Podcasts about Auckland Council

As of May last year Auckland Council had removed more than 2300 public rubbish bins as a cost cutting measure. Auckland Council's website describes Musick Point as an 8 hectare reserve near Buckland's Beach, with spectacular views over the Hauraki Gulf. But locals are concerned the vista is being blighted by an increase in rubbish dumped around the reserve, a problem they believe is linked to a lack of bins. Liz Domett spoke to Lisa Owen.

Auckland Council is defending its process on deciding the future of Auckland Western Springs stadium. Public submissions on what to do with the site opened on Monday. It includes three options - some of which have local support. But there are others which have people up in arms - and there are even calls for the consultation process to be halted. Alexa Cook explains.

Auckland won't be scrapping its green food scrap bins any time soon. Whanganui District Council is dropping its kerbside service to save a 1.5 percent rate increase. Local Government Minister Simeon Brown believes Auckland could do the same. It costs much more to offset carbon with food waste bins - than the carbon credits system. Auckland Council Waste Solutions general manager Justine Haves says the service reduces landfill waste. "We regularly hear from communities that they don't want more landfills, so in order to achieve that, we need to achieve waste minimisation." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 13 May 2025, even more details have come to light about the kind of pornographic material that Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming allegedly had on his work device. NZ Herald investigative reporter Jared Savage tells Heather the details. Auckland Council's Justine Haves defends the little food rubbish bins, after Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown claimed the council could shave 2% of our rates bill by getting rid of them. Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls gets into a heated debate with Heather about who is allowed into the Budget lockup. Plus, Public Service Minister Judith Collins on why she is thinking about getting rid of DEI hiring policies for the public service. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The issue of dog attacks is back front and centre after a young girl was attacked on a West Auckland sports field. Auckland Council says the rise of off-leash dogs is a concerning trend. Auckland Council's Licencing and Compliance Manager Robert Irvine talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan about how the Council's monitoring the issue, how the prosecution process works and more. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A decision to ban off lead dogs from a popular Auckland park has some residents gearing up for a fight. Auckland Council's currently reviewing dog rules at dozens of local and regional parks and beaches. The popular suburban Monte Cecilia park is one of them, at the moment pooches can roam free in designated areas. Almost 90 percent of submissions on its future wanted to keep the off leash areas, just 10 percent supported a change. Ella Kumar, Puketāpapa Local Board chair said they want their community to feel safe when enjoying their parks and reserves in Puketāpapa. "Our decision to change some locations from off-leash to on-leash will ensure these spaces are more accessible for all park users," she said. Dog Lovers of Monte Cecilia spokesperson Jonathan Sweeney spoke to Lisa Owen.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 2 May 2025, Heather and Deborah Coddington pay tribute to their good friend, Sir Bob Jones. Jones passed away today after decades as one of the great characters of NZ politics and business for many decades. There's speculation that Shortland Street might not be coming back next year with TVNZ refusing to confirm that its future. Former Minister for Women Jan Tinetti goes head-to-head with Heather to convince her that the job of Women's Minister shouldn't be done away with. Plus, the Sports Huddle debates why Auckland Council isn't just saying "yes please" to a new stadium paid for by billionaires at Western Springs. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Numerous political figures including Ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour have spoken out in the media this week with allegations that Auckland Council is trying to usher in ‘co-governance' on a local level, with their proposal on the management of the Waitākere Ranges. CEO of Te Kawerau ā Maki Edward Ashby called out the political lashback as “fear-mongering” and ‘misinformation', affirming that the proposal is not actually a co-governance structure.  The proposal is for a decision-making committee of 50% representation from the Crown and tangata whenua to manage the land under a deed of acknowledgement. The council says the deed of acknowledgement is in line with the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Act 2008, and follows on from the existing management structures in place.  Producer Sara spoke with Councillor Shane Henderson during his bus commute about this topic and the political commentary that's been witnessed this week. Here is that interview

