Auckland councillors tick off budget so public can have their say

Auckland’s councillors have given their approval for annual budget documents to proceed to consultation with the city’s residents.

Councillors, mayor Wayne Brown and two members of the Independent Māori Statutory Board met online on Wednesday to approve how Aucklanders will be consulted on the city’s next budget, as well as the material that explains the key budget issues.

Consultation will take place online as well as in face-to-face events across the region.

However, Maungakiekie-Tāmaki councillor Josephine Bartley questioned whether hearings should be added to the public engagement plan, so that councillors could hear directly from those affected by proposed budget cuts.

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Bartley said her concern was in ensuring vulnerable communities are “heard seriously”.

Since consultation changed from hearings to Have Your Say events, it hasn’t been taken seriously, she said.

North Shore councillor Richard Hills said that in his experience, hearings favour people who can get to the Town Hall and “take up our time sitting in the Town Hall when I would rather be in the community”.

Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa councillor Julie Fairey, a previous local board chair, said very few people wanted to take part in formal hearings with her board, but when a local Pasifika group hosted an event, many people turned up. However, there were no governing body members there to hear people’s views, she said.

Referring to his time as a member of parliament, Howick ward councillor Maurice Williamson said if any minister of finance was trying to prepare a budget and also trying to consult with the broadest community, then the budget would never get done.

“Creating expectations that we’ll do an elaborate process and everything people say will be listened to and incorporated into a budget will create very angry people,” Williamson said.

Auckland Council’s general manager of democracy and engagement, Kenneth Aiolupotea, said Have Your Say events in local board areas have a hearing style, so that people and groups can provide their views.

Manurewa-Papakura ward councillor Angela Dalton pointed out that it would be difficult to insert hearings into the budget consultation process at this stage and suggested the discussion be had for the council’s Long Term Plan.

Governing body members then voted for hearings to form part of the discussion around the engagement process for the next Long Term Plan, although councillors Henderson and Williamson voted against the amendment and Brown abstained.

There was also debate over the consultation survey asking respondents whether they pay rates and what their household income is. Fairey proposed the questions be removed for fear of putting people off taking part.

The vote was split, with 11 members voting against removing the questions, while 10 voted for the change. Abstaining from voting, Brown said: “I don’t care.”

All governing body members voted in support of the consultation material, apart from Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa councillor Christine Fletcher, who abstained.

Public consultation on the Annual Budget 2023/2024 begins on Feburary 28 and finishes on March 28. Hard copy material will be available at libraries, council service centres and local board offices.