auckland council

Items that once were recycled are no longer welcome in your household collection bins.

Rules are changing from February 1 in a bid to standardise across the country.

Paper, glass, and plastic types One, Two and Five can be put out at the gate for recycling.

Auckland Council's Waste Solutions General Manager, Parul Sood, says people should no longer put out lids.

"So unless the lid is attached - like your aluminium cans - if it's attached you can just push them in. It shouldn't be detached, because what then happens is that it falls within the machinery."

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A former cop says when police are trying to subdue suspects, the situation can swiftly deteriorate. 

New figures released to our newsroom show Police have resorted to the tactical use of pain to bring violent or resisting offenders under control more than 2,600 times since 2016. 

Māori account for 48% of cases. 

An Auckland Council member, Alf Filipaina, says pain should be more of a last resort and must always be proportionate to what's happening at the time. 

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Auckland Council has teamed up with NZ Police in a new initiative to enhance safety in the city centre.

The 'Together for Tamaki Makaurau' partnership is designed to establish a more visible safety presence on Auckland streets from Karangahape Road to the waterfront.

Auckland Council CityWatch and Compliance teams, police, Māori Wardens and Community Patrols NZ (CPNZ) will run co-ordinated efforts to address anti-social behaviour and crime in the CBD.

Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck says these efforts will address the social issues and deterioration that's impacted the area over the last three years.

"It's about the crime, the social issues and also some of the anti-social types of behaviour. One of the things we have said is that it doesn't replace the need for more police."

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It’s believed that more thought needs to go into the Auckland Mayor's plans to sell the long-term lease of the Ports of Auckland. 

Wayne Brown is putting forward two options for the port in his proposed 10-year budget, which also includes a rates rise of 7.5%.  

He proposes either keeping the business and gradually releasing land for public use or selling the lease to raise up to $3 billion.  

Auckland Councillor Wayne Walker told Tim Dower that the port does bring in a good amount of income.  

He says they've been told it could be returning $2 million a week, which it's on track to do, as it's returning a million a week now. 

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A prominent Auckland businessman has threatened legal action against Auckland Council if it votes to sell the Downtown Carpark building.

Precinct Property was selected as the preferred buyer in September last year- and it plans to use the space to build apartments and office towers.

Andrew Krukziener says the Downtown Carpark is a crucial asset to the city centre.

"To take it away will diminish business in the city, it'll be terrible for Aucklanders and people who live on Waiheke who use that carpark as a connection point."

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A prominent Auckland businessman has threatened legal action against Auckland Council if it votes to sell the Downtown Carpark building.

Precinct Property was selected as the preferred buyer in September last year- and it plans to use the space to build apartments and office towers.

Andrew Krukziener says the Downtown Carpark is a crucial asset to the city centre.

"To take it away will diminish business in the city, it'll be terrible for Aucklanders and people who live on Waiheke who use that carpark as a connection point."

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Tonight on The Huddle, Nick Mills from ZB's Wellington Mornings and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

The three main parties have stayed quiet about the details of their coalition negations, but some National MPs have said they're close to forming a Government. What do we think of this? Are we over the waiting period? 

Auckland Council is making progress on proposed congestion charges, with Wayne Brown being particularly eager to get these charges going. Is this a money-raising exercise?

MFAT staff have reduced their use of Te Reo in official documents released to the incoming Government- is this a bad look?

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Tonight on The Huddle, Nick Mills from ZB's Wellington Mornings and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

The three main parties have stayed quiet about the details of their coalition negations, but some National MPs have said they're close to forming a Government. What do we think of this? Are we over the waiting period? 

Auckland Council is making progress on proposed congestion charges, with Wayne Brown being particularly eager to get these charges going. Is this a money-raising exercise?

MFAT staff have reduced their use of Te Reo in official documents released to the incoming Government- is this a bad look?

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Auckland Council's Transport and Infrastructure Committee has endorsed having a team work on timed congestion charges.

Mayor Wayne Brown wants to have the charges in place as soon as possible, potentially with discounts for Gold Card holders and people on low incomes.

Public Transport Users Association Chair Niall Robertson says it can't be done until public transport options are in place.

"If you haven't got all these other alternatives, it's a kind of double jeopardy for the commuter, who might not have any other options but to take the car on the motorway."

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Auckland Council has voted down introducing Māori seats for the 2025 local body elections, after a tense debate today.

Councillors voted 11 to 9 against the decision.

Auckland Councillor Alf Filipaina has expressed disappointment with this rejection.

"This was about establishing Māori wards for 2025. The argument was a non-argument, because that work is getting done anyway- and it doesn't need to get completed until later on."

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According to a new report from Auckland Council, dog attacks are on the rise.

Data shows that aggressive or 'unwanted' dog behaviour has increased by 59 percent from last year, while dog attacks have increased by 28 percent.

Auckland Council's Craig Hobbs says there's been a significant uptick in aggressive dog behaviour since Covid-19, as owners and pets have had to adjust to time apart.

"People have adopted animals through Covid, they're no longer at home, they're working and the dogs are left to their own devices. We had a big explosion of animals through Covid."

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A popular Auckland walkway has been partially closed following a spat between some property owners and the council.

The dispute is centred around a around a seaside cottage with heritage status, with the owners requesting the status be removed.

The cottage used to belong to Kiwi artist and photographer Clifton Firth​.

Their lawyer, Alex Witten-Hannah, says the owners want to knock the 'derelict' cottage down, but Auckland Council hasn't moved.

"We need assurance from the council that they are taking all appropriate steps in a timely way to lift the heritage listing."

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It was too good an opportunity to pass up. 

Auckland Council has spent more than $12 million expanding its Botanical Gardens.  

It's bought 1.6 hectares, the size of two soccer pitches, on Hill Road in Manurewa.  

More than 10 million dollars of the purchase price will be funded by debt. 

Manurewa-Papakura Ward Councillor, Daniel Newman, says he lobbied hard for the purchase.  

He knows money's tight, but this was the only time they could buy this particular parcel of land. 

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Auckland Council is asking for proposals for a national stadium in the city.

The working group - formed in July - now wants expressions of interest to assess.

The winning venue will need to be capable of holding major events, have links to public transport and feature a retractable roof.

Chair and councillor Shane Henderson says the stadium should be able to compete internationally for big ticket events.

"Auckland's done this very well in the recent past, but we don't have a lot coming up in the future. This is one of the questions that has been around for many years around the city, so we want to just nail it."

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Questions over whether a bold makeover for Auckland's waterfront is good for the harbour facilities.

Mayor Wayne Brown's put up plans for an open air saltwater pool, an exhibition centre, a water amphitheatre - and aquaculture.

Maritime Union National Secretary Craig Harrison says it's unclear where Auckland Council is going to get the money to fund this project with.

"Someone else could develop it, but then it's a loss to the Auckland ratepayers and becomes a private playground for someone else."

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Aucklanders hit by extreme weather events are in for some financial relief.

The Council has voted to completely remove rates for property owners whose homes are 'uninhabitable' after this year's flooding events.

West Auckland is Flooding chairman Lyall Carter says this is something that several community groups and residents throughout the region have been advocating for.

"Real victory for common sense and for advocacy and people democracy. So yeah, great news."

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For all Wayne Brown’s faults, and there are many, you have got to be impressed with what he’s managed to do in eight months as Auckland’s Mayor.

He’s just managed to convince his council to sell 7% of Auckland Airport’s shares, this is out of the 18% the council held, when half of the council did not want to do this at all.

This from the guy we are told is aggressive, grumpy, rude, is apparently not a team player, he just managed to pull this off through compromise.

He was the one who compromised; went from 18% down to 7%, and that actually is pretty impressive.

Even before he managed to get this, there was no way that we were sure that this vote was going to pass today, even before we got to this point, I would’ve said that he was already winning.