The Deputy Leader of New Zealand First says his party will step in to stop management of the Waitakere Ranges morphing into co-governance. Auckland Council's proposing a board made up of Iwi, the Department of Conservation, and the council. Act Leader David Seymour has also criticised the plan as moving towards co-governance. Shane Jones told Mike Hosking they're not going to stand for it. He says they won't tolerate any slither of the West Auckland heritage land being under that type of arrangement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister is calling on Auckland Council to be transparent about its Waitākere Ranges management plan. The proposed plan would see Iwi, the Department of Conservation, the Council and local boards on a committee. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she's heard a range of views about whether or not it equates to co-governance. She says they should come clean about it to reduce confusion. "And I think they should be very clear with their ratepayers about what they're doing - and why they're doing it." Auckland Councillor Richard Hills says the board doesn't have final say and is only for consultation and suggestions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First and ACT are opposing an Auckland Council plan for the Waitākere Ranges. The council wants to set up a committee including iwi, the Crown and Auckland Council. NZ First MP Shane Jones says it could easily morph into co-governance and ACT leader David Seymour claims it could let unelected decision-makers close tracks and dictate land use. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says the ball's in National's court on this matter. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Councils are taking millions of dollars of unpaid rates through people's mortgages. A little-known clause of the Local Government Act gives councils the power to force banks or finance companies to cover unpaid rates. It's used as a last resort after exhausting all other avenues to getting rates paid. Taxpayers' Union Local Government Spokesperson, Sam Warren, says it wouldn't be needed as much if there was more sensible spending. "I want to see a lot more done by councils to rein in that spending and get rates down as low as possible so this doesn't happen." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Monday submissions close on an Deed of Acknowledgement between iwi Te Kawerau a Maki, Auckland Council and the Department of Conservation. The Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act has been in place since 2008 - so 17 years later the next step, on how to effect the act and actually manage the area is underway.

Since Wednesday last week, Auckland and the wider Northland region were warned of heavy rain and winds expected across the North Island.  On Friday night however, as severe thunderstorms struck Auckland, residents were not sent severe weather alerts until after the worst part of the storm had already arrived. Many Aucklanders have called out the slow response system, in an effort yet again to revitalise discussions around Auckland's storm and natural disaster preparedness. As well, Auckland's public transport system is under the microscope this month as Aucklanders endure just over a fortnight without train services, as workers seek to speed up the completion of Kiwi Rail. Yesterday, Transport Minister Chris Bishop also announced a multi-billion dollar project for a Northland Expressway that he says will improve public transport.  In the meantime, public transport prices have increased — for ratepayers and users —- translating to less bang and more buck for Aucklanders.  Producer Sara spoke with Councillor Julie Fairey about both of these topics, firstly by asking if she was satisfied with Auckland Council's response pace in the lead up to severe weather conditions.

A pest eradication project at Lake Tomarata in Auckland is starting to turn the tide against invasive fish. Auckland Council, with assistance from University of Waikato, has been using nets to remove the pests which have had a devastating impact on the lake's ecosystem. As Victor Waters explains, the work could provide a blueprint to improve the country's waterways.

Ecologists have discovered a handful of rare lizards during a top secret gecko census at an undisclosed location south of Auckland. The Raukawa gecko is considered at risk on the mainland  due to predators. But they are vital little cogs in the environment helping with pollination and seed dispersal. Locating them is helpful for managing threats and restoring their environment. Auckland Council's Senior Ecologist Melinda Rixon spoke to Lisa Owen. 

New Zealand's native freshwater mussels, or kākahi, are a keystone species for healthy lake and river ecosystems.  But in many lakes across Auckland, kākahi have disappeared.  Lake Rototoa near the entrance to Kaipara Harbour is still home to some kākahi, but they're struggling to successfully breed due to invasive fish called perch.  Now, a team from Auckland Council have come up with a plan to help protect the kākahi.  Ellen Rykers joins them out on the water.

