Perspective with Jack Tame: Lots of surprises in mayor Wayne Brown's career

A huge political victory for Auckland mayor Wayne Brown.

Having campaigned on taking greater control over Auckland’s CCO’s (Council Controlled Organisations), the mayor is set to get his wish when it comes to Auckland Transport. Transport Minister Simeon Brown has confirmed that Auckland's transport policy and planning will shift from AT back over to Auckland Council.

Remember, under the current model - Auckland Council has had two elected councillors on the board of AT. But Wayne Brown argued this assigned too much of the major decision making to unelected officials. He was always lamenting that people came up to him in the street and moaned to him about problems that were AT's responsibility, not realising that actually the council had limited control.

Like all power, of course, you have to be careful what you wish for. If Auckland Council and the local boards are to have more authority over transport planning in our biggest city, they'll also have the blame if residents don't feel they're making the right calls. Under the changes, Auckland Council will retain a transport CCO.

But - his opponents have to accept that Wayne Brown has surprised a lot of people as mayor. He has built relationships on both sides of the political spectrum and advocated effectively for Auckland's ratepayers. He promised to get greater control over the Council Controlled Organisations - and Auckland Transport was top of the list. And whether you like the council's subsequent transport policies or not - on that promise, he has delivered.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Had a huge political victory for Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown,
massive victory for him having campaigned on taking greater control
over Auckland's CEOs, the council control organizations. The Mayor is
set to get his wish when it comes to Auckland transport.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown confirming this afternoon that Auckland's transport

(00:20):
policy and planning is going to shift from AT back
over to Auckland Council. Now remember, under the model that
we currently have, Auckland Council has two elected councilors on
the Board of AT. But Wayne Brown has argued that
that model assigned far too much of the major decision
making around transport policy in Auckland to unelected officials. He

(00:42):
was always lamenting that people come up to him in
the street and moaned to him about problems that were
actually AT's responsibility, not realizing that the council itself had
limited control overall contransport. Now, like all power, of course,
you have to be what you wish for. If Auckland
Council and local boards are to have more authority over

(01:05):
transport planning in our biggest city, they will also have
more of the blame if residents don't feel they're making
the right cause. But under the changes, Auckland Council is
going to retain a transport CEO. It's just those big
planning policies that shift over to the council. And you've
got to say, you know, Wayne Brown's critics would have

(01:26):
to accept he has surprised a lot of people as mayor.
He's built relationships on both sides of the political spectrum.
He has advocated effectively for Auckland's rate pays. He promised
to get greater control over the council control organizations and
all contransport was top of the list. And whether you
like the council's subsequent transport policies, whether you like the

(01:49):
plans that Auckland Council comes up with regarding transport and
our biggest city. On that promise to rest back controls
of the CEOs, Wayne Brown has delivered. For more from
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