Howick ward councillors oppose 7.9 per cent rates increase
Howick ward councillors Bo Burns, left, and Maurice Williamson spoke against Auckland Council’s 7.9 per cent rates increase. File photos
Auckland Council’s Annual Plan 2026/2027 has been agreed at this week’s budget and performance committee meeting and formally approved by the council’s governing body.
That’s despite strong opposition from elected representatives including Howick ward councillors Maurice Williamson and Bo Burns.
The financial settings agreed ensure the target of returning to average residential rates increases of no more than 3.5 per cent per year over the medium term remains achievable, the council says.
The annual budget includes a 7.9 per cent rates increase, “keeping Auckland significantly below the double-digit hikes facing communities across the rest of New Zealand”.
It also includes funded operating, interest, and depreciation costs for the City Rail Link (CRL) public transport infrastructure project, equivalent to a 7.8 per cent rates increase; capital investment of $3.6 billion into transport, water and community infrastructure; and a non-negotiable $106 million operating savings target to keep pressure on the council organisation to deliver better value.
Mayor Wayne Brown says while the 2026/27 budget was always going to be the toughest hurdle for the region, sudden global shocks made holding the line incredibly challenging.
“Global fuel pressures, on top of existing financial challenges, added a massive $213 million risk to our budget.
“Without our $106 million savings plan, and before the added fuel pressure of $25m to $50m, that volatility could have forced a 15 per cent rates hike on Aucklanders.
“Instead of taking the easy way out and passing that straight onto ratepayers, we are choosing strict discipline and large operating savings.”
Brown says Auckland’s 7.9 per cent increase is a far cry from the double-digits crippling the rest of the country, who are working “business as usual”.
“This year isn’t business-as-usual for Auckland. We are funding the country’s biggest transport infrastructure project ever in the CRL.”
The council’s budget includes capital investment of $3.6 billion to fund transport and water infrastructure, community services and regional assets.
It focuses on critical transport renewals and bringing the CRL online, housing growth compliance, the ‘Making Space for Water’ flood programme, activating the Central Interceptor’s second half, and funding the physical spaces and assets Aucklanders interact with daily.
Brown says there’s “no time for political grandstanding”, addressing an amendment put forward by North Shore ward councillor John Gillon.
The amendment shows a misunderstanding of the current budget proposal, Brown says.
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown says the council is funding the country’s biggest transport infrastructure project ever in the City Rail Link. Photo supplied
“You can’t ‘defer’ a funding gap. There’s nothing to defer when it comes to major events funding and scrapping the food waste collections would cost in break fees.
“The amendment also includes finding a further $60 million in savings. That’s not only imaginary, it’s simply irresponsible.
“Our $106m annual savings target is the largest ever and is already larger than the rates revenues of 54 other councils.
“A $166 million in savings would set our chief executive up to fail.
“Further, calls to defer depreciation risk a downgrade of our credit rating.
“This would incur further costs to service debt and could wipe out all our savings.”
Williamson and Burns were among the councillors who argued, and voted, against the 7.9 per rates increase.
“Naturally I’m disappointed the vote did not go the way I, and many in our community, had hoped,” Burns says.
“I put my position forward clearly because I believed it was the right thing to do for the people I represent.
“This was never about politics or personalities. It was about listening to residents, standing up for common sense, and making sure the community’s voice was heard around the council table.
“While we missed out this time, I do not regret taking that stand. My job is not to sit quietly when I believe the people of Howick and east Auckland deserve better.
“My job is to speak up, ask the hard questions, and push for decisions that reflect the concerns of local families, ratepayers and businesses.
“I respect the democratic process, but I also believe the community has every right to feel disappointed when its views are not reflected in the final outcome.
“This is not the end of the matter for me. I will continue to advocate strongly, constructively and factually for the people who put their trust in me.
“We did not win the vote yesterday, but we made the community’s position clear, and I will keep fighting for that voice to be heard.”
Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown says he’s disappointed to see mayor Wayne Brown and Auckland Council push through a “massive” rates increase of 7.9 per cent. Times file photo
Williamson says the council has let Aucklanders down. The council’s staffing levels were supposed to come down after the Super-City structure was created in 2010, but has instead grown as a percentage of the city’s population.
If the council’s staffing levels had not increased to the level it has, it would have been able to save about $100 million, and the rates increase could have come down to about 4.6 per cent, he says.
“That’s the first of the concerns I have. There are heaps of others and I raised them [on May 26].
“That one alone, you’ve got to somehow be able to convince me, why, when the merger of these [councils] occurred, all the work that went into them was to be enormous efficiency gains and staff costs, and we’ve seen the exact opposite.
“Any private company is always trying to trim the fat. I know it’s cold and harsh, but you just can’t just keep staff on for the sake of being an employment agency, if somebody else is having to pay their bill, and the ratepayers are having pay for it.”
Williamson suggested implementing a temporary fuel surtax of 10 per cent on public transport fares that would last while the Government’s fuel support package is in place.
“My view is if you put a 10 per cent extra on public transport fares, we could easily be getting another $30 million out of the cost and that would be another one per cent off the rates [increase].”
He also opposes all Auckland ratepayers having to pay the almost $80 fee for the council green food scraps bin, which he’s calculated is used by less than 30 per cent of homes in his neighbourhood.
Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown took to social media on May 27 to criticise the council’s governing body for voting to pass the 7.9 per cent rates increase.
“It is pretty disappointing to see Wayne Brown and Auckland Council push through a massive rates increase of 7.9 per cent this year, despite having options to deliver a lower increase,” he says.
“Wayne Brown and Auckland Council had options available to reduce the rates increase and lessen the impact on Aucklanders, but actively chose to ignore them.
“These options included cutting back-office expenditure, reducing wasteful spending on consultants and contractors, and getting rid of the green bin, which barely anyone uses yet costs Aucklanders around $100 per household each year.
“Just as central Government is looking to reduce costs in the back office, Wayne Brown and Auckland Council should have done the same.
“I want to applaud Howick ward councillors Bo Burns and Maurice Williamson for voting to reduce the rates increase, alongside the five other councillors who bravely voted against the mayor and in support of the humble ratepayer.
“National backs lower rates, and that is why we are introducing a rates cap to stop councils from using ratepayers like an ATM.”
Bo Burns is the owner of Times Media, the publisher of the Eastern Times