Tony Randle: Wellington City Councillor on the appointment of a Crown Observer, the odds of Tory Whanau getting a second term as Mayor

A Wellington City Councillor hopes a Crown Observer will help the city put more support towards water infrastructure. 

Preparations are under way for a Crown Observer, announced by Local Government Minister Simeon Brown in a bid to help the council's 10 Year Budget. 

The city's seeking cuts after reversing plans to sell its airport shares. 

Wellington City Councillor Tony Randle told Ryan Bridge they need to cut some of their projects, and they are not funding Wellington Water as much as it's requesting. 

He says water's not the top priority, but it should be, and he's confident they're going to get there. 

Randle is also uncertain if Tory Whanau will be voted in as Mayor for a second term. 

He says her record is not necessarily the best, but it depends who stands against her. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So they're getting an observer. This is Wellington City Council.
Following the council's decision to make big changes to its
long term plan and a failed vote to sell a
stake in its airport shares, the Local Government Minister Simon
Brown will appoint a Crown observer to the local Council
following advice from the Department of Internal Affairs. The council
has ten working days to respond. Tony Randall's the Wellington

(00:20):
City Council. He's with us this morning, Tony.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good morning, Good morning. How are you.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
I'm very well. Thank you. Any rumors on who this
observer might be.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Well, look, just random rumors and Tolly was the name
that was thrown at me, just randomly. But I've got
no reason to think that it was that it would
be her, and I think in fact it may there
may not be anyone at the moment, because an observer
can't be appointed until after we've responded back to the minister.

Speaker 1 (00:49):
Yeah, and you're obviously going to respond favorably.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yes, oh, yes, that's right. I think the Council accepts
the Minister's decision and while we might give some feedback
on the terms of reference, our principle of having a
Crown observer is accepted I think by the majority of
the councilors, and we're going to go from here.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
Is Wellington going to elect Tory Faro again?

Speaker 2 (01:14):
No, that's a big decision. I'm not a fan, but
you know, election times, who knows. I think she's I
think she's had some challenging times and it's you know,
her record isn't necessarily the best record, but also depends
who our stands against her.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
Of course, the argument that we will go from observer
to commissioner I don't think holds much weight. What's your feeling.
I mean, we've got a year to the election.

Speaker 2 (01:45):
I agree, I absolutely agree. I think the threshold for
a commissioner is that we literally have breached the Local
Government Act. We haven't done that yet. And the minister's
outline though that we're obviously having trouble getting our fin
answers and order, and so he's kindly come along and
said he's going to help us out.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
Why are you funding water infrastructure through rates not debt?

Speaker 2 (02:11):
Well, that's an interesting claim and I can't get my
head around exactly what he's saying. I do know though,
that we need to cut some of our projects and
that we aren't forty funding all the money that Wellington
Water would wind us to fund. Water is not the
top priority and it should be and we're going to
get there, I think through this long term and amendment.

Speaker 1 (02:30):
Tony. Thank you very much for being on the show
this morning. Great to have you Tony Randall. See I
told you he was good Wellington City councilor they do exist,
good Wellington City councilors. For more from Early Edition with
Ryan Bridge, Listen live to news talks. It'd be from
five am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio