Media release

Opening address to the inaugural Business Advisory Panel meeting

Councillor Cameron Brewer

Chairman of the Auckland Council Business Advisory Panel

Thursday, 24 March 2011

Council must deliver on promises of amalgamation or be punished

Welcome to this inaugural meeting of the Auckland Council’s Business Advisory Panel.

Thank you to Simpson Grierson for hosting this breakfast meeting.

His Worship the Mayor Len Brown sends his apologies but I want to acknowledge my councillor colleagues who sit on the Economic Development Forum here this morning.

The business advisory panel is one of a number of panels that the mayor has established. It is the only panel with a total focus on the business community. Those of you here today have been asked to come on board because of your significant contribution to Auckland through your own leadership and experience.

As chair, as far as I’m concerned the Business Advisory Panel is not about the council telling you how it is. Rather, it’s about you telling council what business needs.

We need your advice on council policies, bylaws and the all the pending strategies including of course the economic development strategy. I want to keep these gatherings full and frank, and I suspect it will get a bit fuller and franker as we go through this first term.

One thing that’s not good for business or continuity is the fact that this is the sixth mayoral administration Auckland has had in 13 years. It’s a very tough political marketplace and if this council can’t deliver on the promises of amalgamation, then it too will be a one-term administration.

You were promised rate increases at the rate of inflation, a more efficient council including more streamlined regulatory processes, and economies of scale when it comes to the likes of procurement, operational expenditure and capital works delivery.

If the new Auckland Council hasn’t delivered some marked improvements on doing business in Auckland, then we haven’t delivered the core promises of amalgamation.

Everyone was promised that it would be easier to do business in Auckland with one super city, one unitary authority. Let’s not forget that fundamentally the eight former councils were amalgamated for economic reasons, not for environmental reasons, social reasons or cultural reasons. One city was supposed to give us an economic, business and competitive edge. It’s brutal but that is what this administration will be largely judged against in two and a half years.

The Mayor is doing a great job in unifying the region, and we all admire him greatly for having such a bold vision around the likes of public transport and driving the vision of Auckland being the world’s most liveable city.

Yesterday, he released the 220-page Auckland Plan discussion document, marking the beginning of Auckland’s first spatial plan – something this council is legislatively required to do with the completion date being the end of this year. This is the region’s long-term blueprint and we need serious business input. Submissions on the discussion document close 31 May.

The discussion document is a smorgasbord of information and options. In this challenging economic environment though, Auckland simply can’t have everything. We’ve now got to be very selective and strategic if we are to succeed.

Have your say on the likes of the three big rail promises, on suggested roading proposals, and on funding options. Should we or shouldn’t we toll? Should we borrow more or less? Where should our metropolitan urban limit be? Where and how much do we intensify? Where should we limit our lifestyle blocks to? And dare I say is owning 100% of Ports Of Auckland the best outcome for ratepayers? Actually I don’t know if that particularly question is posed in the document but I’m sure there’s a general comments page.

Rest assured this council will keep telling you it is becoming more business-friendly. However your role as a panel is to tell us how and where we can do better.

I’m all for developing an innovation economy, working with companies to access new markets, and building a skilled workforce. But the reality is this… 88% of Auckland businesses employ five or fewer people and 96% of businesses employ 20 or fewer people…. We can talk as much high level jargon as we want but the average Auckland businessperson will judge this council on the service they get and value for rates they receive. Amalgamation promised a more can-do council. Our challenge is to deliver just that and quickly. The public won’t be patient for long.

However, thank you for giving this council a chance. Let’s not forget that it’s not even five months old yet. Thank you for reserving your judgement. But I suspect the grace period is coming to an end.

As we all accept, the transition is massive and it actually won’t be formally complete until 31 June 2012. And with 600,000 more people coming in the next two decades the challenges are immense.

And let’s not forget why they’re coming. People will continue to move to Auckland for new opportunities. We are New Zealand’s leading commercial centre. We must succeed economically to help our chances of succeeding socially, culturally and environmentally

The role of this Business Advisory Panel is to keep the first ever unitary Auckland Council on its toes, to ensure it delivers on the many economic development opportunities municipal amalgamation promised us all.

Given some of the personalities in the room, I have no doubt you’ll tell us straight.

Without further ado, I will hand your over to Roger Blakeley, Chief Planning Officer at the Auckland Council, to introduce our guest speaker Greg Clark.

Thank you.

ENDS

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