December 2, 2025 • 6 mins
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown defends his annual $235 million operating cost calculation for the City Rail Link as scepticism arises.
He told Heather du Plessis-Allan, "most of when you pay your rates, is paying things off. They're not free.
"It's not free to have a road. It's not free to have a train. It's not free to have a bus."
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, as I told you earlier, someone heard us having
a crack at the Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown earlier about
the record rates hike that the super city has just
had announced to it. True to his word, Auckland Mayor
Wayne Brown has phoned us up high wayn Hello, Heather,
you know I was just talking about you just before.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Yeah, I've heard that's they've been spouting rubbish.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
All right, let's crack into it. How much is running
the CRL actually going to.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Cost two hundred and twenty six million a year? Because
it includes you have to pay for it. I know
that probably thinks things are free, but the moment it opens,
we have to start paying for it.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
What are you paying for though? Is this the operating
cost or is the capital expenditure?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Well?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Both, you know, for the operating coster? How much is
the operating cost? Way, because that's what we're talking about.
Is that not? Is that not twenty six million dollars?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
The total cost is two hundred and twenty six million dollars,
which is made up of several things including paying for it.
And you have to start with the deal that was
struck before. Was it start the moment it's handed over
to us. We have to start paying for it whether
you use it, and if you don't start paying for
they take it off you.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Who takes it off you?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
You can't the people we owe that we awell the
money to. I mean, it's just like if you finish
your house that you have to pay for at the end.
The moment you move in, you start paying for it.
You also have to pay for the telephones and the
lights and everything. You have to pay it off. The
idea that you move in and you only pay for
(01:32):
just the operation is that's a sort of a world
where people think that capital money is different from operating money.
It's all money.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Okay, I think that people are talking about different things.
So let's just get this right. The operating cost annually
is twenty six million dollars. The remainder is the cost
of purchasing, the depreciation everything else.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah, that's a bit more than twenty six, but it
is divided up along those lines. It's more or less right.
But you start to start paying. So the idea that
we don't pay.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
For it, so okay, certainly.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
You can't use it. You use it.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
The operating cost of the CRL is one percent, Yes,
one percent, rates rise.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
The operating cost the moment you take it over is
eleven percent, and you're only getting a seven point nine
percent rise because we've saved have to save the other
five But most of what you when you when you
pay your race, it's paying things off. They're not free.
It's not free to have a raid, it's not free
to have a train, it's not free to have a bucket.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
I really think people.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Pay no, no, no, we're not coming across purposes because
the idea is the day you have to open, so
you have to start paying for it. And that's why
the raids went up.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Okay, did you know this was coming?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well, yes, of course I know it's coming the moment,
but ten years ago they signed a contract, a contract
which I was very critical of. You might mind because
a it's pagging too long, it cost too much, But
they signed it up years ago, and so the day
that it finishes, you have to start paying the money.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Okay, so you knew this was coming in twenty twenty
five and twenty sexists would be paying for it. But
by twenty twenty seven, will you still be able to
keep your promise that rates rises would be kept at
one percent? One point five.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Percent three point five above nation. We were yeah, yes,
we will. We This is really disingenuous of those prexit
tax payers. That's probably because I told them if off
recently and despite the fact that I exposed that it
would be the end of me, that just made me
more profitable, more proper popular, because you got to tell
(03:38):
the truth sometimes. Then we had a long term plan
set up last year. It's called a long term plan
for two is one takes a long time to get it,
and b it stands for the next ten years. And
we promised the rate payers last year five point one percent.
This year seven point nine was higher than I wanted
it to be, but that's because of actions and contrayx
(04:00):
what you're assigned years ago. But quop, we went me
and we will stick to that, and we'll stick to
three point five after that because it was a promise
to the taxpayers. Are nice to my promises, and taxpayer
union chase somebody worth chasing the kids? All right?
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Okay, now Wayne on something else user pays? Would you
be okay with the idea because I know it pays?
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Is the idea of the midnight levy?
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Yeah, yeah, totally, i'mard that with you. I'm on board
with that. But the threat that has been coming no cool,
I know that the threat that's been coming from councils
around the country today is that if we cap the
rates rises at four percent, everything else is going to
go up, parking, pools, libraries. Would you be okay with that?
With increasing the prices that we paid.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
After next year, we will be backing under four percent anyore.
So that's not a.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Problem, okay, So we don't need to know in Auckland,
we do not need to worry about paying more for parking,
more for library.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Or I don't know about libraries, but parking, for instance,
if you and I live in the city, as opposed
to everybody else on the council in the city, if
you live in the city, it's one hundred thousand dollars
to buy a car park and so people want to
park for nothing.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Yeah. Well, what I want to get to I want
to say to you, I live in Freeman's Bay near you, right,
we live. We live in the same part of the world.
I'm paying seventy dollars wayne to buy a residential parking
permit to put my car on the street. Three hundred
and sixty five days of a year. You should be
chanting me five hundred bucks for that.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Oh, it's unbelievable bargain. You should grab it straight away
and I did, just stuck behind some idiots and bloody
in the wrong win because of AT mucking things up. Boy.
I can't wait to get hands on AT. That'll speed
up East West traffic. I can tell you that trongos
they are. But you're right, seventy dollars. People don't understand
it's one hundred thousand dollars to buy a car park.
(05:49):
It's got value.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Yeah, well you know what, Wayne, you and I would
absolutely agree on that. Well, thank you for coming on
the show and clarifying that there's so much value in
having a chat to you, Wayne Brown, Mayor of Auckland,
true to his word. More from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive.
