My experience with COVID-19

I’ve been off sick with COVID, although I’ve recovered now. I know I’ve missed a few things and I had to defer some meetings. As I catch up, I thought I might share my experience.

My relationship with COVID goes way back to the start - at work I’m part of our Business Continuity Team, made up of the Executives and other senior staff to respond to emerging crises. We’ve been meeting regularly on the pandemic since very early 2020, helping guide the company’s response during this challenging time. As an essential business supporting the food and primary industries, we’ve worked throughout. I consider myself lucky that I’ve had an insight into the incredible dedication of these people who have battled through the last few years. So many people working to make sure that there is quality, safe food to buy, eat and export to the world, often unseen and unknown - we owe these people so much and it’s been a privilege to support them.

In mid-May we had our annual leaders forum where my colleague and I received the Safety and Wellbeing Leadership award for helping manage our COVID response. It was very humbling and I was genuinely lost for words (which happens very rarely). While I’m very proud of the work I’ve been involved with, our response has always been a team effort.

Because life isn't without irony, it was only days later when I finally succumbed to the virus. I knew it was positive before the two bars appeared. I'd had false alarms before (spend your day dealing with the pandemic and phantom symptoms become commonplace), but this was different. I know some people test positive and never see the symptoms - somehow in the third year of a global health crisis we still forget that everyone's bodies react differently to infection.

I know I'm fortunate - I'm reasonably young, fit and healthy. I've had three vaccinations. But it was still rough. My throat in particular was very painful. When I was a child I suffered from tonsillitis until they eventually whipped them out but I still get very sore throats and losing my voice isn't unusual. My partner finds this especially funny, given I'm not quiet very often. 

I knew what to do (I've spent years telling colleagues the process) and dutifully logged my results, released my Bluetooth tracing data and locked us away for 7 days. Isolating wasn’t hard, we live in the heart of Botany, with anything you could want available for delivery. And I'm fortunate enough to work in a job that can be done from home. Once my throat had recovered, I could drag myself into the spare room that's been converted into my home office and work reasonably effectively. I know I’m privileged and this isn’t an option for everyone. If you haven’t seen the incredible piece on poverty by John Campbell and the OneNews digital team - you should check it out.

I did quickly learn that I needed to listen to my own advice - rest and take it slow. I was a little keen on getting back to work and I overdid it in the first few days, which knocked me back a bit. I’m back at work, although mostly operating from home so I can take breaks when I need to. I know there are lots of jobs where this isn’t possible so I count myself fortunate. 

So I’ve done a lot of sleeping over the past few weeks. Caught up on a couple of shows (one day I’ll do some recommendations), finally got into my reading list for the year (never make New Years resolutions) and escaped reality for a bit with some quality gaming time (another list of recommendations on my to do list). 

I was gutted to have to cancel meetings, some I’d been trying to organise for weeks. But I was in no state to talk, even online. Infectious period aside, I felt very tried for the first couple of weeks so my wellness tank was pretty low. Unfortunately the bad timing means I’m still working to catch up so apologies if you haven’t heard from me in a while!

Auckland Transport is increasing fares, yet again.

In what feels like deja vu, Auckland Transport is yet again increasing the fares for public transport. From 7 February about half of all passengers will pay an average 35 cents more for each trip. In 2016 they reworked the fare structure and every year since then fares have gone up. Last year they blamed petrol prices and this year it's COVID19. The reality is that Auckland already has one of the most expensive public transport fares in the world and making it more expensive is only making our transport issues worse. 

Auckland Transport and Auckland Council are selling these changes as a win by focusing on the 10% discount for off peak fares. We do have spare capacity in our off peak services and encouraging people to use this is a great way to smooth peak demand. But practically most people commuting to work, school or university will not be able to delay their trips to take advantage of this. They've also introduced a daily fare cap which should be a great way to encourage multiple trips. I’m a big supporter of a daily cap but setting it at $20 a day means it won’t do much to offset the increased costs.

While this decision comes from Auckland Transport, it’s ultimately Auckland Council who are  accountable as they set the priorities and budget for the CCO. Auckland Council says it’s aiming to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and with transport making up nearly 40% of Auckland’s carbon footprint, getting people into more efficient forms like public transport is a must. Our council declared a climate emergency in 2019 but has continued to increase the cost of fares, driving people back to private vehicles.

