The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance says a decision by Auckland Transport to award Fullers360 a $351 million contract is an affront to local democracy and highlights the need for urgent reform of the Council-Controlled Organisation model.

On Thursday, The New Zealand Herald reported that AT has signed a $351 million ratepayer-funded contract with Fullers360 to deliver ferry services on the Devonport, Half Moon Bay and Hobsonville routes for 12 years.

The decision, worth $650 per Auckland household, was made by the AT Board without any public consultation or input from elected members. It comes despite Fullers360 having an abysmal record of service delivery.

Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen says, "Such decisions are too important to be made behind closed doors by unelected officers and directors with no democratic accountability or recourse to the public."

"However, the Council-Controlled Organisation model that AT operates under is designed to keep the delivery of local services at arm’s length from elected members. But after 12 years, Aucklanders have had enough.

"Mayor Brown promised to bring AT and the other CCOs into line. To make good on his promise he must advocate to central government for a legislative change that will transfer power from AT back to the Governing Body."

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