‘Finish the job’: Wayne Brown’s letter to Aucklanders after winning second term as mayor

Three years ago, I received your voting support as mayor to implement my five policies to lift the financial and service delivery of Auckland Council. These were to stop wasting money, finish the big projects, take back control of the council-controlled organisations (CCOs), speed up traffic and get more from our harbour.

Good progress has been made on all of those. We now have 10 steps that need going through before any money is spent, the Central Sewerage Interceptor is finished, the City Rail Link is heading to completion, the council is soon to get back control of the unloved Auckland Transport, there is now a focus on braining up our traffic signals, the Port of Auckland is now profitable and you can swim in Browny’s pool.

But I need this last term to finish the job. I am very humbled to have received such strong support from you all to get the fix done.

Next year is very exciting for Auckland with the completion of two of the slowest, most over-budget projects in our history.

The International Convention Centre, which will open with strong forward bookings, and the transformational City Rail Link, which has triggered the biggest planning change in years – the intensification of our city along the transport corridors.

Auckland Council will progress negotiations with central government over the City Deal to ensure Wellington respects the size and economic power of our city and allows us more freedom to make our own decisions and progress legislative changes to unlock our potential, with items such as the bed night levy to provide long-term solutions for big events.

Wayne Brown and his deputy Desley Simpson yesterday at Wynyard Quarter after being re-elected. Photo / Jason Dorday

As our country’s only international city, I am determined to drive forward our impact on the economy via the Auckland Technology Alliance to see more successes like Halter and Rocket Lab.

As world trade is now more city to city than country to country, I will lead trade delegations from Auckland to the huge cities of China that we have enjoyed long-term relations with and, ignoring the recent drivel from the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, I will expand our sister-city relationships to include Bengaluru and Ahmedabad in India.

With the recently announced removal of the unfortunate transit visa for the Chinese, we will include big cities in South America once China Eastern Airlines and others start flying there through Auckland.

Back home, the council will continue to improve the city’s resilience via the Making Space for Water programme that emerged from the lessons of the big floods we incurred, which showed just how poorly prepared the city was for such events.

The Future Fund will continue its strong start to make our city more financially resilient.

Auckland Transport will focus on public transport and council will at long last determine our own 30-year transport plan, so we are free of secret, unexpected transport announcements from Wellington for major projects like harbour crossings and politically driven motorways.

There is plenty to do, from small projects like more Browny’s pools around our harbours, to more efficient council processes, and livening up and making our city centres safer. I look forward to leading the council with my Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson and tackling these tasks to make our city better in every aspect.

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