These increases are apparently going to save $4.3m but we're kidding ourselves if we think that this makes good financial sense - congestion alone costs our economy hundreds of millions of dollars a year. A study in 2017 suggested that the cost of congestion in Auckland was $1.3B a year or $3.5m a day in lost productivity. Improving the capacity, design and state of our roads will help address this but to get real change we need to get people onto mass transit.

Public transport won't work for everyone in every situation but it should cater for most people's daily commute. And the more people that use it, the less traffic on the road for those who can't. I use public transport to commute to and from work every day and, while it’s not perfect, it's generally reliable and stress free. We still get stuck in traffic, but I can listen to music or read and the short walk to and from the stops has been good for my physical and mental wellbeing. 

Across Auckland we are investing in transport which is fantastic. Many of the biggest projects underway around the city are transport related - CRL, Eastern Busway, Airport to Botany. These projects are delivering the much needed capacity and reliability to the network that we need to cater for our fast growing population.

But all of this will be a massive waste of money if it's too expensive to use! And Auckland Transport knows this, admitting that 556k less trips a year will happen on public transport as a result of these increases. Trips that will end up in private vehicles which means more emissions, congestion and crashes. Our city is growing fast and we're decades behind in transport infrastructure and services, cutting corners now is just kicking the can down the road again, a very congested poorly maintained road.

If Auckland Council and Auckland Transport are serious about addressing climate emissions, reducing congestion and making our city safer they will reduce, not increase the prices for public transport.

Inaction, waste mar the first decade of Super City - NZ Herald

"After a decade of vanity projects, wasteful spending and empty gestures, Auckland Council’s abysmal financial management is finally catching up with it. While some may delight in its downfall, the residents and ratepayers are left to face the brunt of its inept management."

On Monday the NZ Herald published an opinion piece from me about the spending issues at Auckland Council.

Like many Aucklanders, I'm frustrated that Council has wasted it's first decade with poor financial decisions and missed opportunities. Basics like park maintenance, road safety and public transport have suffered while money was poured into vanity projects. We're now facing a massive revenue shortfall and services are being cut, while rates and debt continues to rise.

Soon Auckland Council will begin it's consultation on the next Long Term Plan for the next 10 years. We need to ensure that we get our priorities right, or we'll be having this same discussion in another decade.

My opinion piece in the NZ Herald Monday 30 November 2020

Howick Local Board feedback on Emergency Budget

On Thursday evening last week I attended a special Howick Local Board meeting. Timed to allow the members to consider feedback from locals on the proposed Emergency Budget before it goes to council.

Some interesting insights into some of the 2,549 responses from the Howick Local Board area. 51% voted for a 2.5% increase, while 27% voted for a 3.5% increase. 65% voted in favour of the rates postponement scheme and 72% for the suspension of the targeted accommodation rate and it’s linked tourism projects. Some other themes that came out which I’d love to explore in more detail at some stage.

The Board responded with feedback not just to the main questions, but in quite a bit of detail which was good to see. I did live tweet the decisions but there were a lot to cover (took 3 hours) and I'd prefer to wait till the minutes were up. Here are a couple of highlights

• only support 3.5% rates increase based on the impact that 2.5% would have on ability for council to deliver and with proviso's to limit asset sales;

• only support reduction in Local Board Transport funding if Community Safety Fund is retained;

• do no support the delay to Ormiston Community Centre and Library;

• do not support deferrals in stormwater projects, especially where intended to address immediate risk to people or property;

• asked for more meaningful engagement with Local Boards and Community on any further decisions especially asset sales, transport and changes to facilities.

While I didn't agree with every decision made, it was good to see some healthy debate and the detailed response. Faced with such a stark and messy proposal, it would be easy to respond in kind but I felt the Board was trying to be constructive and realistic.

This was most obvious when responding to the proposal to sell an additional $200m in assets - the Board noted concerns that the timing would mean council was unlikely to maximise its return and that the Board needed more information to make informed decisions. Where the Board had already worked with Panuku, they could actively challenge the sale or in a few cases, support the sale.

