Transport Minister Simeon Brown. Photo / Michael Craig
OPINION
It’s tempting to think of Auckland’s twin citadels of power as ruled by “Brown the Elder” and “Brown the Younger”.
At 32, Simeon Brown is one of the youngest ministers in Christopher Luxon’s Cabinet. But don’t be fooled by Brown’s relative youth. He is enough of a policy wonk to be on top of the detail and importantly, is a clear communicator.
The Prime Minister rates him. Not only has he entrusted him with looking out for New Zealand’s largest city. But he has also given him the local government brief and the all important transport and energy portfolios.
At 77, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown still surfs and walks about the Auckland he crustily calls “his city”.
But beneath the political bluster, the two Browns appear to have achieved a good working level relationship. “I’d say it’s up there around eight out of 10,” the Minister for Auckland says.
“There are obviously issues that we disagree with and issues that we agree on. But ultimately, we both want the best outcomes for Auckland.
“We know that we have to work together in order to achieve those.”
Simeon Brown acknowledges policy differences such as on the regional fuel tax which the Government axed. But there’s areas that “we want to work closely together on” - water, housing, infrastructure, planning, and growth. “On all of those areas, we’re very much aligned and we want to make sure we get the best outcomes for Aucklanders.”
As MP for Pakuranga, Simeon Brown is also focused on the basics: restoring law and order after the ram raids and reducing crime. “Aucklanders have become increasingly frustrated. Many of the key themes that we’ve been focusing on as government really do resonate with Aucklanders.”
The Government wants greater housing intensification, and more greenfields land available for growth and competitive land markets. “That’s an area which we’re working very closely with the council on in that regard,” observes Simeon Brown.
Moves to ensure Watercare Services is balance-sheet separated from Auckland Council are also “moving at pace”.
In its draft policy statement on land transport, the coalition Government has prioritised the $1.3 billion, 21.5km Mill Rd highway from Manukau to Drury; the $1.9b East West Link connecting with State Highway 20 at Onehunga and SH1 at Mt Wellington; and the $2.3b northwest alternative state highway past Huapai to support growth of 44,300 houses and 21,600 jobs.
The Government wants to see the City Rail Link, Eastern busway, airport to Botany busway, Penlink highway on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula and Northwest rapid transit delivered.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is assessing the Government’s multibillion-dollar package of 15 roads of national significance, built over 10 years, and will provide delivery dates later this year with funding options such as public-private partnerships (PPPs); tolling; build, own, operate, transfer equity finance schemes; and value capture or targeted rates and time-of-use charging.
Says Simeon Brown: “Time-of-use charging is one of our priority issues to provide Aucklanders with more reliable journey times and quicker journey times and that’s a tool to help us do that. So, we’re hoping to bring legislation into Parliament this year.”
He notes Mayor Brown has also been advocating the use of dynamic lanes. “It’s another opportunity to actually make better use of existing infrastructure. I think about Pakuranga Rd. It’s a six-lane road. Effectively people drive into the city or towards the motorway in the morning. Only a small percentage work in the city. They actually work across Auckland, but then that is lock-stopped and full of cars and buses and trucks and vans all heading into the city and the lanes heading back are empty.”
The ageing Harbour Bridge is a concern. Cabinet will need to make some decisions this year on next steps on a further harbour crossing, he says. “The aim is by end of this decade that we are moving towards construction.
“I’m interested in any opportunity to bring those decisions forward. Obviously there is there’s a lot of planning work to be done. But it’s a critical project to the resilience of the network in Auckland.”
Simeon Brown confirms the Government has made a commitment to city and regional deals as a concept.
“We’ll have more to say about that in coming months. But at a very high level, a city or regional deal will be around the alignment of key objectives for a city or region.
“So, is that economic growth around tourism? Is that around key industries that need to be supported. Is it around housing? Those may be some of the key objectives.”
The Government will also look at vital enablers such as regulation or infrastructure. “We’re having a very close look at some of the UK deals that delegate some powers or allow some flexibility and regulation. So there’s a range of potential options.
“But at this stage we’re not making any commitments around any particular deals because we want to get the framework right. To do that we have to have mature conversations. I mean, ultimately, this is not a magic money tree.
“This is about getting alignment on key objectives, long-term planning and thinking and what are the tools that government and council need to both be working on to deliver that.”
He says this will take give and take on both sides. But it’s also an opportunity to get greater bipartisan support.
“We actually need to get a greater level of bipartisan support to drive longer term thinking when it comes to infrastructure.”
Simeon Brown believes the Government and council are aligned on the need for the northwestern rapid transit network to be the top priority.
“That’s where the fastest growth has taken place. That is the project which actually needs to be prioritised. We have campaigned on it. The mayor has been very clear on that being a top priority.
“And that complements the investment being put into the City Rail Link. It complements the busway to the North Shore. It complements the Eastern busway. And so we see rapid bus transit as being the public transport network for Auckland.“
He points to the Northern busway. “More people travel into the city on a bus than in the car now. And that’s a success story. So we want to replicate that success across Auckland. And we want to integrate that into the rail network so that we’re able to maximise the benefits the City Rail Link is going to provide.”
There is still some wrangling over just who picks up what share of the cost escalations on the City Rail Link.
“Obviously those decisions were made when we were last in government around the cost split. Central government has a role to play. Council is going to have a role to play. We need to work together to make that happen. But you know, there’s also opportunities around if you look around the world to build, own, operate, transfer projects.”
Simeon Brown underlines New Zealand (and Auckland) is at the bottom of the world.
“We need to be enabling. We need to get things done. And we need to turn every single leaf or every single rock, or whatever the phrase might be, to actually deliver and get things done. And so so that’s going to be our priority as the Government through that.”
Red and green tape and orange cones on 'lofty' projects are the bane of Brown's existence.