The Government's latest move on light rail has riled Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and councillors. Photo / Supplied
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is livid with senior Government ministers for a “bombing run” on the city that could see the council stripped of its planning role along the light rail corridor.
He was responding to a letter from Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Housing Minister Megan Woods instructing Kāinga Ora board chair Mark Gosche to begin a process of potentially stripping the council of control of urban development along the 24km light rail route from the central city to the airport.
Speaking to the Herald following a governing body meeting where the Kāinga Ora issue was discussed, Brown described the plan as “self-justifying-keep-your-job bulls***” and told the Government to butt out of Auckland and “just send the money” for the city to do its own thing.
Megan Woods was singled out for criticism by the mayor, saying he got along well with former Transport Minister and Auckland Minister Michael Wood on local matters but had not heard from or met the South Island-based Woods, who like him, was a sponsor for light rail.
“We should have heard from her. It’s not a partnership with the council. The first thing I see is this stuff, self-justifying-keep-your-job bulls..t.
“I stood for getting Wellington out of Auckland. I got a huge response to that. Auckland is big enough to make its own decisions,” Brown said.
Brown and councillor Chris Darby, who are the council’s sponsors on the controversial $14.6 billion light rail project, and council’s chief planning officer Megan Tyler, told today’s governing body meeting they were blindsided by the letter.
“Enough is enough … this is a bombing run,” said Brown.
He said the Government needed reminding that Auckland Council is the body that represents a third of New Zealand and has to be treated with respect.
Late today, Woods responded to the council’s concerns, saying the Government indicated in December 2021 when it decided to work with Auckland Council to move to the detailed business case and planning stage for light rail, that the Urban Development Act and powers of a Specified Development Project(SDP) should be considered.
“This direction is just the beginning of a consultative process to work alongside Auckland Council before a decision is made.
“I have asked housing officials to work with their counterparts at Auckland council to once again explain the process. This direction does not change anything already underway for the Council or Auckland Light Rail Ltd,” Woods said.
She said ministers still expect Auckland Council to continue the work it is doing to deliver a comprehensive variation to its Unitary Plan to enable intensification in the proposed light rail corridor.
This is not the first time Woods has laid down the law in Auckland. She is one of the architects behind the housing directive imposed on Auckland that allows for three houses of three storeys built on most sites without resource consent and no urban design rules.
The council has estimated it could lead to more than 3 million new homes in the coming decades, including along the light rail corridor. National recently withdrew its support for the controversial measures, which have sent shockwaves through many communities but welcomed by others.
Councillor Chris Fletcher, who obtained a copy of the ministers’ letter last night, said it showed extraordinary arrogance, a betrayal of trust and an assault on the community.
“The behaviour of the Government dropping this on us is completely unacceptable,” said Fletcher, adding the letter had gone out before Auckland Light Rail had confirmed the route and station locations.
Tyler said the letter was a “surprise to us all”.
She explained to councillors the letter was the beginning of a long process, starting with an investigation by Kainga Ora on the corridor being a potential SDP for the Auckland Light Rail urban development project.
The key outcomes for the project include at least 66,000 new houses and 91,000 new jobs by 2051.
Kainga Ora has been given until July of next year to decide if the project should be an SDP, which could see the council lose control of planning for the corridor and put in the hands of Kainga Ora for the planning, funding and delivery of urban development projects.
Waitakere councillor Shane Henderson said the light rail corridor was exactly the kind of place for developing houses for people to live next to jobs and transport opportunities, but the council does need to have a democratic say on the issue.
The Labour councillor for Manukau, Lotu Fuli, shared his concerns, calling the Government’s actions disrespectful and excluding the council from the table.
The governing body voted for Brown to write to Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Robertson requesting them to withdraw their request to Kainga Ora until they have discussed the matter with other light rail sponsors, including Auckland Council, and agreed on the next steps.
Councillors also voted to note their disappointment that the Government issued the direction without any discussion or agreement with Auckland Council.
Act leader and Epsom MP David Seymour said if the project were to proceed, Kāinga Ora would effectively be able to take over planning and development for whole suburbs, with the ability to change zoning, commission and develop infrastructure, and put in place targeted rates to pay for these developments.
All of this would override the Auckland Unitary Plan, which allows for up to 900,000 more homes to be built, and infrastructure plans already in place by Auckland Council, he said.
“This latest development is a solution looking for a problem. It is the last station on Labour’s light rail fantasy that should have ended with Michael Wood, having earlier survived the end of Phil Twyford’s ministerial career.
“Light rail doesn’t stack up, and it certainly doesn’t justify a department as dysfunctional as Kainga Ora taking over planning half of Mt Eden. The next Government must stop this Specified Development Project dead,” Seymour said.
The Herald is seeking comment from Robertson and Woods.
Bernard Orsman is an Auckland-based reporter who has been covering local government and transport since 1998. He joined the Herald in 1990 and worked in the parliamentary press gallery for six years.