It will be interesting to see what other local boards have said, I suspect there will be some common themes. Ultimately this is a decision by the Governing Body of Auckland Council which is made up of the Mayor and 20 Councillors (2 for Howick). Auckland Council is reviewing the feedback and making their decision on Thursday 16th July. I'll be there and will report back.

Submission on Auckland Council Emergency Budget

This is my submission on the Auckland Council Emergency Budget.

General rates increase for 2020/2021

3.5 per cent average general rates increase

While I do not support endless rises in rates, we cannot afford to be cutting mores services or investment. The proposed cuts as a result of a 2.5% increase mean even more drastic cuts that we cannot afford.

Rates postponement for ratepayers impacted by COVID-19

I support the proposal

COVID19 has hit households very differently and some will definitely need support. For those ratepayers that do take this up, consideration should be given to a progressive payment plan so they are not hit with 2 years worth of rates in a year. Also the impact of COVID19 will reach beyond the next 12 months so this may need further extension.

Suspending the targeted rate paid by accommodation providers

I support the proposal

With international tourism suspended, it's absolutely sensible to suspend this and the projects it was meant to fund.

Other feedback - what is important to you? (limited to 4000 characters)

The proposed budget is really disappointing. It lacks vision, is extremely short sighted and consultation has been poor.

I appreciate it was written with urgency, but the gaps highlight the need for better disciplines within council. Projects have been cancelled or delayed because council has been too slow to get them underway, while less important work continues. Many programmes cut will have a greater impact than just economic, especially climate change actions, infrastructure and environmental management. 

I strongly disagree with cuts to;

• public transport, which will lead to more congestion, more emissions and less mobility for many who rely on these services;

• transport safety initiatives and "compromised" Community Safety Fund which will lead to more deaths and injuries;

• 80-90% renewals for buildings, playgrounds and open spaces, many already in a dreadful state;

• preventative Watercare maintenance, which will lead to more flooding and waterway contamination;

• biodiversity programmes like pest eradication, Kauri Dieback and grants;

• Climate Change and Emission reduction programmes like electric buses and response fund;

• Local Board discretionary spending which will hurt communities.

I disagree with selling massive amounts of assets, especially during an economic downturn when values are lower. This looks like a thinly veiled attempt to sell assets in a fire sale, using the economic crisis as a weak excuse. Panuku Development Auckland largely operates outside of public view which must change - every decision to consider an asset for sale must be done with robust consultation and informed choice, including Local Boards.

I'm deeply disappointed in the consultation process. While the documents do a decent job of laying out the challenges, they don’t fully explain the options or cuts. There are critical details buried in the supporting document, which is difficult to read and not aligned. It has been extremely difficult to get answers to basic questions, often to clarify information that should already be available. For example vague statements around reduced funds for the Eastern Busway seemed to suggest there would be a delay or reduction in scope. I asked the Mayor, Councillors, staff on the webinar and the Local Board before I got an answer from AT. A simple explanation would have explained that this was a good news story, with Council committed to a critical project.

The world has changed dramatically, but this consultation followed the same old thinking. There was very little attempt to engage in other ways, especially given the history of poor diversity in council consultation. Burying details in a PDF isn't engaging or accessible. Community webinars weren’t well advertised, answered few questions and inexplicably required registration two days prior. These should have been opportunities for discussion, but they were largely one way and ended early. I didn't get answers to questions until 10 days later, 2 days before feedback closed.

While it's good to see efficiency and improvement projects, it's too little too late. These should’ve started years ago, with serious focus on delivering value and reducing waste, instead we’ve lost a decade. Organisations should always look to improve, but a health and economic crisis isn’t a great time to start.

With estimates putting the gap for local government at $1.5b, Auckland Council is not alone but there is only a small mention of government engagement and support. One of the promises of the supercity was a stronger relationship with government, we haven't seen it.

The economic future is unknown and the budget must be reviewed throughout the year and if funding increases, we must revisit cut programmes and reinstate them as possible. There should be a prioritised plan of projects that can be kick-started immediately if funding is available from revenue or government.

Auckland is a fantastic place to live, we can and must do better than this budget.

What Auckland Council's proposed Emergency Budget means for East Auckland

I’ve previously noted that the proposed Emergency Budget for Auckland is drastic. And given the current and looming economic outlook, it needs to be. While there are plenty of people claiming to have crystal balls, the reality is that there is a significant uncertainty about the economic future.