Because for the first time in a really long time, somebody —being Wayne Brown— got us interested in what was going on in Auckland Council’s spending.

When was the last time there was this much attention and interest in the books of the biggest city in the councils? 

When was the last time you even knew what the upcoming dividend payment from Auckland Airport to Auckland Council was going to be? 

When was the last time you even knew the name of your local councillor?   

We should know this stuff.  

We should be interested in how our money’s been spent, because it’s badly handled for years. 

Auckland didn't get to 12 billion dollars worth of debt because the spending was careful, it got there because council after council spent more than they had coming in.

For the first time in ages we are interested, because of Wayne Brown.

Because of how aggressive, and grouchy, and frankly bold he’s been in trying to make cuts in this budget, he's created a soap opera and got us tuning in to see who wins. 

If I had to pick a winner in the end... I think it’s going to be him. 

Because I think it’s a bit of shock to some people to see how bad the council finances are, and how determined some councillors are to not run this thing properly. 

They are refusing to make any cuts, they're refusing to sell an asset to cut interest costs, and instead their solution is to add on more debt, when we already have 12 billion dollars worth of debt and have had a warning from ratings agencies not to keep adding.

If they get their way and push our rates up higher than inflation I would not be surprised if they come under public pressure from grumpy homeowners and renters who end up paying more. 

Which means next budget might be a little tougher for them.

Because remember, his term is not one year and one budget, it’s three years and three budgets.

They've got square off twice more while Wayne “I'm cutting costs” Brown is mayor.

So I think even if they win this time, Wayne Brown might win in the end; just because we’re all watching now like we never have before.

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An emotional end to two days of debate at Auckland Council.

Councillors and Mayor Wayne Brown have voted 14 in favour, with six against and one abstention to pass a budget.

It will see seven percent of the council's Auckland Airport shares sold, and a 7.7 percent rates rise for the average household.

Manukau Ward Councillor Lotu Fuli told Heather du Plessis-Allan that when it was all said and done, she burst into tears.

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If you’re like me and you’re never sure about the financial competency of the people elected to council, the next week is going be a big test.

Because over the next week, the council of the country’s biggest city, Auckland- so presumably some of the brightest councillors in this country, purely because there are more people to choose from- are going to decide and then vote on whether they will sell the council’s airport shares.

Now you don’t need a university degree to tell you Auckland needs to sell its airport shares. And yet, there are apparently 12 councillors who don’t want to, which beats the 9 councillors who do. 

So it will fail at this stage. And that doesn’t make any sense.

Because why keep paying $90m-$100m in debt servicing every year so you can pocket a dividend of $40 million this year?

Auckland doesn’t own enough shares in the airport to have a seat on the board and 18 percent doesn’t get you a say over what the airport does.

And that ownership is only going to be diluted when the airport goes for a capital raise.  

Probably much like you, I remember the lessons we learned from the 80s, and I don’t like selling collectively held assets unless we absolutely have to.

My first reaction was a no when I heard Wayne Brown first pitch the idea. Since then, I've seen the numbers and it’s impossible to argue against- we have to.

We can put Auckland’s money into a smarter asset. It sounds nice to own a fifth of the airport, but nice doesn’t pay the bills. 

Tell you what does pay the bills- pushing up your rates, or deep cuts to things some of those councillors care about, like money for homeless people or the Citizens Advice Bureau.

You and I are financially literate enough to know there is no money tree and the books have to balance.

Let's see if the Auckland councillors know that too.

The next week will be telling.

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Frustration in Auckland as the Council rules out compensating homeowners whose properties were devastated earlier this year.

Mayor Wayne Brown released a statement today saying that Auckland Council was 'not a guarantor of private property interests' and weren't responsible for compensating property owners.

West Auckland Is Flooding spokesperson Morgan Allen isn't surprised by this statement, given Auckland Council's financial position/

"But it is frustrating to see that the Council is not more willing to advocate to the Government on behalf of flood-affected people."

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