I am of the view that it is time for authorities to start cracking down really hard on bad dog owners. When I was on maternity leave, apart from trying to ignore Donald Trump, I was trying very hard not to read too much news because I was just trying to get away from work a little bit. But there was one story that I saw pop up on the Herald that I actually had to click on. That was the news report about that Katikati dog attack a few weeks ago. That was where the three dogs killed the four year old boy, and all three of those dogs were unregistered. I clicked on that news report because, frankly, dog maulings freak me out at the moment in a way that they never have because it's too close to home. I'm constantly trying to keep my 3 year old boy away from dogs that look like they're grumpy, including just yesterday at our local park because they're everywhere now. I've certainly noticed because I've started to see a pattern here that we've had a spate of more maulings in the last couple of years. We very clearly have a massive dog issue on our hands. Not only dogs that are mauling, but dogs that are roaming, and dogs that are unregistered. And I am not seeing a corresponding urgency from authorities to deal with this particular issue. We've had the announcement today that the government's going to crack down on owners that tether their dogs too long, but I still feel like it's a bit wet bus ticketey, isn't it? What's the punishment for them if they tether their dogs too long? Oh, a fine. Just a fine. And at what level do they get cracked down on? Well, quite clear dog abuse is what it takes to get a crackdown. It is like the worst extremes of what you would see with dogs that cop a fine. I don't think that's good enough. Sure, at the local government level, you've got councils like Auckland Council, currently having a crackdown on unregistered dog owners and warning them that they're on their absolute last legs and they've got to register their dogs. But the punishment for failing to do so after repeated warnings remains pretty lame. It's a fine, or it's going to court. They get to keep the dog. I would not be that lenient if I was in charge of the situation. I would just be turning up and saying you had 28 days to register your dog, you didn't register your dog, the dog's coming with me, and I put the dog down. It's as simple as that. Because as the council says there is a link between unregistered dogs and dogs that end up roaming and dogs that attack people. I think we are well past the point where we need to get tough on these dogs. Sure, the dog owner's not going to be stoked about it. They're not going to be happy. They've got a dead dog. But that's a better outcome, I would say, than having a dead kid, don't you think? My patience with these dogs ran out a long time ago and these owners in particular. I, for one, want to see a hard crackdown. I don't know how many more incidents like the one in Katikati we have to have before we start taking this problem with our dogs seriously. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland council has come up with a plan to manage flood damaged land it's buying as part of it's recovery from the 2023 floods. Chair of the West Auckland is Flooding group Lyall Carter spoke to Corin Dann.

Auckland Council expects to have bought 1200 properties at high risk of flooding by the end of the year, and it's mapped out a plan for managing the flood damaged land. North Shore Ward Councillor and Chair of the Policy and Planning Committee Richard Hills spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Calm before the storm for Auckland's flood-risk communities as the council takes action. It'll buy more than 1200 high risk homes by the end of the year, at a cost of $352 million. A large chunk of the land will be retained for flood resilience and safer areas will be sold for development. Auckland Council Policy and Planning Committee Chair Richard Hills told Mike Hosking it's going to be a long road. He says people will find it hard seeing houses removed from the street they live on. The Council has also acknowledged the time it's taken to take action on flood risk areas. Hills says he hoped it would be a faster process. He told Hosking homeowners could apply to be categorised for most of last year, and then needed individual assessments. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 20,000 roaming dogs were reported to Auckland Council last year - a 78 percent increase since 2021. But the council said that's just snapshot of the real problem. Because with roaming dogs, come dog attacks - and there's been a 76 percent increase in those in Auckland over the last six years. To try and combat the problem, the Council introduced its first dedicated roaming dog patrol, which has been going now for just over a year. Louise Ternouth spent the day on patrol with them.

Already this year Auckland Council has had at least 13 rubbish truck fires caused by discarded batteries. They over heat and spark up the other rubbish, costing the council up to $5000 a truck fire. An audit of kerbside bins in 2023 showed 71 percent of them contained electronic waste. Echo Chief Executive Officer Patrick Moynahan spoke to Lisa Owen.

Newstalk ZB's Andrew Alderson and Crusaders commentator Nick Bewley join Ryan Bridge on the Huddle. Auckland Council has voted to go ahead with Eden Park upgrades, but they're hanging out for money elsewhere. Will they get it? Liam Lawson has been dumped by Red Bull after two races. Has it been fair? The Huddle discuss it all. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ball is in the Government's court after Auckland council has decided to back an Eden Park upgrade over a waterfront stadium. $100 million is needed from either the Government of the council. Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour talks to Ryan Bridge about the decision. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Council has overwhelmingly decided to vote in support of plans to upgrade Eden Park. Auckland Council's been debating which option it wants to back - the other main one being a Waterfront stadium. Reporter Jessica Hopkins spoke to Lisa Owen.

Is a new waterfront stadium on the cards for Auckland or will Eden Park get a revamp? Auckland Council is currently debating which option it wants to back - with councillors spending the last hour going over the fine details of the plans. RNZ Reporter Jessica Hopkins spoke to Lisa Owen.

