An independent councillor and strong voice for you and the Orakei ward

Trams under attack after slump in passengers

New Zealand – by Mathew Dearnaley – Tuesday 15 May 2012:

Auckland’s waterfront trams are under political attack because of their poor post-Rugby World Cup patronage.

Figures given to Auckland Council member Cameron Brewer show the two heritage electric trams carried fewer than 20 per cent of forecast passengers over their 1.5km circuit in March, when patronage slumped to 1933 people.

That was well below October’s figure of 15,322 – after which patronage previously boosted by the Rugby World Cup plummeted to 2391 before rising to 4357 in December and then falling again.

But council organisation Waterfront Auckland said yesterday that the figure for April – which was not given to Mr Brewer – rose to 4664 passengers after a successful Easter holiday programme for children.

Auckland Council transport chairman Mike Lee said the success of the trams should not be measured simply by “bums on seats” but also by their contribution to the development of Wynyard Quarter.

Mr Brewer said an operating loss of $139,136 for the trams’ first eight months had prompted a request from the waterfront agency for a $150,000 council subsidy.

The council had also included $8.2 million in the first year of its draft long-term budget for an extension of tramlines across Viaduct Harbour.

“Let’s not forget that this is a project that Waterfront Auckland promised ratepayers would pay for itself,” Mr Brewer said.

“However, as many of us predicted, their forecasting of how many people would pay good money to circumnavigate a carpark was always pie in the sky.

“It seems crazy that while existing trams are losing money hand over fist and are so poorly patronised, ratepayers are now being asked to spend millions more extending the project.”

But Mr Lee accused Mr Brewer of showing a similar lack of vision to those conservative politicians responsible for ripping up the city’s successful tramlines in 1956.

Mr Lee, a qualified tram driver, said the existing circuit was “remarkably successful” and would be more so once it could be extended to the Maritime Museum and beyond.

“It’s a small peg in the ground. It has been brilliant for creating a sense of place and a wonderful ambience in the Wynyard Quarter – it’s absolutely magic.”

He said the post-cup period, compounded by a wet summer, had been difficult for retailers as well “but does that mean we should shut all the shops down in Auckland?”

“Yes, it needs a subsidy, but tell me what transport in Auckland doesn’t.

“It tailed off over an extremely bad summer but what we are looking at now is much more sustainable support coming, particularly from schools and inbound tourist groups.”

Waterfront Auckland chief executive John Dalzell said the tram circuit was one component of a “total package” that was shaping up as a highly successful development project.

“But as soon as you try to cherry-pick or take things out because you don’t think they are contributing, you destroy what you’ve created down there.”

Cost of city rail link doubles

Stuff.co.nz – by Jessica Tasman-Jones – 14 May 2012:

The cost of Auckland’s proposed city rail link has almost doubled since Mayor Len Brown was elected one and a half years ago, a city councillor claims.

The $2.94 billion project would see a 3.5km underground rail link connecting proposed stations at Newton, Aotea Square and Karangahape Road.

According to Auckland Transport it would almost treble the capacity for employees and residents in Karangahape Rd and Newton.

And the station at Aotea Square would double the number of people able to be transported into the area, potentially doubling employment opportunities.

Cameron Brewer says the cost of the project has almost doubled since October 2010 when its price tag was $1.5b.

The cost is now $2.94b, according to revised figures revealed to councillors last week.
Brewer says that’s nearly $1m for every metre of the project.

“With half of the money expected to come from stretched Auckland ratepayers and the other half from an uncommitted Government, the project is fast losing believability and credibility.”

Campaign for Better Transport spokesman Cameron Pitches, says if Brewer doesn’t support the project he should come up with some transport alternatives to cater for a population increase of one million over the next 20-30 years.

“The city rail link has been through quite a thorough investigation and the alternatives that have been looked at so far have been a bus way or there’s even an elevated railway proposal.

“You could build enough car parks so people continue to drive into town. But when you evaluate them all side by side the city rail link project has a lot of benefits and sure people are talking about the cost but you’ve also got to talk about the benefit.”

Neither Pitches nor Brewer believe the government will commit funding for the project in next week’s budget.

Pitches says it’s frustrating considering how much money has been poured into the government’s roads of national significance.

“The Puhoi to Wellsford roading project has already absorbed up towards $100m in costs and that’s just in analyzing the feasibility of it.

“So it’s really frustrating there’s always money for roads of national significance that have dubious economic benefits, and yet we always struggle to get money for public transport infrastructure.”

Brewer says the rail link’s anticipated completion date of 2021, promised in the council’s long term plan, is unlikely to happen without government funding.

“The reality is the Government still does not see it as a viable public transport project, yet the Mayor is committing ratepayers nonetheless.”

- © Fairfax NZ News

Further comment from Cameron Brewer:

I did a search of the New Zealand Herald archives as to the cost estimations of the City Rail Link project reported over the years.

$2.94b – 10 May 2012

$2.86b – 30 April 2012

$2.4b – 11 November 2011

$2.3b – 22 December 2010

$2b – 24 November 2010

$1.5b – 11 October 2010

$1b – $1.5b – 1 August 2008

$500m – $1b – 4 August 2005

According to promises in Auckland Council’s 10-year Long Term Plan, the physical works on the project will start in about 900 days, the construction period will then take 5.5 years and the project will be complete by 2020/21 – in eight financial years. That’s just not going to happen!

