Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s Christmas wish list includes rational thinking from councillors

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown wishes everyone a Merry Christmas. Photo / Michael Craig

By Finn Blackwell of RNZ

Auckland’s mayor says rational thinking for the Long Term Plan is on his Christmas list this year.

The council approved the draft proposal for it’s longer-term budget to go out for public consultation this month.

Rates rises, overhauling public transport to make it faster and more reliable, and creating a multi-billion dollar investment fund for the city are all included in the proposal.

Mayor Wayne Brown said he is hoping councillors will think rationally when it comes to the plan next year.

“Just everyone being rational,” he said.

“There’s nothing in the Long Term Plan that doesn’t make a lot of sense,”

Brown said things couldn’t be fixed by doing what council had done in the past.

“Rational, open-minded councillors would be a good step forward, because the ideas are there.”

The mayor said he wanted the public to show councillors through consultation what he proposed was needed.

Brown said he was going into 2024 ready to work with the Government.

“I’m looking forward to meeting with the Prime Minister and senior ministers early in the year, and being treated like the regional government that Auckland is,” he said.

Brown wished “everybody out there” a Merry Christmas.

“They can look forward to Auckland being brighter and cheerful next year as we finish the projects in the city,” he said.

“Hopefully, everybody gets in and supports the Long Term Plan, because it is the only way to get a better Auckland.”

Consultation on the plan is expected go out to the public at the end of February.