This $700m NZTA project benefitting all our ward made good progress despite Covid-19 interruptions. Constellation to Albany busway extensions opened May (improving Coast travel), shared cycle/walkway alongside opens soon, SH 18 westbound onramp complete this year with SH1 and SH18 direct motorway connections also open - so extra motorway lanes and busway connections for all northern communities up and running or soon to come. A fantastic project for the north with the Albany ward a major beneficiary.

Over the last three years there’s been extensive upgrades and improvements to a variety of facilities and sportsfields in the ward. They follow the opening of the Albany Pool and Leisure Centre Complex last term, the new international hockey complex at Rosedale (start of this term), the Albany BMX track and Greenhithe Equestrian Centre constructed courtesy NZTA and Council. The new $26 m Westgate multi-purpose library and community centre serves Hobsonville, West Harbour and Whenuapai, an amazing asset for the wider community.

While it’s great to see big infrastructure projects on the way, it’s as important to ensure people get the assistance they need as well. Upper Harbour is blessed with some of the best community groups and churches across Auckland.  When many other parts of Auckland are struggling, we are fortunate to have a range of incredibly active and progressive groups helping our youth, environment, elderly, sports organisations and those in need. We are very grateful for the selfless and community-minded people who give so generously of their own time and expertise for the benefit of our local community.

Preservation of our stunning area and its bush-clad natural environment is a priority – it’s what defines us. We are very grateful for the selfless, community and environmentally minded people who give so generously of their own time and expertise for the benefit of their local communities – including the many environmental groups in and outside of the Upper Harbour Ecology Network.

Higher standards of environmental protection for our beaches and waterways are needed. Current standards just don’t cut it, nor the compliance regime – standards and their enforcement must be improved - and fast with stronger political will than under the current regime.

Preserving our beautiful waterways and environment is vital – it defines our lifestyle and attracts people to live here.

Albany ward has the highest concentration of retirement villages in Auckland. We want to ensure that wherever possible the council works with residents to provide access to community facilities and amenities in the area. - for transport, recreation, libraries, walks and reserves access. It’s our experience residents have much to offer the local community by way of the expertise and community interest that exists both within retirement centres and the community at large.

The older population is growing faster than other age-groups and predicted to increase to 19% by 2046 (11 % in 2013). Membership of the Age-Friendly Global Network - beneficial for everyone, regardless of age - requires commitment to continuous improvement process for creating age-friendly environments.

As the population continues to age we need to be more aware of the connections and facilities that support our older citizens.

Council needs to play its part encouraging businesses and employment in Albany. We want successful local businesses providing local employment. The same goes for our schools.  Young people benefit from neighbourhood facilities that keep them active, healthy and making a positive contribution. School leavers need suitable employment opportunities in the wider Albany area and educational and training opportunities to help their working careers.

We work closely with the outstanding North Harbour Business Association and other business groups to encourage council to assist.

Council has an important role to play helping businesses, youth and employment and partnering with innovative institutions such as Massey University.

We work closely with many sports – rugby, cricket, soccer, tennis, hockey, netball, surf clubs, league, league - and we are incredibly appreciative of the leading role played by Harbour Sport – a well-run organisation reaching out into all our communities.

In council we’ve taken on Mayor and CCOs over the expensive and unpopular Stadium Strategy which threatened to leave ratepayers with a monumental bill - a victory for the codes, supporters and ratepayers.

In uncertain times, safeguarding North Harbour Stadium is a priority for us, increasing the sporting and entertainment content at this top class facility (the sporting hub for our region north of the bridge). We’re leading initiatives to push for more first class and international events.

Our priority are the grassroots sporting codes across the region and improving our stadium. Large amounts of money wasted on grandiose plans means less for local sporting codes and existing facilities.

Over the last 3 years John and Wayne have consistently opposed wasteful spending, including executive salaries and business class travel. They challenge ‘deals’ not in the best interests of ratepayers and advocate more cost effective and pragmatic solutions to council expenditure. There’s plenty who talk about it at election time but they’re amongst the few who actually do it when in council.

This last 3 years they vigorously opposed the mayor’s excessive rate increases, acutely aware of how tough many people were doing it with the effects of Covid. 

Things are looking promising for this long awaited project despite a year delay - AT has made recent design revisions to keep this vital $50 m plus project progressing without further increases in cost and time -  so AT now move ahead with pre-construction design and consents within planned time and budget (NZTA have already given pre-approval for the planning/design work, amounting to $13 m, with the actual construction, $39 m, making up a total budget of $52 m -$20 m coming from Regional Fuel Tax).  We expect the detailed design and resource consent process to be finished early next year with construction to follow. 

Keeping the beautiful beaches of the East Coast Bays clean and healthy is a top priority for residents. Currently there is substantial investment from Watercare occurring in the Bays – in fact over $130 m worth, including:

New wastewater pump station with storage at Mairangi Bay  - increasing wastewater volumes transferred through to Rosedale ($15m).