Listen live to News Talk Set B from four pm weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
Well, as I told you earlier, someone heard us having
a crack at the Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown earlier about
the record rates hike that the super city has just
had announced to it. True to his word, Auckland Mayor
Wayne Brown has phoned us up high wayn Hello, Heather,
you know I was just talking about you just before.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Yeah, I've heard that's they've been spouting rubbish.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
All right, let's crack into it. How much is running
the CRL actually going to.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Cost two hundred and twenty six million a year? Because
it includes you have to pay for it. I know
that probably thinks things are free, but the moment it opens,
we have to start paying for it.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
What are you paying for though? Is this the operating
cost or is the capital expenditure?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Well?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Both, you know, for the operating coster? How much is
the operating cost? Way, because that's what we're talking about.
Is that not? Is that not twenty six million dollars?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
The total cost is two hundred and twenty six million dollars,
which is made up of several things including paying for it.
And you have to start with the deal that was
struck before. Was it start the moment it's handed over
to us. We have to start paying for it whether
you use it, and if you don't start paying for
they take it off you.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Who takes it off you?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
You can't the people we owe that we awell the
money to. I mean, it's just like if you finish
your house that you have to pay for at the end.
The moment you move in, you start paying for it.
You also have to pay for the telephones and the
lights and everything. You have to pay it off. The
idea that you move in and you only pay for
(01:32):
just the operation is that's a sort of a world
where people think that capital money is different from operating money.
It's all money.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Okay, I think that people are talking about different things.
So let's just get this right. The operating cost annually
is twenty six million dollars. The remainder is the cost
of purchasing, the depreciation everything else.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah, that's a bit more than twenty six, but it
is divided up along those lines. It's more or less right.
But you start to start paying. So the idea that
we don't pay.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
For it, so okay, certainly.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
You can't use it. You use it.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
The operating cost of the CRL is one percent, Yes,
one percent, rates rise.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
The operating cost the moment you take it over is
eleven percent, and you're only getting a seven point nine
percent rise because we've saved have to save the other
five But most of what you when you when you
pay your race, it's paying things off. They're not free.
It's not free to have a raid, it's not free
to have a train, it's not free to have a bucket.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
I really think people.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Pay no, no, no, we're not coming across purposes because
the idea is the day you have to open, so
you have to start paying for it. And that's why
the raids went up.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Okay, did you know this was coming?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well, yes, of course I know it's coming the moment,
but ten years ago they signed a contract, a contract
which I was very critical of. You might mind because
a it's pagging too long, it cost too much, But
they signed it up years ago, and so the day
that it finishes, you have to start paying the money.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Okay, so you knew this was coming in twenty twenty
five and twenty sexists would be paying for it. But
by twenty twenty seven, will you still be able to
keep your promise that rates rises would be kept at
one percent? One point five.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Percent three point five above nation. We were yeah, yes,
we will. We This is really disingenuous of those prexit
tax payers. That's probably because I told them if off
recently and despite the fact that I exposed that it
would be the end of me, that just made me
more profitable, more proper popular, because you got to tell
(03:38):
the truth sometimes. Then we had a long term plan
set up last year. It's called a long term plan
for two is one takes a long time to get it,
and b it stands for the next ten years. And
we promised the rate payers last year five point one percent.
This year seven point nine was higher than I wanted
it to be, but that's because of actions and contrayx
(04:00):
what you're assigned years ago. But quop, we went me
and we will stick to that, and we'll stick to
three point five after that because it was a promise
to the taxpayers. Are nice to my promises, and taxpayer
union chase somebody worth chasing the kids? All right?
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Okay, now Wayne on something else user pays? Would you
be okay with the idea because I know it pays?
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Is the idea of the midnight levy?
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Yeah, yeah, totally, i'mard that with you. I'm on board
with that. But the threat that has been coming no cool,
I know that the threat that's been coming from councils
around the country today is that if we cap the
rates rises at four percent, everything else is going to
go up, parking, pools, libraries. Would you be okay with that?
With increasing the prices that we paid.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
After next year, we will be backing under four percent anyore.
So that's not a.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Problem, okay, So we don't need to know in Auckland,
we do not need to worry about paying more for parking,
more for library.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Or I don't know about libraries, but parking, for instance,
if you and I live in the city, as opposed
to everybody else on the council in the city, if
you live in the city, it's one hundred thousand dollars
to buy a car park and so people want to
park for nothing.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Yeah. Well, what I want to get to I want
to say to you, I live in Freeman's Bay near you, right,
we live. We live in the same part of the world.
I'm paying seventy dollars wayne to buy a residential parking
permit to put my car on the street. Three hundred
and sixty five days of a year. You should be
chanting me five hundred bucks for that.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Oh, it's unbelievable bargain. You should grab it straight away
and I did, just stuck behind some idiots and bloody
in the wrong win because of AT mucking things up. Boy.
I can't wait to get hands on AT. That'll speed
up East West traffic. I can tell you that trongos
they are. But you're right, seventy dollars. People don't understand
it's one hundred thousand dollars to buy a car park.
(05:49):
It's got value.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Yeah, well you know what, Wayne, you and I would
absolutely agree on that. Well, thank you for coming on
the show and clarifying that there's so much value in
having a chat to you, Wayne Brown, Mayor of Auckland,
true to his word. More from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive.
Listen live to News Talk Set B from four pm weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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