Auckland mayoral candidate Kerrin Leoni wants to cap council rates rises to at or below inflation after 2027/28 as the contest for the city’s top job begins to heat up.
If elected, the left-leaning Whau ward councillor also promised she would slash consultant spending by 40% and to only agree to selling “strategic assets” after a 75% majority vote in council or public referendum — following the council’s sale of its shares in Auckland Airport.
Leoni is the main frontrunner expected to challenge incumbent mayor Wayne Brown in next month’s local elections, with a notably smaller candidate field than in 2022.
“The debt has increased by over a billion dollars. Our rates have gone up by over 20% and Aucklanders are really unhappy with what they’re getting at the moment,” she said today.
“Three years ago, Wayne Brown swaggered into Auckland, saying that he was going to fix Auckland. Do you feel that he’s actually fixed it?”
In her announcement, Leoni promised to maintain rates rises “within” the existing long-term plan, but to look at a fresh “goal” after the second financial year of the next term.
“Cap residential rate increases at or below inflation after year two, funded by cutting waste, not your local pool or library,” she said, calling it a “rates relief guarantee”.
Auckland Council’s three-yearly long-term plan aims for a rates track where average increases are held at around 3.5% from the 2027/28 financial year onwards.
Asked if a pledge to remain at or below inflation was achievable, she said: “We are going to try and achieve it. But as I say, it’s a goal, whether we are able to actually do it when it comes to that point, then that’s what we need to discuss.”
Leoni emphasised keeping rates rises below double digits. She would also “lead a united council push” to advocate for the often-pitched idea of returning GST on rates — banking the issue on building a better mayoral relationship with central government.
The first-term councillor was part of a grouping that unsuccessfully opposed Brown’s push to sell the council’s stake in Auckland Airport. The candidate said she was worried about other “strategic assets” such as the city’s port and North Harbour Stadium.
She added she would bring services “back in-house” as part of slashing consultant spends, cut $100 million in waste, and focus on fixing the city’s “infrastructure crisis”.
Mayor responds to criticism
In a statement, Brown responded to Leoni’s rates and financial pledges, saying her “announcement can’t be taken seriously”.
“She has not bought solutions to the council table. She has not established any credibility on these issues,” he said in a statement.
“Her promise doesn’t match her voting record on council. Mine does.
“I have kept rates as low as possible through reducing wasteful spending, driving down costs and improving asset performance. That is my renewed pledge.”
A Brown spokesperson also criticised her use of the term “fiscal policy”, saying that it should he used in reference to central, not local, government plans.
In the past week, the incumbent has renewed his calls for the Government to help introduce a bed-night visitor levy, which would charge visitors in short-term accommodation and generate upwards of $27 million annually.
Brown has argued for it during his term and is expected to continue if re-elected. Leoni supports the idea, which has previously been consulted on as part of the council’s annual plan process, but did not bring it up in her latest pledges.
She responded to Brown’s statement: “We’ve all voted to reduce spending at council, and I’m sure that we can go back on the votes to confirm that that has occurred.”
“One clear solution that I know we definitely voted on to save money for Aucklanders was on the $50 cap for transport across the city, and we clearly all voted on that.”
The public transport fare cap was a policy previously touted by Brown as mayor.
Twelve candidates were running for mayor in Auckland. The field included former New Conservatives leader Ted Johnston, the executive president of the Animal Justice Party, and a range of perennial and other independent candidates.
A month-long local election voting period would open on September 9.
