to improve quality, and increase awareness of building developments in their neighbourhoods.
  
  
• Require Auckland’s core transport, water and other utility infrastructure providers to improve the way they work together, and minimise disruption times and costs e.g. from duplication of road and path works due to poor coordination.
  
  
• Advocate greater commitment to consult with local communities regarding ratepayer control of local water assets.
  
  
• Strengthen the requirements for quality design outcomes.
  
  
• Consider land betterment charges on land that increases in value due to Auckland Council' significant planning initiatives and infrastructure investment.
  
  
• Use Development Contributions to properly accommodate growth, i.e.:
  
  
  • Set development contributions in existing urban areas at a level that provides sufficient funds for new and increased capacity infrastructure to meet the needs of growth, and ensures infrastructure provision for existing communities is not significantly reduced.
    
    
  • Set development contributions that will be charged to the builders of the planned 300,000 additional dwellings in Auckland’s current urban area over the next 30 years, so development contributions will fund the purchase and development of new neighbourhood parks, where needed.
    
    
  • Include in contributions a commercial development provision to fund the purchase and development of land that supports commercial activity in that area, such as the provision of off-street car parking.

To improve Auckland’s environment:

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.

To improve Auckland Council decisions, we will:

• Review and reform Auckland Council’s organisational structures and processes from the ground up.
  
  
• Implement fit-for-purpose structures and operating procedures for the Auckland Council governing body and standing committees.
  
  
• Advocate a comprehensive review of the Auckland Council model and legislation.
  
  
• Champion a new customer service approach that better values resident and local business needs and puts them at the heart of Auckland Council services.
  
  
• Produce an annual report to Aucklanders on the value received from rates and council charges, including staff numbers, for each service.
  
  
• Lead a strong value-for-money focus to significantly reduce organisation-wide costs, reject low priority spending, and focus spending on services that address priority needs.
  
  
• Implement an organisation-wide plan to increase revenue from the parts of Auckland Council that have a commercial component.
  
  
• Rewrite the control and accountability statements for all Council Controlled Organisations to improve the control of, Auckland Transport, Tataki Auckland Unlimited, Eke Panuku Development Auckland, and Watercare.
  
  
• Revise the director appointment process for Council Controlled Organisations to set a clearer understanding of Auckland Council’s expectations as the shareholder.
  
  
• Work to replace the fuel tax with a fairer way to fund infrastructure.
  
  
• Implement a finance policy that does not fix the interest rates on most of Auckland Council’s debt for 10 years, as is Auckland Council’s current practice. 
  
  
• Adopt a development contributions policy, in conjunction with the 10- year budget, to enhance Auckland Council’s ability to set a development contributions policy that meets the needs of a growing population.
  
  
• Ensure greater delegation of decision-making, with commensurate funding, on local matters to local boards.
  
  
• Review the primary services Auckland Council provides within the context of delivering on the four well-beings, prescribed by the Local Government Act.
  
  
• Consider the appointment of an Independent Auckland Services Performance Auditor, as recommended by the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance 2009.