Mark Thomas: Why would anyone stand for Mayor?

Auckland Harbour Bridge towards Auckland CBD. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Opinion

On 28 August 2014, Len Brown presented his draft 10 year budget proposing an astonishing 30 per cent cut in transport spending. In the number one area of concern for Aucklanders, which council can most directly impact, he was planning to reduce spending by $3 billion. In the parks and community area, one of the few areas of council activity which Aucklanders actually value, the news was worse. A 38 per cent reduction.

I walked out of this meeting knowing that Auckland needed new leadership. I didn't expect that a year later I would be the one challenging him for this.

Although many were surpised by the announcements that day, a number of us who had been watching the Mayor's progress were not. His decision not to effectively deal with pre amalgamation projects, as part of his first 10 year budget in 2012, meant an average rates rise of 4.9 per cent was on the cards.

There were problems in other areas. Despite 34 per cent property value increases, and the consequential effect of this on rates rises, he declared that rates transition was over and a rates cap was to be abandoned. The plan he endorsed to rationalise stadium activity across Auckland remained beleaguered. His abandoned promise of a study on ports development in 2012, created a vacuum for the protest and litigation we saw this year. His consensus building group of different ways of fund transport for Auckland delivered its results too late for meaningful engagement with ratepayers.

His preference to put off or mishandle more difficult amalgamation decisions was becoming a hallmark of his mayoralty.

As the Long Term Plan consultation began at the start of this year, I started conversations with council, business, political and community colleagues around the region with two objectives: what are Auckland's key issues and who can lead?

I went to many of the so called "Have Your Say" meetings around Auckland to listen to ratepayers. They had different issues but there were some common themes. Rates were generally too high and people didn't value what council was doing. Transport wasn't getting fixed quickly enough, and unaddressed local transport projects were the top priority for many. The council's growth plans were both confusing and frustrating. Those who wanted to protect their suburb's character weren't sure the draft Unitary Plan would do this. Those who wanted to develop didn't see how the proposed plans would make that easier.

The issues for a new leader were clear, but a key questions had to be answered: Why would anyone stand for Mayor? It's a hell of a job. Mayor of Auckland is the largest directly elected role in Australaisa with a constituency of 1.5 million. As local government is by definition local, this creates a demanding constituency across the 170 towns and villages that make up Auckland.

As I and others spoke with potential candidates, the issue we came up against was the scale of Auckland Council. In five years we have put together the 30 year Auckland Plan, two 10 year budgets, the draft Unitary Plan, and gigabytes of plans, policies and by-laws. Anyone who wanted to be a credible candidate for Mayor had to be across these.

The public nature of the role was another obvious challenge. There is relentless scrutiny and although customers and shareholders may be a tough crowd at times for a corporate CEO, ratepayers present an even more challenging constituency.

As I looked for a new Mayor it became clear that the best candidate would likely be an existing political figure. Someone experienced in the cut and thrust of public life and who was familiar with Auckland Council issues.

We looked hard for the so called 'big name', because profile's an important part of getting elected. But there's little point having a 'big name' if they don't have the right experience and don't have sensible solutions. In any event, they were unavailable or uncertain.

So I started approaching council colleagues to ask what they thought and if they would stand. I took the view at the start that it was pointless looking for new leadership for Auckland if I wasn't prepared to put some of my own skin in the game.

I have spent five years as part of the Auckland Council seeing the opportunities amalgamation presents. Of course there has been some progress, but the best decisions on the big issues (transport, growth, the port etc) still allude us.

I finally made the decision to stand last month only because enough of my council, business and community colleagues told me I should. I am standing because I see only too clearly the affordability, transport and growth challenges we have and what some of the solutions are.

We need to rewrite the Auckland Plan to better match our aspiration and our current challenges. Frankly we need to reevaluate the Mayor's "World's Most Liveable" strap line. When he proposed this, it never came with a price tag - although we see that now. Many people I speak with tell me Auckland is already a great place to live, we just need to focus on better transport, reducing the cost of living and dealing with growth. Where parts of Auckland are not liveable enough, council needs to focus much better on the assets it own and controls - and supporting local boards more to address these.

We need to make more certain progress on transport, and we need to end the stand off with the Government (whoever the Government is!) on who pays for what.

We need our communities more supportive of our growth plans, and we need plans that developers can actually deliver.

My first job in Auckland in my early twenties was running the McDonalds restaurant in Queen Street. Years later I was responsible of the branch network in Auckland for a major bank. In 2013, nearly 17,000 Aucklanders re-elected me to my position as part of the Auckland Council. I've meet, served or represented tens of thousands of Aucklanders over more than 20 years.

Now I am standing for Mayor because Auckland, we need new leadership.

Mark Thomas is a member of the Orakei Local Board. He is also managing director of consulting business Serviceworks. He is standing for Mayor of Auckland.