Therefore Auckland Council has decided to use what they believe is the most likely scenario and is expecting a massive drop in revenue ($525m) which means they’ve had to recut the budget. Most of the missing revenue isn’t from rates ($65m), but from other revenue sources such as Ports of Auckland ($65m) and Auckland Airport ($60m) as well as less transport ($120m), less building ($70m) and reduced recreation ($80m).

Balancing the budget - less revenue means more debt

Hopefully these will only be short-term reductions but unlike the government, which can just continue to borrow, Council is required by law to attempt to balance the budget. Council is increasing it’s borrowing to the maximum, while in theory focusing investment on which will have the greatest economic stimulus and recovery. In the short term, debt will grow to 290% for one year (breaking their banking covenant) before dropping down to 270%. Council has said that because it’s short term with a planned return to below the maximum, the banks are willing to accept it.

But even with record borrowing, there just isn’t the revenue to maintain the capital investment or operating expenditure so there are cuts to both. The Mayor had proposed a 3.5% average rates increase but given the need to review the budget, Council has also considered what an average increase of 2.5% would look like.

Less than 2.5% would mean no capital programme unless the project was already underway as well as many $100m more in reduced services. The short fall would mean a greater potential impact on credit ratings which can mean worse interest rates and restricted borrowing potential in future. 

So all three options means cutting services and projects, some more critical than others. Some have suggested we solve this by cutting the pay of the executive, but half the staff would need to go to cover $525m which would reduce services well below the proposed cuts. And there are cuts - 868 staff have already taken a voluntary salary pay cut, including 32 under the $100k threshold.

What this means for East Auckland and beyond

The consultation document doesn’t do a bad job of laying out the challenges, but there’s a lot of details missing, buried deep in the details (including a 113 page supporting document). I’ve been working through it all, noting the city wide impacts and anything specific for East Auckland. I’ve used the same categories as the consultation document, although there is some crossover (especially in the environmental space). I have not captured everything and I strongly recommend that you take a look at the consultation document.

Transport

While not consulting on a 0% increase, the document notes that that would mean reduced road and footpath maintenance standards for a year, with potential risks to safety and whole of life costs. Maintenance activities such as fixing pot-holes, repairing cracked surfaces and repairs of road side furniture would be delayed until they are deemed to be critical.

Last night I finally got an sensible answer to the Eastern Busway funding - there has been a delay to purchasing of properties for the Pakuranga to Botany stage which will save money now and be funded in the near future. This won’t delay the delivery of the project or any of the stages which is good - this should’ve been laid out in the document and avoided a lot of headaches. 

The details on the Community Safety Fund are lacking - this was once the flagship safety programme for Auckland. We don’t know what this means for Botany Downs Secondary College or Te Uho o te Nikau Primary School which were both meant to get safety improvements for students funded through this programme.

The cuts to transport are particularly painful when the Howick ward has historically under spent it’s allocation - for years we missed opportunities to address safety and congestion. Most of that funding will now be gone or under tighter restrictions while we’re left with those same issues.

Water, wastewater and stormwater

Given the current drought and water shortages, it’s good to see that there are no major cuts here. Although concerning to see reduction in preventative maintenance and capital programmes - if anything we need more, not less focus in this area.

Parks and Community

Some pretty big assumptions in here about drop off in people wanting to attend events, which I don’t think will hold out. Many of our parks and community assets are already in a dreadful state and further deferrals will not help. But selling off assets for short term gains needs to be done very carefully.

I’ve questioned the spend on the America’s Cup especially given that the economic payoff is break even, but I suspect we’re locked into contracts already.

City Centre and Local Development

Panuku largely runs outside of the public’s view so I doubt many will notice the cuts. We really need to know what is happening with Ormiston but Council has not responded to queries.

Economic and Cultural Development

Zero percent would mean further cuts would be made to economic development activities and Council say “this would put economic recovery of the region at risk”.

Some reasonable cuts here, again based on assumption that there will be less demand. I know ATEED has a mixed past, but ensuring our economy recovery is quick and steady will need resourcing. Much stronger oversight needed to ensure we’re getting a good return on this.

Environmental management and regulation

Zero percent would mean delaying the climate change initiatives proposed in the first round of consultation and not resuming inorganic collection services leading to increased illegal dumping.

