2022 Auckland mayoral election

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2022 Auckland mayoral election
Auckland COA.png
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Mayor before election

Phil Goff

 Elected Mayor

TBD

The 2022 Auckland mayoral election will be held on 8 October 2022 to determine the Mayor of Auckland, as part of the 2022 New Zealand local elections. The incumbent mayor since 2016, Phil Goff, has announced he will not seek re-election. Campaign issues include transport strategy, council finance issues and the Three Waters reform programme.

Candidates[]

Declared candidates[]

  • Viv Beck, Chief Executive of Heart of the City[1]
  • Efeso Collins, Auckland Councillor;[2] announced candidacy 26 January 2022[3]
  • Ted Johnston, 2019 mayoral candidate and co-leader of the New Conservative Party[4]
  • Jake Law[5]
  • Craig Lord, 2019 mayoral candidate[5]
  • Leo Molloy, businessman;[6] announced candidacy 11 July 2021

Declined to be candidates[]

Campaign[]

Labour and Green endorsements of Collins[]

In elections from 2010 to 2016, mayoral candidates Len Brown and Phil Goff ran as independents and were supported by City Vision, an Auckland group affiliated to the national Labour and Green parties. In 2019, Goff was endorsed directly by Labour.[13] Goff, the incumbent mayor, stated he would announce his intentions on running for a third term in February 2022. Efeso Collins and Richard Hills, Auckland councillors affiliated with Labour, were both reported to be exploring mayoral candidacies while awaiting Goff's decision, in order to avoid crowding the ballot. Frustrated with Goff's timeline in light of an approaching election campaign, Collins formally announced his candidacy on 26 January.[2] On 10 February, Hills announced he would decline to run for mayor, citing the recent birth of his son.[9] Labour announced a process to decide the party's endorsee on 15 February;[14] the process was uncontested, and on 28 February, Labour endorsed Collins' independent campaign.[15] On 15 March, the Green Party announced their endorsement of Collins. This was the first time that the party endorsed a mayoral candidate in Auckland.[13]

Transport[]

Collins' flagship policy is free public transport, which is estimated to cost $100–$250 million annually, and notes that Auckland is reported to lose $1 billion annually to traffic congestion. He has pointed out that some Auckland residents spend 30% of their income on transport, and that free public transport is "the first and best way" to reduce Auckland's greenhouse gas emissions.[16] Molloy supports a one-year trial of the idea, funded through the existing regional fuel tax revenue. Beck does not support universal fare-free public transport, but supports targeted concessions.[17]

Molloy describes himself as pro-private car, and is not interested in encouraging more cycling. He opposes the proposed light rail project and claims it "will never happen in my lifetime".[18] Law supports better alternatives to cars, and specifically the expansion of the rail network.[5]

Council finances[]

Collins is open to discussions around rebalancing the proportions of council income coming from rates, dividends from public assets and central government contributions, and is "proud" that rates only make up half of Auckland's revenue, but is not ruling out rates increases.[19] He opposes the sale of strategic assets, including shares in Auckland Airport. Molloy states that the $1 billion annual spending on wages for council employees needs to be reduced, and proposes removing the middle layer of council administration. He plans to limit rates rises to the rate of inflation of council expenses. He proposes selling Ports of Auckland and the leasehold estate of the land they operate on, which he claims will raise $7 billion and $10 billion, respectively, and is open to selling shares in Auckland Airport and Eke Panuku, the council-controlled organisation responsible for urban redevelopment. Beck sees future rates rises as "difficult", and supports the sale and movement of the central port.[17]

Water reform[]

The Sixth Labour Government of New Zealand is proposing a Three Waters reform programme to centralise water management infrastructure between territorial authorities. Collins supports the reforms, but notes that Auckland has invested significantly into Watercare Services and has issues around the details of the future governance of assets, should the reforms proceed. Molloy is undecided on the reform programme, but is concerned about Auckland potentially subsidising Northland in the new governance structure. Beck opposes the reforms.[17]

References[]

  1. ^ Jacobson, Adam (3 March 2022). "Auckland mayoralty: Viv Beck to run in race for city's top job". Stuff.
  2. ^ a b "Auckland Mayoralty: Efeso Collins confirms bid for the job". Stuff. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  3. ^ Manhire, Toby. "I think it's time': Efeso Collins commits to running for Auckland mayor". rnz.co.nz. RNZ.
  4. ^ "'Strong contender enters Auckland Mayoralty race'". Voxy.co.nz. 24 January 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Niall, Todd (9 October 2021). "Auckland mayoral race: Politics is in the family for youngest candidate Jake Law". Stuff.co.nz.
  6. ^ "Auckland businessman Leo Molloy to run for mayor in 2022 local election". The New Zealand Herald. 12 July 2021.
  7. ^ a b Orsman, Bernard (4 July 2021). "National MP Mark Mitchell not ruling out Auckland mayoralty run". The New Zealand Herald.
  8. ^ Niall, Todd; Jacobson, Adam (14 February 2022). "Auckland mayoralty: Phil Goff stepping down at end of term, retiring from politics". Stuff. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  9. ^ a b Niall, Todd (10 February 2022). "Auckland Mayoralty: Richard Hills drops plans to run for top job". Stuff.
  10. ^ Orsman, Bernard (5 October 2021). "National MP Mark Mitchell not standing for Auckland Mayoralty". The New Zealand Herald.
  11. ^ Dillane, Tom (26 February 2022). "Tom Dillane on the Auckland mayoral race: Why does no one want '2nd most important' job in NZ?". NZ Herald.
  12. ^ Latif, Justin (28 January 2022). "Who wants to be Auckland's mayor?". The Spinoff.
  13. ^ a b Niall, Todd (16 March 2022). "Auckland mayoralty: Greens endorse Labour's Collins in break with past". Stuff. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  14. ^ Niall, Todd (15 February 2022). "Auckland mayoralty: Labour calls for hopefuls seeking its endorsement". Stuff. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Labour endorses Efeso Collins for Auckland mayoralty". Radio New Zealand. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  16. ^ Niall, Todd (22 February 2022). "Auckland mayoral race: Efeso Collins makes free public transport his big policy". Stuff. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  17. ^ a b c Sharon Brettkelly (11 March 2022). "Who will be the next mayor of Auckland?". The Detail (Podcast). Newsroom and Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  18. ^ Niall, Todd (23 July 2021). "Leo Molloy's Auckland mayoral bid: End light rail, 'park' climate change plan". Stuff. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  19. ^ Manhire, Toby (26 January 2022). "'I think it's time': Efeso Collins commits to running for Auckland mayor". The Spinoff. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
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