Simeon Brown: Former Local Government Minister on Wayne Brown's Auckland manifesto, a bed tax for the city

The Former Local Government Minister's not taking issue with the Auckland Mayor's new manifesto. 

Wayne Brown has laid out his thoughts and a Beehive to-do list ahead of the 2025 Budget.   

He scored the Government a B+, saying they're too distracted by mega-projects and press releases. 

Simeon Brown told Mike Hosking Wayne Brown is just doing his job. 

He says he's the mayor of our largest city and he's advocating for what he believes is needed, even if they don't agree. 

The Government's refusing to budge on an Auckland bed tax.  

Brown’s manifesto also includes calling for the government to reconsider an Auckland bed levy, adding a small fee on short term accommodation. 

Brown told Hosking they don't want to lump Aucklanders with the tax. 

He says in fact the council should be looking for efficiencies in its own budget instead of new taxes. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Got a call from the Auckland mayor, Wayne Brown for
the central government to step in to do a whole
bunch of stuff reconsideration of a tourist bed tax, loosening
visa restrictions, and better preparation for population growth, among other things.
Brown's criticized the government for getting too distracted by megaprojects
and press releases. The Minister for Auckland Summing and Brown
is with us a me in morning, Good.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Morning, Mike.

Speaker 1 (00:20):
Is Wayne Brown a pain?

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Now? We work really well with Wayne. There's a lot
of areas that we're well aligned, particularly around transport investment,
investing in water infrastructure, unlocking land for growth. Look, these
areas that we also disagree with. We don't think we
need to lump Auckland as with a bednight tax. In fact,
I think the council needs to be looking more in
terms of its own budget to find efficiencies and that's

(00:45):
where he should be focusing rather than just putting new
taxes in place.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
Is this all electioneering? Is he putting out press releases
because it's election year and he needs some profile and
all that stuff.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Of course it's election year, so of course the mayror
is putting his name out there and obviously talking about
the work he's doing, But I mean we are working
closely with him and the council on a range of
the issues that he's identified. As you know, last year
we did the deal around water care so we can
unlock a huge amount of more investment in water infrastructure
in Auckland. We're providing more powers back to Auckland Council

(01:16):
around actually getting Auckland transport under control. So a number
of the issues he's raising are certainly areas that we're
working closely with the council on because we recognize the
importance of Auckland. It's critically important that Auckland does well,
so that New Zealand does well and that we can
grow our economy. But at the same time there's some
areas where we will disagree with and that's the nature
of politics.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
The visa thing he's been bringing on about is that
even his domain.

Speaker 2 (01:38):
No that's an issue which my colleague, Honorable Ericus Stanford
is doing a lot of work on shoes made a
number of announcements or really this year and how we
can open up visa rules to get more tourists into
New Zealand. That's obviously a huge priority for the government
so we can grow our economy. But he's putting forward
his proposals and he engages closely with ministers. We're not

(02:00):
always going to agree with everything he says or wants,
but we're very much focused on how can we grow
New Zealand's economy. How can we grow Auckland's economy, because
that's good for New Zealanders. Think they have high paying
jobs and all the benefits that come with that.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Is the power balance about right or is he overreaching?

Speaker 2 (02:20):
Look? I think he's doing his job. He's the mayor
of our largest city. He is clearly advocating strongly for
what he thinks is needed for Auckland. We engage closely
with him on those issues. But I think the key
thing is we're not always going to agree on everything.
We want to see Auckland thrive because that's good for
New Zealand. But as I said, there'll be some issues
that we don't agree on and that's natural politics.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
Okay, not Auckland, but horror Fenna where we're talking to
them later on local council. They're doing a thing of votes.
They're going to give first DIBs to local mari on
Land apparently Taroona did it several years ago. Is this
where we need to be heading local body wise or not?

Speaker 2 (02:56):
No, not at all. Councils need to get back to basics.
That's been the view of the government all along, whether
it's Auckland or it's Horror Fenyware, Councils need to get
back to basics and focus on those core services that
ratepayers expect them to be focused on. And we've been
incredibly clear about that as a government. And you know
some councils a heating message to see Wonganui District Council,

(03:17):
then you know they'll getting rid of the green bin
which is saving rappays two or three percent on their
on their own rates. Auckland Council could do the same.
Wayne Brown could do the same. You could remove the
requirement for that green bin and save Auckland as two
percent on their rates. Those are the types of things
council New Zealanders are looking for is how can we
reduce costs, how can we find efficiencies, how can we
focus on the basics. That's what councils up and down
the country should we focused on the.

Speaker 1 (03:38):
Appreciate your time so I mean Brown, who was the
Minister for Auckland, among another number of other portfolios.

Speaker 2 (03:44):
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