Herald On Sunday – 9 August 2015: It is 14 months until Auckland chooses a new leader and former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig has become the latest to signal his interest in the mayoral race. The Herald on Sunday asks the contenders how they would head the City of Sails and why they deserve our vote.

Q & A – CAMERON BREWER – AUCKLAND COUNCILLOR:

What is your solution to the reported level of foreign ownership of residential property? The issue of foreign ownership is for central government. Auckland Council needs to keep focused on its core role by improving consenting times, cutting costs and increasing the supply of available land for new development.

What one thing would you do to help solve the housing shortage? For many of us the value of our section makes up 75 per cent of our home’s purchase price, so greater land supply is key to housing costs and shortages. I support opening land where infrastructure needs can be met.

Would you cap the rate rise? They should and could be capped at the rate of inflation, but every year the hand comes out for much more. The maximum should be 2.5 per cent, particularly in this very low inflationary environment. I would also push for a greater proportion of rates being a fixed component to take the pressure off the higher valued properties that are getting socked by the current left-wing leadership’s very low Uniform Annual General Charge.

Would you cut any major projects, and if so, what? The next mayor should slash the many low-quality and low-priority bureaucratic programmes that add nothing to the lives of ratepayers. Auckland Council’s role needs to be smaller and more focused. On major projects I would promote fast-tracking a northwestern bus corridor, the Whangaparaoa Peninsula motorway connection known as Penlink, and ensure the Government delivers a harbour tunnel sooner rather than later.

What is more important – a bigger road network/new roads or more bus lanes/cycle paths/walking paths? I support building an integrated transport network. At present, too much is being poured into rail to the detriment of improving Auckland’s bus services and facilities. It’s time for a better funding balance to reflect actual transport usage. Let’s not forget that according to the last Census 2013, 82.7 per cent of Aucklanders travel to work by car. Of those who take public transport, most catch a bus, and just 1.6 per cent of Auckland commuters take the train. I would also axe spending millions on making Quay St a pedestrian-focused boulevard and the $16m in the budget to build one over-the-top Westhaven promenade.

Why would you be a good mayor? If I ran it would be on a platform of positive and significant change for ratepayers. Replacing one Labour mayor with another Labour mayor wouldn’t change anything, especially if the new mayor had a political history of hiking up taxes for those who earned more than $60,000 and growing public servant numbers and public sector costs. Local government shouldn’t be a place for wealth redistribution. All the promise of amalgamation now needs to be delivered.

The race for City Hall

Our five potential mayoralty candidates will likely not be alone when nominations close this time next year. Phil Goff, Cameron Brewer, Michael Barnett, Colin Craig and John Palino have today given a hearty indication they’re seriously interested in leading the Super City, but others, including sitting mayor Len Brown and his deputy Penny Hulse, are biding their time before deciding whether they aspire to wear the solid gold mayoral chains. They have some wriggle room. A public notice of election is still 11 months away. It will take place on July 13 next year. Two days later, nominations open, and wannabe mayors will have until August 12 to get their names on the ballot. Those tasked with choosing who gets the $259,000 gig – us – can begin having a say from mid-September, when voting documents start landing in city letterboxes. Voting closes at noon on October 8, and results will filter in throughout the afternoon and evening.

– Herald on Sunday

Auckland mayoral race: who are the contenders?

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