Flood response information needs transparency

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

Auckland Council’s investigation into flooding impacts has prompted calls from councillors for more transparency.

At the Planning, Environment and Parks committee on June 1, council staff said a formal report on the localised flooding impacts from the Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle was expected later this month.

The update prompted Cr Julie Fairey to ask for more upfront information for the public.

“The challenge here is that our traditional way of communicating amongst ourselves is not necessarily very transparent or accessible to the public,” she said.

“Not in a sneaky way but just in that we usually don’t put stuff out to the public until we have voted on a report.”

Fairey said there was information that could be given out, but it needed to be framed in a way that let the public know there was uncertainty around council’s position.

“We kind of need to trust the public to understand those messages.”

Chief of strategy Megan Tyler said it was a fair challenge and council’s recovery team was beginning discussions on how to be more open.

She said the team was exploring “how do we get some communication out there that doesn’t necessarily put things in concrete, but enables us to communicate with Aucklanders to know where we are heading”.

Cr Chris Darby said the report later this month needed to be a candid look at council practice.

“I just want some assurance that this is going to be a real warts and all look because I think it is going to probably reveal some unsavoury truths about our own planning regime,” Darby said.

“We can’t shy away. I am not suggesting that your team would be covering anything up, but it just needs to reveal everything.”

Darby said one of the issues was that council’s compliance team was not addressing complaints unless they presented a health and safety risk.

“We are getting a lot of questions as to ‘why didn’t council do something about that concrete driveway or that impervious area that is greater than what is consented?’.”

“We are letting a lot go. How long have