It’s great to see investment into automation and process improvement, although it shouldn't take an economic crisis to get underway. Auckland Council has never excelled at ensuring compliance to regulations and I’m concerned that we’ll see more issues with damage to our waterways and environment.

Council Support

I suspect there are a lot more efficiencies that can be gained here, although some are structural which can’t be addressed without dealing with the CCOs. Some of that will mean convincing parliament to pass legislation, which they haven’t shown any interest in.

So what does this mean for rates?

Council has just signed a new contract for the collection of refuse in the former Auckland City Council and Manukau City Council areas. The cost of the new contract has risen so the refuse rate will also be increasing. For context other parts of the city pay for their refuse collection with $3.95 bin tags each time they put their rubbish out.

Rates postponement scheme

Auckland Council is proposing a rates postponement scheme, which will be open to

• residential and lifestyle ratepayers with a mortgage

• financially stressed business and farm ratepayers. 85% of businesses.

• Not-for-profit applications for residential property will not be required to have a mortgage

If you’re eligible, you’re able to postpone the first $20k (GST incl) of rates and carry forward up to $5k (GST incl) of any rates Q4. Applications can be made up until 31 December 2020 to allow time to fully understand situation.

In summary - a crisis budget

The proposed budget is drastic, cutting a lot of short term capital and operational expenditure. It’s tempting to suggest that this will mean less waste at council, but that wasn’t the focus of the proposal. There are some efficiency programmes planned which is great, but improvements should have been started years ago, not waited for a crisis.

I’m deeply concerned about the cuts to safety programmes, environmental management and public transport which will all have an impact beyond just money. I worry about our parks and community centres, already in a sorry state and further starved of funds they will become liabilities.

The missing information on the Community Safety Fund and Ormiston Town Centre make it difficult to fully understand the impact. I asked about these over a week ago and four days from when feedback closes I still don’t have an answer.

Driven by a looming economic crisis, quick decisions need to be made. But as we better understand the situation, we must reconsider investment. We must also take this as an opportunity to reflect on what we haven’t done when times were better - had we focused on park renewals, investment in transport and improving efficiencies we wouldn’t be so short today.

This budget is more than just a reflection of the economic realities, it’s also a portrait of a council that lacks discipline and robust governance. The public is being asked to respond to incomplete information, with cuts to what can be cut (rather than what should) and an ever growing backlog of under investment in infrastructure.

Feedback is open until midnight on Friday 19 June 2020.

https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/have-your-say/topics-you-can-have-your-say-on/emergency-budget/

Auckland Council's proposed emergency budget is drastic

With everything that has been happening, we've become accustomed to drastic action in the face of a crisis. But even still, the proposed Auckland Council emergency budget is still a shock.

"Cutting road safety projects like fixing high risk intersections and pedestrian crossings. Stalling a much-heralded conversion to electric buses - a totem of the council's climate change commitments. Selling $200m in public land and assets. Putting off the city-wide revaluation of all properties."

Tim Murphy: Auckland’s budget cuts: a half billion too far - Newsroom

I have no doubt that some will proclaim this as a victory, as if this is just council forced to reduce spending to focus on core services. But this isn't how you improve cost effectiveness, reduce bureaucracy or focus on core services. I've worked in business improvement for over a decade and positive change comes through sustained focus, good disciplines and innovative thinking. This isn't that - it's an emergency response to a crisis, survival mode.

It's also true that businesses are being forced to make tough decisions - as the person who led the development of our new business plan at work, I know this well. But while there are areas where council could be more business-like, it's not a business. The impact of this budget will be felt for sometime, especially with cuts to environmental management and regulation (which has never been a strength for Auckland Council).

We’re being asked to consider the option of a 3.5% or 2.5% rate increase which is about $1.82 or $1.35 per week extra. We're paying more but will still see significant cuts into the operating and capital budgets over the next year to account for the massive drop in revenue. While Auckland Council has worked to leverage alternative incomes, there are limited options and those have been hit hard. I sympathise with the staff and councillors who have had to make some tough calls and still had to ask for an increase to rates. We cannot continue to rely on endless rates rises, but the blame lies with central government who have ignored those of us calling for local government funding reform.

