Getting the house in order

My first six months in office have been extraordinary, unrelenting and, at times, utterly devastating. While we continue to support those communities hardest hit by Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland Anniversary floods, I am more determined than ever to deliver on my five priorities:

1 Fix Auckland’s infrastructure

2 Stop wasting money

3 Take back control of council organisations

4 Get Auckland moving

5 Make the most of our harbour and environment

Fixing Auckland’s infrastructure doesn’t begin with large scale investment in new projects. We need to do a better job of managing the infrastructure assets we already own and getting more out of the existing transport system, before starting on the next mega-project.

First, we need to repair roads in flooddamaged areas, rural as well as urban, across our region. I am aware that road closures are an ongoing source of frustration for local residents, and Auckland Transport (AT) has assured me that progress is being made:

• In Puhoi, work starts on Ahuroa Road in mid-May to be completed by September, while Krippner Road will take another six months

• In Tahekeroa, the new main road and embankment should be open by late-July

• In Makarau, remedial works have started on Komokoriki Road, which should re-open by early-May

Last month, I had the pleasure of visiting Warkworth’s old Masonic Hall with Councillor Greg Sayers. Over the course of seven hours, we met with 22 community groups and discussed a broad range of local issues, including poorly maintained roads. I have called for AT to maintain and lay unsealed roads in a better manner than what they have been doing – putting expensive loose metal on a road, only to see most of it go down the drain. Unsealed roads need to be graded better, and more often. Loose metal and clay should be collected from the sides of the road and rolled, binding it together, with a higher crown at the centreline.

Storm-damaged seawalls are another area of concern for local residents. Auckland’s aging infrastructure is falling into disrepair, and it’s obvious that we must be better prepared for severe weather events. Therefore, I have proposed an additional $20 million a year for storm response, with improved prevention and mitigation.

That said, it’s a waste of time trying to reverse the natural geological process in some areas. Solid seawalls perform poorly in the long-term; eventually, they all fail. Depending on the environment, a gabion wall, made of stacked stones tied together with wire, would be a better solution. Where private property is being protected, the responsibility increasingly lies with the property owner. It is unrealistic to keep building on cliffs and coastlines, with its obvious risks, and expecting Auckland ratepayers to pick up the bill.