March 31, 2023
Mayoral penny-pinching threatens Māori putea
Tamaki Makaurau MP Peeni Henare says members of Labour’s Auckland caucus are concerned at the impact Mayor Wayne Brown’s penny-pinching will have on Māori and other vulnerable communities.
Public submissions on the proposed Auckland Council budget closed this week, and councillors have until June to come up with a final list of cuts.
Mr Henare says he agrees with the assessment of his cousin Tau Henare, the deputy chair of the Independent Māori Statutory Board, that Māori will be first on the chopping block.
“It’s clearly desperate moves and while we don’t want rates to rise we accept in some instances rates might have to rise by a small amount but when you are starting to slash essential services and services that make our city great then it should be of concern to each and every one of us,” he says.
Mr Henare says the mayor’s proposals run counter to what local boards are telling him, and he expects strong community pushback.