Long-term plan: South Aucklanders on what matters to them

South Auckland is represented on four local councils, including Māngere-Otahuhu, Manurewa and Ōtara-Papatoetoe.
Photo: Things / Jason Dorday

The creation of an Auckland Future fund, targeted rates and the disapproval of airport share leasing were among proposals that South Auckland residents felt strongly about in the council’s long-term plan (LTP).

The month-long public submissions on Auckland Council’s LTP came to a close in March, with Aucklanders asked to give their views on options and trade-offs of activities and services for Auckland over the next decade.

More than 22,000 people in the region provided feedback, including 2,200 in south Auckland neighborhoods.

Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Council Chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia praised those who took the time to be part of the process for Auckland’s future.

“However, overall, citywide, our area received less feedback compared to census data,” Autagavaia said.

“We know that our people are often busy trying to make ends meet, pay bills, keep a roof over their heads, etc., that providing feedback at a council meeting is not primary.”

The LTP included a central proposal that covered a wide range of topical issues, from transportation, drinking water and stormwater to parks and communities, urban and local development, environmental management and economic development.

The results of the consultation showed that the provision of municipal services was important to South Auckland residents.
Photo: Delivered via LDR

The consultation document also presented alternative options to ‘pay more, get more’ or ‘pay less, get less’ than the central proposal.

According to the council’s summary of the LTP consultation, feedback was received from 22,079 individuals, 391 organisations, 14 mana whenua and nine other Māori organizations and 5485 pro-forma responses.

For South Aucklanders in the local wards of Māngere-Otahuhu, Manurewa, Ōtara-Papatoetoe, Franklin and Papakura, there was strong support for the creation of the Auckland Future Fund, but opposition to leasing Auckland’s ports.

Transport, parks and community, funding of municipal services through port profits, and tariffs for natural environment, water quality, climate action transport and waste collection also received strong support.

There was less support for proposals relating to water, urban and local development, the economic and cultural environment, council support and recycling charges for schools.

Autagavaia said for his district, rate increases would impact households more than others due to limited discretionary income to cover rate increases and increase the cost of living.

“However, when the feedback data is further detailed, our community is clearly demanding more and better municipal services and facilities.

“Many of our communities rely on council services and any cuts could be detrimental to our community.”

Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Council Chairman Apulu Reece Autagavaia thanked South Aucklanders who took part in the LTP consultation.
Photo: Delivered via LDR

He was especially encouraged by youth groups in his neighborhood who went out and collected hundreds of public submissions from their peers.

“I believe it was the Ōtara Youth Hub that was contracted for this at PolyFest,” Autagavaia said.

“This is reflected in more representative feedback based on the age demographic data, compared to previous feedback.”

Residents in the Franklin neighborhood strongly supported the targeted $52 per year rate to help pay for paths and trails in the district.

The proposed paths would be located mainly in urban areas and connect to existing paths and the wider public transport network.

The local councils of Franklin, Papakura and Manurewa reserved their comments on the LTP submissions until after a business meeting later this month.

LDR is local journalism, co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.