• Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown are discussing reforms for Auckland Transport. 
• Wayne Brown proposed abolishing Auckland Transport and other council-controlled organisations for better accountability. 
• Reforms could include transferring functions to the council or disestablishing Auckland Transport entirely. 

Transport Minister Simeon Brown is in advanced talks with Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown over the future of Auckland Transport, which both agree needs reform. 

Abolishing AT is among the options in a bold shake-up of council-controlled organisations (CCOs) drawn up by Wayne Brown. 

In the first public report on CCO reform, Wayne Brown has gone as far as recommending scrapping AT, the economic and events agency Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) and the development agency Panuku Auckland. Other options include transferring some of the CCOs’ functions to the council. 

Simeon Brown told the Herald he had Cabinet approval to engage with Brown to ensure stronger democratic accountability over AT and decisions on transport outcomes in Auckland. 

Transport Minister Simeon Brown is keen to reform Auckland Transport. Photo / George Heard 

The minister said he had had several meetings with the mayor about potential reforms to make AT more responsive to the needs and views of Aucklanders, and the pair would have more to share once discussions progress and decisions were made. 

“We both recognise that Auckland Transport needs reform and share concerns that its decision-making has not adequately reflected Aucklanders’ views or responded effectively to their needs for moving efficiently around our city,” he said. 

The minister said 14 years after the SuperCity was created, it was time to assess whether the transport governance structure remained fit for purpose for Auckland’s unique challenges and growth. 

For Auckland Transport, which Wayne Brown has said “must be the most loathed organisation in council”, there are three options for reform in his upcoming budget: 

• Turn AT into a service delivery agency by transferring strategy, policy and planning functions to the council, including responsibility for the Regional Land Transport Plan. 
• Doing the above and also bringing transport services like roads, footpaths, parking and cycling under council control. 
• Disestablish AT and deliver all functions via the council. 

In August, the mayor told the Herald the only way to fix transport was to “dethrone” AT by stripping it of all policymaking and strategy functions. 

“The layers of bureaucracy and management within AT are totally impenetrable to elected politicians. We ask for information and don’t get it. We tell AT through the letter of expectations what they should do, and they often don’t do it. They have made some progress on a few things, but there is no sense of urgency. 

“AT should just be a delivery agent with the people’s elected representatives in full control,” he said. 

For the mayor to make any meaningful change to AT requires the support of Simeon Brown to repeal or change the part of the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act that makes AT a statutory body and independent from the council. 

Auckland Transport could become a delivery agency running the city's buses and other public transport. Photo / Jason Oxenham 

This has been a source of frustration for the mayor, who has told the Herald the only real power the council has is to change the board. 

“We’ve tried that. It’s not effective because the culture of independence is so deeply embedded. That’s not a reflection on individuals. The problem is a badly designed system and a legal framework that is not fit for purpose,” he said. 

Simeon Brown did not say if he had agreed to repeal or change the legislation giving AT statutory independence. 

But he has signalled the need to change Auckland’s transport governance since at least July, according to documents obtained by the Herald under the Local Government Official Information Act, and a desire for ministerial appointments under any reforms. 

This is based on what the minister says is the Government’s “significant interest” in delivering transport outcomes in Auckland, including an investment of $8.4 billion over the next three years. 

“This includes an unprecedented $1.1b for road maintenance and pothole prevention on both state highways and local roads, $2.5b for state highway and local improvements, and $3.7b dedicated to strengthening public transport,” Simeon Brown said. 

The CCO reforms will be the centrepiece of Wayne Brown’s draft budget proposal being released next week and going out for public consultation about March, before being debated and voted on by councillors to come into effect on July 1. 

Watercare is the only council body untouched by the CCO reforms. Phot / Ben Plummer 

The only CCO left untouched is Watercare, which manages the city’s water and wastewater services on a user-pays model. 

There’s an option for no structural change of the CCOs, but this is highly unlikely given the political and public sentiment. 

For TAU, which is responsible for economic development, and managing and attracting events to the council’s stadiums, cultural institutions and Auckland Zoo, there are two options: 

• Retain the TAU Trust, which is responsible for major regional facilities, as a CCO, and transfer its economic development, destination and major events activities to the council. 
• Disestablish TAU altogether and deliver all functions via the council. 

For Panuku, which oversees urban regeneration projects, buys and sells property, and manages Westhaven Marina and other commercial properties, there are three options: 

• Come up with other models for urban regeneration that might have a greater focus on economic growth and a bigger role for Local Boards. 
• Reset Panuku as an urban regeneration delivery agency by transferring strategy, policy and planning to the council, as well as buying and selling property. 
• Disestablish Panuku altogether and deliver all functions via the council. 

In the public report outlining the reform options, Brown has highlighted his election promise to “take back control of CCOs”, citing ongoing concerns about public trust and confidence, ineffective democratic accountability, wasteful spending and acting out of step with the council.