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Posted on 15-9-2004
Chris Fletcher Meets Auckland Chamber Of Commerce
Enclosed are answers given by Chris to questions which came directly to
her from the Chamber of Commerce prior to and which accompanied her speech
which you received a copy of yesterday. The answers which Chris used at
the Chamber ' backgrounded' her speech, and were therefore not originally
included directly in the speech which you have already received. However
they provide information which is integral to that speech, and which will
therefore provide people who were not able to attend the Chamber debate
with further and related information.
The questions which were sent to her by the Chamber prior to the debate,
and which were given to attendees, should be looked at together with the
speech you already have.
The actual questiions are given here:
1. What does the candidate intend to do towards completing Auckland's
roading network and implementing efficient public transport options
2. How will the candidate advance and improve Auckland's rail infrastructure
3. Does the candidate intend to equip Auckland with a convention centre
that will enable it to compete with cities like Sydney and Melbourne in
hosting key business events
4. What plans does the candidate have for Auckland's wider infrastructure
besides roads
5. How does the candidate intend to foster and develop the waterfront
including the creation of good public access and spaces
6. What are the candidate's plans for building safe communities within
Auckland
Please read each question along with the respective answer in conjunction
with the speech which you received yesterday.
For any further enquiries, please contact Chris Fletcher on 631 5948,
Answers:
1. The current Auckland City mustn't waste any more time or money trying
to run with its own agenda on the Eastern Motorway (it is not even
budgeted for in the Long Term Community Funding Plan) and look to
supporting the urgent regional priorities to give early relief to the
congestion clogging our roads and triggering our tempers. The adoption of
the Regional Transport Plan prioritises SH20 for completion. We have
Government support for funding. We need to accelerate the consenting
process whilst looking for strategies to minimise environment effects like
cut and cover.
2. The biggest problem getting any decisions taken for Auckland is the
fragmentation in governance. We need amalgamation under one Regional
Council of the 7 cities that make up Auckland for transport, water,
tourism and events (See Auckland City's Strategic Plan 2000). Britomart
was the circuit breaker for getting the rail corridors and rail plans in
place. I applaud the Government decision now to create one transport
agency. Now let them get on with new state the art fast electric trains
linking our region and the Light Rail (option 2A - aboveground
trams-based, linking the CBD through Britomart with universities,
Newmarket and Western Line, cancelled by this current Council) plus not
forgetting the importance of bus and ferry services.
3. Auckland's economic future must embrace tourism and attracteople who
are innovative, entrepreneurial and creative, and who will generate jobs
and capital in the value niche markets. We must work regionally to develop
the tourism and exhibition space to complement this. A Convention Centre
is part of Auckland's 2000 Strategic Plan - First City of the Pacific: we
must promote an eco-economy that builds on the city's unique icons, with
tourism and marine events; we need real business and not just property
development.
4. Auckland must have clean and unpolluted water, land and air. The
investments in our water/waste water/stormwater infrastructure are urgent
and overdue. The challenge is to ensure that the costs are shared
equitably over the generations that will share these services. There must
also be an increase in developer financial contribution to city
infrastructure where any new growth is occurring.
5. Progressing Britomart and the 5.2 hectare site with the preservation of
the 18 heritage buildings is allowing the most grotty and rundown part of
the CBD to be transformed into a vital area of waterfront development that
generates further investment and growth in the CBD waterfront area and
adds to the Viaduct area. Now we just need to redevelop the tank farm,
secure public access to the wharves - Queens, Captain Cook and Marsden -
and provide a boardwalk from St Heliers through to Westhaven and Herne
Bay; with international events like the Volvo stopover to complement
Auckland's reputation as a premier harbour-city tourism destination.
6. Introduce a "safer city" policy and community wardens so every man,
woman and child can walk our streets without fear.
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