Remuera gets some good wins

Verve magazine – May issue – Column by Cameron Brewer – Councillor for Orakei

It was great to attend the opening of the refurbished Remuera Village Green on Sunday 28 April. Congratulations to Remuera Business Association Manager Laura Carr, association chairman Scott Dargaville and local businesspeople for taking the lead on this project.

Along with others, I was pleased to personally donate a brick to help upgrade such a precious community space. Check out the new-look Village Green, which is of course behind the Remuera Road shops, next to the world famous Poppies Bookshop and Thai Village Restaurant.

Congratulations also to the Orakei Local Board for seemingly doing the impossible and getting Auckland Transport to change its mind on making greater utilisation of Remuera Road’s bus-lanes. The matter was pursued hard by Remuera-based local board members Troy Churton, Ken Baguley and chair Desley Simpson.

The result is that buses, cyclists, motorcyclists and all vehicles with three or more people in them will soon be able to use the T3 lanes. Auckland Transport has committed to making the change in the coming months with T3 to be reviewed annually after that. A number of safety improvements along Remuera Road will also be made.

The local board really wanted T2 but nonetheless T3 is a significant win for local commuters sick of gridlocked traffic along Remuera Road at peak times.

On Anzac Day it was great to join the parade from the Upland Road shops to the College Rifles Rugby & Sports Club. Like the St Heliers and Orakei RSA parades and services, Remuera’s attracted a big crowd.

Earlier that morning it was an honour to be asked to read The Ode at the dawn service at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. I got to know some of the RSA leaders when I was CEO of the Newmarket Business Association and led the charge on keeping Newmarket’s annual parade and service going despite the RSA closing its Newmarket clubrooms.

As a member of the recently-formed Passchendaele Society, rest assured I will be taking a close interest in the civic commemorations, activities, and monuments now being planned to mark the centennial of the First World War from 2014. I welcome your ideas on how Auckland Council should do this, particularly around making sure we remember local people and local places of wartime significance.

Also in April I attended the official opening of the Brian Trembath Pavilion at College Rifles. It’s a fabulous new half million dollar facility and a great tribute to Brian who has dedicated over 60 years’ service to the club.

For more news and views, please visit www.cameronbrewer.co.nz

Mayoral photos back up

A small victory: I’m pleased my persistence and insistence that the Auckland mayoral photos be returned to the Auckland Town Hall has finally paid off.

I had received several complaints including from both the Myers and Grey families that their respective forefathers were taken down and put in the cupboard soon after Mayor Brown’s election in 2010.

NZ Herald – Auckland Super City report card: How they rate…

By Bernard Orsman, Wednesday, 2 May 2012: At the halfway point of the first term of the Super City, the Herald carried out a mid-term report card for Mayor Len Brown and 20 councillors.

The reading is not good for Mr Brown, who started with a hiss and a roar, but whose leadership has come under intense scrutiny and criticism in the past six months. He scores a C mark and must do better if he wants to retain the level of support he received from voters in 2010.

Of the 20 councillors, just two – Cameron Brewer and Mike Lee – scored an A. They are the respective leaders of the right and the left on council and provide a much-needed challenge to the mayor and his well-resourced mayoral office…

Cameron Brewer – A

Main responsibility – “Leader of the Opposition”

Brewer is leader of the opposition, and more effective than the entire C&R team combined. Some accuse Brewer of being a self-publicist, but there is no more effective councillor at getting their name in the media.

Brewer has unashamedly postioned himself as the leading opponent of Brown and provided an alternative voice. The ambitious Brewer says he has no plans to challenge Brown next year. He is probably too far to the right to lure the middle ground.

Also in the New Zealand Herald…

Mauled: Westfield slams huge rates rise – by Anne Gibson, Tuesday, 1 May 2012:

Big rates rises across Auckland malls owned by Westfield would push its tenants’ charges up 48 per cent on average and the annual rates bill would soar from $11.4 million to $16.9 million, the company says.

Justin Lynch, Westfield (NZ) director, was one of many business chiefs who yesterday decried the Auckland Council’s long-term plan and new charges from July 1, telling how businesses would be hammered, shop staff could be cut and retailers would be forced to take desperate measures to handle the big increases…

Councillors Cameron Brewer and Dick Quax indicated their support for his views, asking what Westfield would get for paying almost double its current rate bill…

Move to top up council fund for insulation loans – by Wayne Thompson, Thursday, 3 May 2012:

… But councillor Cameron Brewer who, with George Wood, voted against the financial assistance facility last year, said the scheme only added administrative and staffing costs to the council, which fell on the rest of the ratepayers.

“We are only duplicating a very good Government scheme.”

Superyacht dry dock would cost Auckland City $16m – by Bernard Orsman, Thursday, 3 May 2012:

… But councillor Cameron Brewer was less than impressed by Waterfront Auckland’s putting out its hand for $16.8 million.

“Interestingly, the superyacht industry doesn’t seem to be lobbying us, nor is there much sign of the private sector wanting to throw money towards supporting such a facility,” he said. “You really have to wonder if this is a priority for Auckland’s suburban ratepayers at this time.”

Rudman’s city: Industry tapping taxpayers for dry dock a tad rich – by Brian Rudman, Friday, 4 May 2012:

It makes me a bit nervous lining up alongside such luminaries of the right as councillors Cameron Brewer and Dick Quax, but you have to agree with them. Is it the core business of local government to subsidise a dry dock for rich boys’ toys?…