Phil Goff will run for Auckland Mayoralty in 2016

Phil Goff has announced his decision to stand as an independent candidate for Mayor of Auckland next year. As Mayor, Phil Goff promises to focus on a number of issues that directly impact on the lives of Aucklanders, including tackling traffic congestion and increasing the housing supply. Mr Goff is committed to working in an inclusive way with future fellow councillors and the government, whatever its political makeup. He talks about his vision for Auckland in this piece.

For a better Auckland
For three decades I have enjoyed the privilege of representing Aucklanders from Mt Roskill and New Lynn in Parliament. Over the years, I have seen Auckland grow and change. It has become more diverse and dynamic. As the city has grown so too have the opportunities and choice for learning, work and recreation. We are an internationally competitive city and the best chance New Zealand has to attract and keep talented people in this country. A million Kiwis live overseas on a long-term basis. On average, about 50,000 of our best and brightest people leave every year. Auckland is the place that can attract those Kiwis back here to live and raise their families.

The late scientist and entrepreneur Sir Paul Callaghan talked of making New Zealand a place where talent wanted to live. He got it absolutely right. My vision is of Auckland unleashing itself as a creative, innovative and entrepreneurial city. It should be a centre of learning and a centre of culture. This is a city that should be producing more high-tech, highpaid jobs. New Zealand is sixth in the world in publishing hightech research reports. But it’s only 63rd in high-tech manufacturing output. We need measures to promote R&D investment and venture capital to translate good ideas into successful and job creating export enterprises.

There’s a lot to attract good people and good enterprises to Auckland. We have a beautiful natural environment, framed by our spectacular coastline, harbours, our maunga, islands and regional parks. Those are assets that must be respected and protected for generations to come. We need to make Auckland a place where our urban environment and lifestyle matches the quality of our natural environment. Good urban design and protecting our green open spaces is vital as the city intensifies. And we must be an inclusive city—where diversity brings richness not division.

To realise this vision, we must confront the challenges head-on. While we have made progress, we have also missed valuable opportunities. Mayor Robbie was right all those years ago. We needed to anticipate the future and plan for it. Instead, too often, we have responded after the event and continue to do so. Our infrastructure has not kept up with growth. Our roads are congested. Without the investment we need, the gridlock will just get worse, causing even more frustration, pollution and lost productivity. This is an investment that will pay dividends to all of New Zealand in the future. Auckland must succeed for New Zealand to succeed. It’s the same for housing. Median house prices in Auckland have gone up by over $180,000 in the last year. The Kiwi dream of owning your own home is slipping out of the reach of more and more Aucklanders. We are now in the world’s top ten least affordable cities. There are ways to bring supply and demand in housing back into balance and Auckland should be strongly advocating for those solutions. Policies that give the building industry confidence and certainty to gear up for construction. Policies that put home buyers ahead of speculators. More intensive housing in the city and along arterial routes is needed. But that must be balanced by good urban design, plenty of public open space and protection for areas of high heritage value.

We need to enhance and sustain our environment. We should be opening up our harbours to people, not extending the port further into the Waitemata to create parking spaces for imported cars. We have to address pollution, silting in the Gulf and harbours and protect our access to recreational fishing. We need an urban forestry programme to green our city. Last but absolutely not least, for Auckland to succeed, it must operate effectively and efficiently. The Super City was supposed to eliminate bureaucratic duplication and waste. It’s fallen short of that target. Under my leadership, we will be fiscally prudent. We will learn to do more with less. Rate increases have to be brought under control and offset by cutting waste and finding savings. We need to put our own house in order and make Auckland New Zealand’s best performing city. When we do that, we are in a stronger position to leverage government resources to meet the needs created by rapid growth. Auckland needs someone with skills and political experience.

Thirty years as an MP and Cabinet Minister has given me a unique set of skills. I’ve led teams of diverse people and led large organisations tackling complex issues on tight budgets. I know how central government works and what it takes to make it responsive to our needs. I don’t pretend to have all the answers— no one does. But I have a record of sound judgement and doing the job I am entrusted with. I am running as an Independent. I want to bring an inclusive approach to the Mayoralty and forge a team that works well together for the benefit of this city. The solutions to our city’s problems are not ideological. They must be evidence-driven. I will work with any Government, National or Labour led, to get the best deal for Auckland. The interests of the city and its people will come first. And I will be their fiercest advocate. Above all, I want to lead a council that remembers that it is a public, democratic and transparent institution—and accountable to Aucklanders.