Auckland Council has endorsed the redevelopment of Eden Park into the city's main stadium, with the majority of councillors supporting plans for a business case. Maia Ingoe reports.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 27 March 2025, Auckland Council has voted to back Eden Park as the city's main stadium. Eden Park boss Nick Sautner tells Ryan Bridge who should pay to develop the stadium. Public Service Minister Judith Collins is celebrating cutting almost twice as much consultant fat from the public service... but she's already indicating she wants even more public servants to lose their jobs. Can your car insurance company decline your claim if you've had a drink? A dispute tribunal has settled the question. Plus, the Huddle debates whether Tamatha Paul's police comments are going to hurt the Green vote - and is Craig Rennie going to run for Parliament in Wellington Central? Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eden Park has triumphed in its battle to be Auckland's Council's preferred stadium - over building a new facility near the city's waterfront. The council has voted to endorse, in principle, the first stage of upgrading the park, with 17 in favour and two against with one abstention. Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner says his team is delighted by the vote. "We've had 125 years of history and tradition, we've had some of New Zealand's most memorable sporting moments - and this decision today is a special day in our history." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, CTU chief economist Craig Rennie and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Eden Park has won the Auckland stadium battle, with Auckland Council overwhelmingly voted to endorse the Park as the city's main stadium over a new site near the waterfront. Do we agree with this? Has Tamatha Paul done damage to the Greens' election chances with her comments on the police? Or is she playing to her voters? Judith Collins has exceeded her target for consultant cuts, almost doubling the original cuts. Does this not prove the Government's point that there was plenty of fat to cut in the public service? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Council staff say neither proposal for a new or upgraded "main stadium" is viable. Councillors will decide on Thursday whether to endorse upgrades to Eden Park or a new stadium by the waterfront. But advisors have reviewed the options and can't recommend either. Felix Walton has more.

On today's episode, the government wants bipartisan support to repeal and replace the RMA, we cross to the US to get the latest on yesterday's bombshell that senior Trump administration officials discussed plans to bomb Yemen in a group messaging app, investigations are underway into how the police mistook an 11-year-old for a 20-year-old, and Auckland Council are set to decide on which stadium proposal to support in the city.

An Auckland Councillor says he's leaning towards choosing an improved Eden Park to be Auckland's national stadium. The other option is a new stadium at Quay Park. Council staff say neither proposal is entirely feasible - relying on funding from the Council or the Government. Stadium Working Group chair Shane Henderson says Aucklanders want certainty - and they need to decide in Thursday's vote. He says Eden Park's looking preferable. "We can stage that development, the risk is a little bit more manageable. And honestly, looking at the report and the advice - they've got a few less issues out of the two." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland's 21 local boards united in a letter to Mayor Wayne Brown last week, rejecting that they must absorb a $17.6 million budget shortfall tied to the Fairer Funding Initiative.  The letter, dated March 10, highlights the significant pressures imposed on local board activities due to the cost-cutting measures, asserting that local boards had “no control over the budget” and "all decisions were made without any reference to any Local Board”. While Wayne Brown responded earlier this week, ensuring that local boards would not need to seek extra funding to cover the budget shortfall this year, these discussions will become relevant again for next year's budget.  Group chief financial officer for Auckland Council, Ross Tucker, says the council "is embarking on a challenging transition to an equity-based funding model that will see local boards being empowered with more budget autonomy as well as greater budget responsibility". Also, as the need increases to address the number of roaming dogs on the street, as well as the number of dog attacks, Auckland Council has opened a council-operated dog adoption centre. Last year, less than half of roaming dogs were claimed by their owners, the lowest amount in a decade. The adoption centre which opened on the weekend will house over forty dogs in an effort to relieve the strain on animal shelters around Auckland. Producer Sara spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson about both of these issues this morning. To start off, she asked him to explain the purpose of Auckland Council's Fairer Funding Initiative.

Auckland Council's Community Committee has recently reported a 53% rise in rough sleeping over four months, with the data showing the number of people known to be living in cars, parks, or on the streets has risen from 426 in September 2024 to 653 in January 2025. Kickback, a youth development and social justice community responding to youth homelessness, is calling for an urgent review of The Ministry of Social Development's approach to homelessness. Producer Amani spoke with General Manager Aaron Hendry about why it is calling for a review and which suggestions it has for the public service department.

In an effort to get thousands of roaming dogs off the streets and into forever homes - Auckland Council is opening the country's first council operated dog adoption centre in Pukekohe. The need is more pressing than ever - with all of the city's dog shelters at capacity and less than half of roaming dogs in Auckland reclaimed by their owners last year - the lowest level in a decade. Louise Ternouth went to Pukekohe for a sneak peak.

