Simon Wilson: 10 big jobs for Auckland's new mayor

OPINION

What's Wayne Brown really going to do?

We can forget the campaign rhetoric.

He won't be "getting rid of all the road cones", because that would collapse the city's maintenance and infrastructure programmes.

He's unlikely to change a single thing about the way the City Rail Link (CRL) is being delivered, because it's basically all underway. Besides, it's not within his power.

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And despite the rhetoric, he will find it difficult to "quickly sack all the members of all the boards" of the council-controlled organisations (CCOs). He has already called for the resignations of the Auckland Transport board but, if he accepts them, that could throw transport into chaos.

That would risk enormous chaos to basic services.

He won't be radically changing the current annual budget, either. It's a bit late for that.

But there's still an awful lot for him to do.

Here are 10 big things for Auckland's new mayor to get busy on right now.

1. The debacle of the trains

Almost unbelievably, KiwiRail intends to close parts of the rail network for long stretches in the next two years, because they need to relay the tracks. This could create far more congestion on the roads than we have now.

The solution can only be a comprehensive plan to limit cars on the roads.
It should include efficient bus services and pop-up cycleways all over the city, work-from-home incentives, safe walking and cycling to schools and much more.

Here's the mayor's first big chance to show real leadership.

2. The CRL funding crisis

The CRL (City Rail Link) will cost more, no one is denying it. But it doesn't follow it will cost ratepayers more. Brown has to persuade the Government to step up, with funding and/or with debt mechanisms that do not eviscerate Auckland's rates revenue.

This test of Brown's political and diplomatic skills will begin before Christmas.

3. Relationships

Brown needs to make some friends. He based his campaign on a very public disdain for councillors and officials, but to get things done at council he will need their respect.

Wayne Brown celebrates his Auckland mayoralty win. Photo / Jed Bradley

He won't be able to build a functional team simply by turning his back on all of Goff's team and embracing the councillors who did not support outgoing mayor Phil Goff.

Some are of questionable ability and, if there's one thing Brown hates even more than journalists asking questions, it's incompetence.

4. The 10-year budget

Starting next year, the mayor will be in charge of renewing the council's "long-term plan", which Goff renamed the "10-year budget". It's a statutory document and it's his big chance to establish his plan for the city.

Auckland's new mayor Wayne Brown has some big tasks ahead, but they're not the ones he campaigned on. Photo / supplied

The current 10-year budget focuses on infrastructure growth, town-centre development and climate action, and is supported by a number of other planning documents.

Will Brown change this? Apart from controlling costs, he's said almost nothing about what he wants to do.

5. The town centres

From Warkworth to Pukekohe, Henderson to Botany, town centres all over Auckland have big renewal projects underway, often intensely debated and always aimed at equipping the centres to cope well with growth.

Mostly, they're led by CCOs, including the place-making agency Eke Panuku and economic development agency Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.

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What will happen to this work? Brown has said many times he doesn't think these agencies do anything much. In the town centres, they'll tell you a different story.

6. Cronyism

Many times during the campaign, Brown said he would find it easy to replace the CCO boards because, "I've got a mate who could do that".

There's no issue with refreshing board membership. It should happen and it invariably does. Goff had the chair and some members of the Ports of Auckland board replaced. But there's a process. Cronyism is not how it works.

7. Local democracy

The low voter turnout and frustrations with consultation processes both point to the need for reform of how democracy works in Auckland.

8. The port

Brown wants the port moved. He believes that if Ports of Auckland had to pay a commercial return on the land (he thinks it should be $400 million a year), that would force a big rethink. This will also call on all Brown's diplomatic and political skills, but it's an issue dear to his heart. It's his big chance to make a difference.

9. Greening the city

Brown promised to "make the most of the harbour and environment", without saying what he meant. Goff planted 2.7 million trees, but the city desperately needs a law change to prevent the widespread loss of trees on private land.

10. Put the loonies back in their box

Speed bumps are for safety. So are lower speeds and dedicated cycleways. Co-governance works, most obviously in Auckland. The central city is much more than a CBD. Council spending is not out of control and nor is debt.

Auckland's new mayor Wayne Brown. Photo / Alex Burton

For Wayne Brown to lead the city well, he will have to distance himself from the angry voices who think everything is being done wrong. Auckland can and should be better. But as Brown will quickly grasp, if he hasn't already, it's not broken.