Emissions target challenges Auckland Transport

By Laura Kvigstad, Auckland Council reporter. Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.

Auckland Transport is coming to grips with the reality of trying to cut its budget, while also trying to retain its ambitious emissions reduction target.

At the Transport and Infrastructure committee on April 20, councillors were concerned that the Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway (TERP) was taking a back seat at Auckland Transport (AT).

AT’s acting chair Wayne Donnelly said the TERP was still alive, but AT had paused to make sure they were doing things right. Donnelly said Auckland’s targets were significantly ahead of government targets for transport emissions reductions.

“That can be a little bit of a problem and I would actually like the council’s permission to align with the government [targets],” he said.

However, Cr Richard Hills was concerned by any suggestion to pull back Auckland’s target.

“The building of resilience to extreme weather events is a critical issue for our community and New Zealand as a whole.

“We also need to ensure that schools, roads, reserves and public transport are delivered at the front end of new developments, not years after when the original infrastructure is bursting at the seams and residents are at the end of their ability to cope.”

Nine candidates contested the Kaipara ki Mahurangi seat in 2020. Penk won 20,402 votes 44%), followed by Labour candidate Marja Lubeck who received 15,967 votes (35%). Lubeck, who has served two terms as a list MP, announced late last year that she would not contest this year’s election, which will be held on October 14.

The Kaipara ki Mahurangi electorate extends from the Kaipara Harbour in the west to Mahurangi in the east. Communities in the electorate include Kumeū, Warkworth, Wellsford, Snells Beach, Helensville, Waimauku, Huapai, Riverhead and Muriwai Beach.

The TERP sets a target of reducing Auckland’s transport emissions by 64 per cent by 2030, against a 2016 baseline. Concurrently, Mayor Wayne Brown wants AT to find $25 million in savings as a part of the 2023/2024 annual budget.

In his first appearance at a committee meeting, AT’s new chief executive Dean Kimpton said there was a desire to get back-to-basics.

“I recognise the tension between backto-basics and adopting a long-term view,” Kimpton said.

“Whatever we do now has to be designed to make the boat go faster in that strategic direction.”

Cr Angela Dalton wanted to see the TERP used to inform all Auckland Transport policy.

“You talked about making the boat go faster. The wake does not make the boat go faster and for some of us, the wake is the basics,” Dalton said.

“I want assurance that [the TERP] is going to be used as the formal direction.”

Kimpton said the TERP was a strong foundation for moving forward but AT would need to come back to council with an implementation plan

“That is one of the areas I am focused on, but I don’t think we yet fully understand what we need to do to achieve those targets.”

“The whole point of the stretched target is because the government’s target relies on us, as a big city, to do far more to pick up the slack,” Hills said. “The whole point of us having stronger targets than the government is because that’s how the maths works.”

Donnelly said the board was aware and board members had repeatedly reminded each other that AT endorsed the TERP. “Can I just ask that you cut us a little bit of slack here? We have had an election result that has prompted a fundamental review how the organisation does its work,” Donnelly said.

He said that AT was being asked to reduce costs, while trying to be future focused, and with a new chief executive officer at the helm.

“Once we get through the more mechanical shifts to get on budget, we very definitely are going to address how to do things differently so it does not increase emissions and actually reduces emissions.”

The emissions target was adopted by both Auckland Council and AT in August last year. It is based on less dependence on cars, and more emphasis on walking, cycling and public transport; better uptake of electric vehicles; and the need to avoid and shorten trips wherever possible.

Nectar Café

People with special dietary needs will welcome the opening of Nectar Café, in the Morris & James complex, in Matakana, which has placed a special emphasis on providing vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free food.

But owners Tahnee and Satya Goddard say they also have a tasty range of cabinet food to cater for people without allergies as well. They say their own experience of trying to find food for themselves and their two eldest children, who are gluten intolerant, prompted them to think carefully about their menu.

“Before buying the café, we ran a catering business in Auckland for three years,” Tahnee says. “It made us realise how many people have special dietary needs, and how little choice they often have when eating out.” Fresh is another word that often crops up when Tahnee and Satya talk about their new menu. Everything is made on the premises including the bread and much of what they use is organic.

Satya, who trained as a chef in Australia, says he is applying for a liquor licence with the idea of opening on two evenings a week for dinner. He says the café will also be available for functions and he will be providing an off-site catering service as well.

“We’re still settling in, setting up systems and hiring staff,” Tahnee says. “One thing we are keen to let people know is that a lot of our food lends itself to takeaway. In winter, this will include hot food options such as soups and curries.”

While the café will be their main focus, Tahnee is also a cosmetic and fine line tattooist, and is currently outfitting a room beside the café which she plans to open as a tattoo parlour later this month.

The couple say they are very happy to be joining the Morris & James family.