Auckland Council's Community Committee has sent a ‘please help' letter to the government after reports from their Community Impact team showed a 53% rise in the number of people sleeping rough over the past four months. This follows changes last year by the Ministry of Social Development to the rules surrounding emergency housing, introducing stricter entry criteria and new requirements which make it difficult to stay.  While Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, earlier this week, denied that these changes have led to an increase in homelessness, Housing First Auckland programme manager Rami Alrudani said that outreach workers have been stretched thin, dealing with “more and more homelessness every day”. Producer Sara spoke with Councillor Julie Fairey about the rise in homelessness in Tāmaki Makaurau.  As well, Auckland Council are trialling an AI digital assistant to help improve their customer support services. The ‘Ask Auckland Council' pilot, presented at February's Revenue, Expenditure and Value Committee, is being funded by Google Cloud at no cost to ratepayers. Auckland Council receives 1.5 million calls every year and coordinates region-wide services across multiple platforms. The new system is designed to bridge the gap between Aucklanders and digital services, reducing the effort required to seek out information Starting on the topic of homelessness, Sara asked Julie if she was surprised to see a stark increase in the latest data around the number of people sleeping rough.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about Labour's caucus reshuffle and the Taxpayers Union-Curia poll. For International Desk, they spoke to University of Waikato Senior Lecturer Garritt Van Dyk and Yale Daily News' Andre Fa'aoso about the emerging protest movements against the Trump administration in the United States. For City Counselling, Producer Sara spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about the rise in homelessness in Tamaki, as well as Auckland Council's recent announcement of an AI digital assistant for customer service support.

On Auckland's North Shore, a public golf course is fighting council plans to use their course as a floodwater catchment Auckland Council wants to turn public land into a water catchment to protect against floods. The current leaseholders say there's a better way.A stoush is brewing on Auckland's North Shore over a controversial proposal to convert Takapuna Golf Course into a floodwater catchment area, aiming to mitigate the city's increasing flood risks…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

On today's episode, Russian missiles have killed and injured dozens of people in Ukraine over the weekend, as officials prepare to hold peace talks in Saudi Arabia this week, Hundreds of thousands are without power and emergency flood alerts have been issued as ex-Cyclone Alfred slams into Queensland and New South Wales, the government is proposing changes to the Public Works Act - including incentivising payments of up to $150,000 for early land sales, Auckland Council has written a 'please help' letter to the government over a surge in homelessness, the Black Caps have fallen agonisingly short in the Champions Trophy Final, beaten by India by four wickets in Dubai, and we cross the Tasman to get the latest from Kerry-Anne Walsh.

Auckland Council has written a 'please help' letter to the government over a surge in homelessness. Katie Todd reports.

Auckland Council has written a 'please help' letter to the government over a surge in homelessness. Community Committee chair Angela Dalton spoke to Corin Dann.

Auckland Council is looking at converting a big chunk of Takapuna Golf course into a wetland to soak up future floodwaters. Wairau Valley was one of the hardest-hit areas during the 2023 floods with severe damage and loss of life. Stephen Dowd from Takapuna Golf Club spoke to Lisa Owen.

Last week, Auckland Council presented a proposal to shift Kumeū's town centre as an effort to address the area's history of flooding.  Additionally, late last month public consultation opened on Council's proposed bed night visitor levy. The levy would fill a budget gap of $7 million for major events in Tāmaki Makaurau. For City Counselling this week, Sofia spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about both of these topics, beginning by asking her what current issues Kumeū is facing that informed the proposal to move its town centre.

Auckland's Council has signed off on the $15 million restoration of the St James Theatre on Queen Street. Owner Steve Bielby spoke to Alexa Cook.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Labour's Carmel Sepuloni about the new Stats NZ child poverty stats, the government's proposed changes to citizens arrest laws, and the protests at Lake Rotokākahi.  For International Desk, they spoke to Red Tsounga, President of the Aotearoa Africa Foundation, about the ongoing conflict in the Congo. And they spoke to Carolyn Young, Chief Executive of Retail New Zealand, about the proposed expansion of citizen arrest laws. For City Counselling this week, Producer Sofia caught up with Councillor Julie Fairey about Auckland Council's proposal to move Kumeū due to flood risk and bed night visitor levy to fill a budget gap for major events.  She also spoke to Dr Annette Lasham from the University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Science about new research from 185 countries showing New Zealand and Australia have the highest breast cancer incidence rates in the world. And Wednesday Wire Host Oto spoke to University of Auckland health researcher Dr Joanna Hikaka about a new study on older Māori experience with ACC.

It's been six months since Auckland Council increased street patrols as part of a safety plan for the city, and those on the front line say it's making a difference. Finn Blackwell went on patrol with council staff.

It's been six months since Auckland Council increased street patrols as part of a safety plan for the city, and those on the front line say it's making a difference. Auckland Council's Compliance Manager Adrian Wilson spoke to Alexa Cook.

Auckland Council has been accused of overreacting after proposing dog rule changes. Dog trainer Flip Calkoen talks about whether the balance is right.