Voters face ballot box struggle in rates revolt

By ANNE BESTON

Aucklanders are still unhappy at last year's ARC rate rise - but most voters will struggle to get even at the ballot box.

A Herald-DigiPoll survey has found nearly 60 per cent objected to the way the Auckland Regional Council charged for rates, after rises of up to 600 per cent.

A new business differential softened the blow for home-owners but led to steep rises for many businesses.

But the poll also found that almost 90 per cent of Aucklanders could not name one ARC councillor, making it hard to vote any councillors in or out, based on the way they voted. The poll covered 1023 people, half within Auckland City's boundaries and half across the wider Auckland region.

After last year's "rates revolt", 60.3 per cent of those polled outside Auckland City said they objected to the council's rating system while 49.1 per cent within Auckland City objected.

Asked whether changes to the rates system this year would soften voter opposition to the rates system, ARC chairwoman Gwen Bull said the main reason for the rates drop for householders had been increased central Government funding.


The Government last December announced a $1.62 billion funding boost for transport in Auckland, the money going to a new, independent body, the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, over which the ARC has control. A further $1.3 billion-worth of assets goes to Auckland Regional Holdings, also answerable to the ARC.

But this year businesses were forced to pay a bigger share of the rates bill, a decision Mrs Bull voted against.

But voters looking for revenge at the polling booth were stumped when asked to recall any of the ARC's 13 members.

Mrs Bull, who stands in the Manukau ward, was unknown to 86.6 per cent of those polled outside Auckland.

In Auckland City, more than 97 per cent did not know Auckland councillors Mike Lee, Michael Barnett and Judith Bassett.

In other wards, Waitakere councillors Sandra Coney and Paul Walbran were unrecognised by more than 98 per cent of voters either within or outside Auckland while Manukau ward councillor Bill Burrill didn't register with 98.9 per cent of voters outside Auckland City.

How they voted

On this year's revised ARC rates system, which kept household rates lower but increased business rates to pay for it.

For: Bill Burrill, Mike Lee, Dianne Glenn, Brian Smith, Ian Bradley, Sandra Coney and Paul Walbran.

Against: Judith Bassett, Craig Little, Michael Barnett and Gwen Bull.