ARC chairman's last Council meeting speech notes

Members,

I am proud to present the final chairman’s report of the 2004-2007 term of the Auckland Regional Council.

In preparing this report and reviewing our term in office together, it was remarkable how the last three years fell away and memories of our very first meeting on 21 October 2004 and the first few weeks in office came rushing back.

I don’t propose to speak in detail about what we have achieved over the last three years. Much of it – certainly not all - is referred to in my written report. However it would be fair to say that collectively the elected members and officers (and our colleagues in ARH and ARTA) have achieved a considerable amount during our term in office. But it would also be fair to say that in advancing the sustainable development of the Auckland region, we have much work still to do.

However due to the critical ground work we have undertaken in the last three years in particular - we in the Auckland region stand at the threshold of major transformational changes – the electrification of the rail network, the redevelopment of the Wynyard waterfront and the significant opportunities that beckon in seriously promoting the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park are just some of those major changes and opportunities.

Twice in the past Auckland has been in this situation as regards transformational development of our transport infrastructure – in the early 1950s and in the mid-1970s but due to short-sighted political decisions both at central and local government level, great opportunities were lost. I refer to the paper ‘Slow Train Coming’ by Dr Chris Harris (2005) which I have appended to this report. This time we must not fail.

Finally in reviewing the achievements of the last three years, in my view our greatest achievement is that in working together intelligently and cohesively and in a serious business-like manner we have restored the credibility of the ARC and of regional government.

Therefore we end our term of office and complete our contracts with the people of the region with this organisation in good shape to take the Auckland region forward into the future. I offer my thanks to you all and to the dedicated ARC staff led by our chief executive. I wish you all good luck in the coming election.

ends

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