We're bored with 'tree huggers' - councillors

Sir John Walker. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Some Auckland councillors have had a gutsful of their ears being chewed by the same "tree huggers" several times at this year's budget hearings.

After two weeks of traipsing round the 21 local boards hearing community feedback on the draft budget, councillors were not impressed to see the same faces banging on about local issues at a "regionwide" hearing on Friday.

Councillor Sir John Walker said the hearings process was democratic, allowing everyone free speech, but councillors were hearing the same submitters time and time again.

"Once you hear them five or six times it gets a bit boring. Today was supposed to be for the big hitters, the companies and the corporates ... we should be listening to them," he said.

Instead, councillors had to listen to pleas for better bus services in the eastern bays, rates relief for the Pakuranga Country Club and the workings of the Safe Waitakere Injury Prevention Board.

Sir John said local boards were the place to hear about local issues and the Auckland Council the place to hear about regionwide issues.

Councillor Calum Penrose said the "tree huggers" had been to every local board hearing and were now coming to the council as a whole. "I think we are all a bit frustrated by it," he said.

Cameron Brewer said it was great working alongside local boards and getting to know their issues, but as a "regional" councillor, spending two weeks in all-day hearings largely focused on local issues was arguably not a good use of time.

Mayor Len Brown and councillor Penny Webster, who chairs the finance and strategy committee hearing the submissions, have promised a review of the process.

Mr Brown acknowledged some teething problems, saying lessons needed to be learned for next year when the council prepared its first 10-year budget plan.

Said Mrs Webster: "After this we will sit down, go through it and sharpen it up for next time."

Sir John and Mr Penrose criticised unelected members of the Maori Statutory Board for not attending the two weeks of budget hearings.