Auckland Council needs to do what any pragmatic business fighting for its livelihood would do and reassess and rethink
how and what it does to dig ratepayers out of the billion-dollar fiscal hole, says Auckland Business Chamber CEO,
Michael Barnett.
“Council is no different from a business and rather than snipping at the edges looking at what they cannot or will not
be doing because of the gaping shortfall in revenues from the impact of Covid, they should focus on what they can do
differently and what someone else could do better and more cost effectively so that services are not deferred or lost in
the scramble to hold down debt levels and retain jobs.”
“They have a bulging asset portfolio that would be attractive to private sector investors and operators, including the
port and airport. They can look at the leisure, event and visitor sector and identify who and what could be delivered
more cheaply and more effectively while still earning money for the city,” he said. “And they need to get into a fresh
mindset where private, public partnerships can indeed be in the best interest of Auckland rather than abandoning
progress and reading us a list of deferred roading, public transport, amenity and ratepayer needed improvement
projects.”
Mr Barnett said borrowing even with low interest rates will not solve the budget dilemma long term nor Auckland’s need
to continue to invest to deal with a rising population and role as the engine room of New Zealand’s economy.
“Council needs to lead and act like a business that has to earn its way in the world and prove its worth every day. It
needs to organise resources around delivering core services brilliantly and efficiently rather than doing the same as
always, still carrying a huge workforce, still wanting to do everything themselves apart from privatising or partnership
on a few selected services, shoring up a hierarchical, bureaucratic structure that impedes speed and agility and hitting
pause or slash or less on services and amenities the city needs.”