‘Focus on fixing smaller problems’
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has warned T-Tech 2025 conference delegates that years of transport mismanagement will not be fixed easily.
“We have made a spectacular mess of our economy and transport systems, and we will have to use smarter ideas and learn from others to clean that up and move forward,” he said.
He told delegates at the event, which is being held at the University of Auckland, that transport remains top of mind for Aucklanders. “Quite simply, it frustrates us all.”
But he said Auckland was not alone in continuing to be distracted by mega-projects that were often put forward as the solution to problems.
“We plough on, constantly under-estimating the costs and over-estimating the benefits.
“Right here we continue to invest in reports and studies and more and more research into a Waitemata tunnel that I can promise you will never be built.”
Far better, he said, to focus on low-cost solutions, particularly those that did not cause massive disruption.
“My views on endless streams of road cones are well-documented. Too often we are seeing the wrong solutions being put in place in the wrong places. We need to move our focus onto fixing smaller problems because the cumulative effects of that will deliver real benefits.”
Brown, pictured, made the remarks in the opening address at T-Tech 2025 on July 9.
As an advocate of low-cost solutions, he said the billions invested in some mega-projects would have been better spent on technology.
“Something that is seldom considered when we talk about AI – artificial intelligence, is that we overlook NS – natural stupidity.
“I challenge you all to help extract the maximum benefits from what we already have.”
However, he reserved his biggest criticism for central government, calling Wellington a city of drones, “and not the ones that fly”.
“Change can only come about through real partnerships, and that means giving some of the control to us. It is ridiculous to continue to have transport policies set at a national level for the sake of consistency, when Auckland’s needs are completely different than those of Timaru.”