Government has allocated themselves billions for economic recovery and a decent proportion of this should go towards local government. While Auckland is budgeting to be down $525m in revenue, estimates put the total nationwide gap for all councils at around $1b. A terrifying number for local government but less so for central government. Compared to the countries in the OECD, New Zealand ranks among the lowest in terms of the proportion of local government revenue that comes from grants and subsidies given by central governments.

It’s an election year and with UnitedFuture no longer around to champion localism, I’m hoping that the other parties pick up on the urgent need for local government funding reform. In the meantime, Aucklanders need to make sure their voice is heard by council.

We have until June 19 to respond online at akhaveyoursay.nz/emergency-budget, by phoning 09 301 0101 or visiting a council service centre or library.

I’m hoping to finish reading through all the materials this weekend and will post more details on the specific impacts on East Auckland.

Taiwan's membership in the WHO shouldn't be a political decision

“We have got to stand up for ourselves,” Winston Peters, New Zealand’s foreign minister, said at a news conference when asked about China’s response to New Zealand’s position on Taiwan. “And true friendship is based on equality. It’s based on the ability in this friendship to nevertheless disagree.”

I don’t often agree with Winston Peter’s but on Taiwan joining the World Health Organisation (WHO) I agree. In the same way that China doesn't get to decide what Taiwan does, they don't get to decide what New Zealand does either.

I know the relationship between China and Taiwan is complicated and full of historical challenges. I also know that we have a unique relationship with Taiwan (Republic of China) with our free trade deal. They're our 8th largest export market and our 16th largest import market. We share a number of similarities and we also have many things to teach each other.

Recovering from a global pandemic and the economic impact isn't something we can do alone. If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it should be that collective action is one of the most powerful actions to a crisis. A global collective action is needed to respond to this crisis and the climate change crisis. Allowing nations to be part of that conversation is the starting point and the World Health Organisation is where those conversations happen. Blocking nations for petty political reasons will not save lives nor will it help economies or save the environment.

We like to talk about being an independent nation that punches above it's weight, it's time we stood up and acted like one.

Howick Local Board goes online to approve transport investment

The Howick Local Board for April was held online but not open to the public. I normally attend these and it was a shame to not be able to attend this, but I understand that changes are necessary in these challenging times.

As expected when we move to a new way of working, there were a few teething problems but nothing significant. Full credit to the Chair, Board and Council team for making this work.

The big item on the agenda was to allocate the Local Board Transport Capital Fund (LBTCF) which is a discretionary fund that each local board gets to to spend on transport projects they see as a priority. This is in addition to the other Auckland Transport spending. There was minor changes to the proposed wording, but the result is effectively the same.

This means the Board has:

• asked for options of up to $3m for better pedestrian safety around Bucklands Beach;

• asked for options for speed indicator variable message signs (VMS) on Point View Dr;

• asked for options for an information plinth at Half Moon Bay, and other locations;

• asked for options for better walking route between the Half Moon Bay Ferry Terminal and coastal walkway in front of the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club;

• allocated up to $4m for the Howick Walking and Cycling Plan;

• reserved $3m for projects from the Steering Group on the Howick Village Centre Plan.

Historically the fund has been under spent, which has been disappointing consider the huge transport challenges we have in East Auckland. As they say, the devil is in the detail and there is a bit to work out, especially for the Bucklands Beach work, but it's great to see these progress.

The Auckland Council website is hosting a video recording of the session (23 minutes) if you're interested. And the minutes are also available (although these only record the outcomes, not the discussion).

COVID19 calls for new approach to Council budget and rates

COVID19 has required an unprecedented response at all levels of government and local council is not immune. As the health and economic impacts of the pandemic are beginning be understood, it's clear that we need to rethink our short term plans.

Despite significant support from the government, many households will find themselves struggling and it's entirely appropriate that council reconsiders it's budget. This week Councillors had a very long and detailed discussion about priorities for Council.

“Auckland Council will consult with the public on a rate increase of 2.5 or 3.5 per cent. For the average ratepayer, a 2.5 per cent increase would be equivalent to an extra $1.35 per week, while a 3.5 per cent increase would be $1.83 per week."

The Accommodation Provider Targeted Rate (aka Hotel Tax) is being suspended while there is no tourism and all ratepayers experiencing financial hardship will have chance to to defer payment of their fourth quarter rates installments.

