2022 Auckland Mayoral Election

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
*Gary Brown, Hibiscus and Bays Community Board chairman
*Wayne Brown, former Mayor of Far North
*Efeso Collins, Auckland Councillor; announced candidacy 26 January 2022
*Ted Johnston, 2019 mayoral candidate and co-leader of the New Conservative Party
*Jake Law
*Craig Lord, third placed 2019 mayoral candidate
*Leo Molloy, businessman; announced candidacy 11 July 2021
*Michael Morris, Animal Justice Auckland announced candidacy 30 March 2022

Declined to be candidates

*Paula Bennett, former National MP
*Phil Goff, incumbent mayor
* Richard Hills, Auckland Councillor
*Nikki Kaye, former National MP
* Mark Mitchell, National MP
*David Shearer, former Labour MP
*Maurice Williamson, former National MP

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. 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. On 10 February, Hills announced he would decline to run for mayor, citing the recent birth of his son. Labour announced a process to decide the party's endorsee on 15 February; the process was uncontested, and on 28 February, Labour endorsed Collins' independent campaign. 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.

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. 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.

Lord is against the light rail project, wants to lobby Government to spend the funds in more critical regions such as passenger rail to Kumeu, and wants to put overhead transport options on the table.

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". Law supports better alternatives to cars, and specifically the expansion of the rail network.

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. He opposes the sale of strategic assets, including shares in Auckland Airport.

Lord will focus on providing core services rather than spending on vanity projects. He is adamant that council can be a much more streamlined and efficient entity.

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.

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.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Auckland mayoral election, 2022
Mayoral elections in Auckland
Auckland Council
2022 elections in New Zealand
October 2022 events in New Zealand