Open Letter to the Governing Body of Auckland Council

Dear Councillors

Congratulations on your election, and having the opportunity to tackle some of the big issues facing Auckland.

If ever there was a time to cast a more careful eye on the quality of our waterways, it is now.

Auckland Council’s 2016 State of Auckland report cards released in October show the majority of local board areas received a ‘C’ grade or below for the health of their freshwater environments. This points to a big decline over the last 20 years.

The poorest quality streams tend to be those dominated by urban land, suggesting that stewardship of urban streams should be a focus for Auckland’s water quality monitoring programmes and investigations.

On the North Shore, what we are seeing are not simply polluted waterways that need to be ‘restored’ but waterways in good condition being destroyed.

Auckland Council has a crucial role to play. To begin with, Erosion and Sediment Control plans must take into account that pollution controls linked to development sites have been failing in many areas.

We need a clear policy statement on water quality, and this must be adhered to.

Fixing or protecting the waterways may also involve having better drainage around urban areas to reduce pollution from roads, roofs and pavements washed into city streams through the stormwater network.

Residents would also like to see a more proactive approach through targeted monitoring, rather than a solely reactive approach to complaints of non-compliance.

Cowboy developers are prepared to flout rules on pollution controls. All too often, the problems are being picked up solely thanks to neighbourhood vigilance.

With the blueprint for Auckland in the form of the Unitary Plan approving 422,000 new dwellings over the next 25 years, most of us understand that handled badly, growth could lead to terrible outcomes. And yet, if the growth is handled well, with careful planning and strong oversight of new developments, we will feel closer to the vision of a beautiful Auckland known for its ecological gems right in the heart of a rapidly growing city.

Politicians are elected to ensure the voice of the public is heard and to act as stewards of inter-generational justice. And protection of our unique natural environment is a matter of inter-generational justice.

Mayor Phil Goff made a pledge to protect our ‘beautiful natural environment, framed by our spectacular coastline, harbours, our maunga, islands and regional parks. Those are the assets that must be sustained and protected for generations to come’.

I can guarantee that protecting our waterways will have a more long-term impact on our environment than electrifying Auckland Council’s vehicle fleet.

Yours sincerely,

Anne-Elise Smithson

Member

Kaipātiki Local Board

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