Council will also do work to understand what a zero percent increase would mean for services. All of this will go out for public consultation. See the financial report here.

On top this, the chief executives of Auckland Council and its five council-controlled organisations will take a pay cut of 20 per cent for the next six months. Board chairs, directors and senior executives have volunteered pay cuts. See the announcement here.

The Mayor and many Councillors have also volunteered to donate a portion of their salary to charity (there isn't a method to reduce their pay).

Auckland Airport shortchanges Auckland ratepayers

Thanks to the poor actions of Auckland Airport, Auckland Council "lost an immediate $18 million in the value of its shareholding last week, and had missed a $70m gain".

Auckland Council holds the largest share of the Auckland International Airport but these have been diluted as a result of this sudden decision. This is on the top of a drop in value in shares as the airport struggles with the lack of flights.

I can appreciate that businesses need to make quick steps in this unprecedented time, but to not include your largest and longest investor in these is extremely poor.

As a result of Councillor Chris Darby's quick actions, Auckland Council will be looking into how they can improve oversight into a significant investment, hopefully preventing a repeat. Strangely, five councillors voted against this - seemingly happy with the lack of oversight and resulting loss for ratepayers.

Staying safe, saying home

As we pass the two week mark of the COVID19 lockdown, I thought I’d give a quick update on what I’ve been up to. The short version - working.

I’m very fortunate to be employed at a company that has been deemed an essential service (under legislation and through registration with MPI). We provide food safety and assurance services to the primary industries and our team is working hard to support these critical industries. I take pride in working for an organisation that’s ensuring that the food we eat is safe, well produced and in good supply.

I’m on our Business Continuity team at work, made up of the CEO and full Executive team along with key representatives from across the business. We’ve been meeting for months and our plans were well advanced before they had to be enacted. This work is a natural fit with my work as the board secretary (writing papers, minutes and chasing actions) and in business improvement. Plenty of new challenges and opportunities as the situation evolves. This has been keeping me very busy, everyday and some weekends. As we start to settle into the new normal, the workload is settling down too into a new regular pattern.

Like many kiwis, I’ve been working from home for the past few weeks. It might be weird for an Aucklander to say, but I miss my daily commute. The time on public transport and the walk was a nice separation from work, and good for my physical and mental health. Too easy to take work home, when work is literally at home. But we adjust and adapt. I’m fortunate to have a small home office (previously used for my campaigns) where I can base myself and create a little separation but it’s still been a big adjustment. We’ve gotten used to remote working, to sharing and collaboration through technology. 

We had a family video conference on Sunday, which was equal parts chaos and wonderful. I haven’t seen my whānau for a few weeks and it was great to spend some time together (even if it was through a screen). My five siblings, their families and our parents made for a rowdy time - just like real meetups! Outside of this we’re keeping in close contact, with our WhatsApp group busy with updates and a healthy dose of memes.

I’ve ventured out to the supermarket when necessary and want to make special thank you to the front line workers who are operating under some very difficult circumstances. As someone who works alongside essential workers, I have some idea of the additional stresses that this lockdown is placing on them and their families. Friends of mine have a daughter working at a supermarket and she wrote a good piece for the RNZ - check it out if you want a honest insight.

Otherwise I’ve been staying at home, following the rules and trying to avoid the panic. With work keeping me busy, I haven’t had too much time to stress the little issues or get distracted with the absurd political tribalism that is definitely alive and well. It will definitely be an interesting election come September (one I’m glad to be sitting out).

I hope everyone is keeping well, listening to the official advice and staying safe.

From my bubble to yours, take care!

Don't be like David, stay home.

I've said it before, David Clark is one of the weakest ministers in this cabinet (which is saying a lot considering who some of his colleagues are).

Even before the pandemic, I could not understand how he ended up with such a vital portfolio of Health Minister. Especially given how vocal Labour was about health during the last election.

He's offered to resign but only been demoted. He stays on as Health Minister until this crisis is over. Some have argued that these breaches are minor, but he's the Health Minister in a public health emergency. Scotland’s chief medical officer resigned for travelling to her second home. Clark's behaviour is much worse.

He should be a role model, not a rule breaker.

Don't be like David. Stay home, stay safe.