NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Auckland CCOs under fire for secrecy

Bernard Orsman
By Bernard Orsman
Auckland Reporter·NZ Herald·
17 Apr, 2011 05:30 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Mayor Len Brown. Photo / Natalie Slade

Mayor Len Brown. Photo / Natalie Slade

The time spent by Auckland Council-controlled organisations debating items of public interest in private has been criticised and labelled "unacceptable".

Last week, Mayor Len Brown, who promised a transparent administration, opposed a move by nine councillors for an open debate on a funding package for the Maori Statutory Board.

This
followed an attack by the Automobile Association on the mega-transport council-controlled organisation (CCO) for acting in secrecy and the Waitemata Local Board being stopped from talking about a secret deal condemning heritage buildings in the Wynyard Quarter.

In all these cases, Mr Brown, the Auckland Council and Auckland Transport have been criticised for keeping the public in the dark about important issues.

Citizens & Ratepayers leader and former Auckland City Mayor Christine Fletcher says had the council publicly debated the latest funding package for the Maori Statutory Board there would have been greater public buy-in.

Instead, she says, the council added to the controversy and further polarised the community.

Mrs Fletcher, who sits on the Auckland Transport board, is more circumspect about the AA's charge that Auckland Transport - which controls public assets worth $11.6 billion - issued a brief agenda one day before last month's public meeting and did not disclose its confidential business.

She says the CCO process is evolving, board members need to come up to speed on projects, but when it comes to critical decisions on important issues "my hope is as many of those are taken in the open agenda as possible".

AA spokesman Simon Lambourne said: "Most of Auckland's transport governance is being undertaken in complete secrecy and this is unacceptable".

Auckland deputy mayor Penny Hulse is another critic of Auckland Transport, whose board is chaired by Mark Ford, former chairman of the Auckland Transition Agency.

Ms Hulse says Auckland Transport is setting transport priorities behind closed doors. When transport was controlled by the seven former territorial councils and regional councils, "we never went into confidence to decide whether we were going to do road A or road B".

"I cannot understand why most CCO agenda items, particularly Auckland Transport, are not in public. I can't understand why most are in confidence," she said.

Mr Ford, who is also chief executive of Watercare Services, is surprised by the criticism.

He says Auckland Transport does its best to hold public meetings and be as transparent as possible, as requested by Mr Brown.

"We go into confidential only on commercial items that would embarrass other parties in the process and that is no different to councils."

Responding to AA claims that Auckland Transport does not release agenda reports or list its confidential items before meetings, Mr Ford said it was appropriate that the non-executive board members received and read the papers first.

The board has decided to make a list of confidential items available from next month.

Watercare chairman Ross Keenan said the CCO was committed to as much open business as possible but had inherited hundreds of contracts and legal agreements requiring early and careful consideration.

Mr Ford says CCOs are still feeling their way with the new system of open government but, as the commercial arms of the Auckland Council, a lot of their business is of a confidential nature.

One example is Auckland Property Investments, which holds and manages a commercial portfolio of 908 non-core properties worth about $700 million. A Herald survey of the amount of time spent in open and closed session by the council's seven CCOs found the Auckland Property board has spent 18 hours behind closed doors and 42 minutes in public.

The survey produced mixed results for CCOs but a positive report card for the Auckland Council. The full council has spent just 56 minutes behind closed doors at six meetings since November, compared with 27 hours in public.

Some councillors, however, are concerned at the number of informal "workshops" on issues before they go to the council and committees.

"I don't disagree with workshops but there is a fine line between substituting workshops for what should be agenda time," said Mrs Fletcher.

Mr Brown said the community's concern about openness was based on the worry that their voice would not be heard by the CCOs but he assured Aucklanders he was committed to ensuring they had a say.

One way of keeping the CCOs in line was the CCO monitoring unit, which reported quarterly on all aspects of the organisations, he said.

Discover more

Kahu

Ratepayers to pay $1.8m for Maori board

13 Apr 05:30 PM
New Zealand

Something for bus drivers to note

16 Apr 05:30 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Smith & Caughey’s unveils final window display, announces it will close in days

11 Jun 05:24 AM
New Zealand

Local football returns to McLean Park after 30 year absence

11 Jun 05:05 AM
Premium
New Zealand

Deep dive: Inside Christchurch's long-awaited new $500m indoor sports facility

11 Jun 05:00 AM

Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Smith & Caughey’s unveils final window display, announces it will close in days

Smith & Caughey’s unveils final window display, announces it will close in days

11 Jun 05:24 AM

The store’s 'End of an Era Sale' began last Wednesday, attracting lines around the block.

Local football returns to McLean Park after 30 year absence

Local football returns to McLean Park after 30 year absence

11 Jun 05:05 AM
Premium
Deep dive: Inside Christchurch's long-awaited new $500m indoor sports facility

Deep dive: Inside Christchurch's long-awaited new $500m indoor sports facility

11 Jun 05:00 AM
'We're here to grow value': Govt announces grass-fed cert scheme, $17m resilient pasture programme

'We're here to grow value': Govt announces grass-fed cert scheme, $17m resilient pasture programme

11 Jun 05:00 AM
Clean water fuelling Pacific futures
sponsored

Clean water fuelling Pacific futures

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search