Rosedale Wastewater Treatment Plant is undergoing an $83 m upgrade to accommodate new growth and flows.

East Coast Bays link sewer line is being extended from Windsor Park ($32 m) - an extension of an earlier infrastructure project to install a pipeline from Mairangi Bay to East Coast Road ($13m) taking flows from northern beach catchments between Long Bay and Castor Bay.

Watercare and Healthy Waters also have an ongoing programme investigating and reducing “Inflow and infiltration” occurring at Waiake, Browns Bay and Mairangi Bay.

While this work may not always be visible, it’s important to know it’s happening, helping to preserve the stunning coastal environment that defines the Bays.

The Upper North Shore was a big winner in the Council’s bus improvement package released this year - buses from Browns Bay to Takapuna via Constellation Station will leave at least every 15 minutes 7 days a week, new routes from Browns Bay to Massey University, Browns Bay to Albany via Browns Bay Road & Rosedale Station and the route extended from Campbells Bay to Rosedale Station. Extra trips from Hugh Green Drive and a new route through Fairview Heights.  Significant improvements routes and frequency of for the East Coast Bays.

3 kms of safe cycle facilities are on their way to provide a link between Northcross and Windsor Park and the Northern Motorway shared cycle/walking lane opening soon.

There is a long history of planning work for improvements to cross-harbour transport connections, with at least ten major studies progressed over the past 30 years. It’s essential now more than ever we establish a way forward for future connections. Work starting this year (with a $100 m budget) building on the findings of previous business cases and will be undertaken through an Indicative Business Case (IBC), which will look at a range of options and recommend a preferred way forward for all transport modes.

Resource consent is granted for this $70 m joint AT-NZTA project. With a split-level plaza, Rosedale Road widened to 4 lanes and new bus services opened to connect directly with Browns Bay and Massey University (making it faster for people in Browns Bay and surrounds to access busway). Construction underway.

Auckland Transport wants to introduce charging at park and rides. We don’t! Our ward has two of the region’s biggest facilities at Albany and Hibiscus Coast Station - outstandingly successful getting people to use buses. As a result park and rides should remain free. AT needs to encourage PT use not discourage it. Similarly with maintaining smooth traffic flow around the local roading network which helps reduce travel times and carbon emissions.

We’ve led the ‘keep it free’ fight in Council and will continue to hold that line ...strongly. 

(Incidentally the new additional 150 park site opened last term at Albany is future proofed for a new car park building – with increased demand that should be activated).

We support light rail to the North Shore but also keep an eye on evolving technology like trackless trams (a fraction of the cost and much less disruptive to install). They are worth investigating - especially if it means an earlier and more cost-effective installation for the North Shore.

We’ve fought hard for open space and reserves for the public. Increased intensification should mean more reserves and open spaces for people of all ages to enjoy. That’s important for people’s physical and mental health. One good example of acquiring more open space in the Bays occurred at Long Bay Regional Park last year

Over 3000 square metres of coveted land adjoining Long Bay Regional Park was purchased by Auckland Council last year, completing the 18-hectare Heritage Protection Area. This $3.6 m addition to the park not only protects the integrity of cultural heritage values across the site, but also secures it as public and open space for both local residents and visitors alike. We are grateful yet again to the Long Bay Okura Great Park Society for all their advocacy work behind the scenes.

One of the stand outs of the last few years has been the upgrade of various coastal structures around the Bays – stairs, jetties and walkways which can come in for a battering with the weather. These are important in maintaining the community’s access to our stunning coastline. Likewise with the ongoing renewal of children’s playgrounds  – it’s great to see investment in facilities the community gets such good use out of.

In the last term John Watson was approached by residents wanting a direct bus service to the airport (Auckland Transport had no plans to do this). 

John contacted Skybus direct, held meetings with their Australian- based executive who expedited market research and obtained a multi-million-dollar budget.  By June 2018 the service was up and running -  half-hourly along the Northern Busway - it didn’t cost the ratepayer a cent. Covid has since put paid to that service, but we’ll get it back and as always, look to go beyond the Auckland Council to get things happening in our community.

The Auckland Council owns a number of marinas around Auckland including Westpark and Gulf Harbour in Albany ward. 

John and Wayne worked hard with community and boating groups to put a halt to plans to sell these marinas (during which time a campaign to protect all Auckland’s marinas went region-wide).  Panuku and their allies were defeated this time but strong leadership is required to safeguard our publicly owned marinas. 

The same goes for council-owned golf courses at Pupuke (Campbells Bay) and Takapuna.  We’ll ensure they’re not compromised by council’s parlous financial position - now more than ever such ‘jewels’ are required for both growth in sport and the preservation of the precious open space network they provide in an era of unprecedented intensification.

We have the experience and the track record of safeguarding valuable public assets in our ward – now more than ever that experience will be vital in seeing off the imminent sale of what remains of the family silver. 

We are absolutely committed to retaining council ownership of the North’s marinas and golf courses.

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