Chairing 8 hours today & the 20 workshops & meetings before this has been only part of the mammoth task to get this replacement over the line today. Big news. Our release ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2025/09... Spinoff live blog thespinoff.co.nz/politics/24-...

Banger speech from @richardhills.bsky.social Now onto amendmnets. First up from Desley Simpson and Andy Baker Simpson - Amendment on if 10-15 stories around train stations are required to have height in relation to boundary controls.

Hills - govt did not have to give us a choice. We have this choice! PC120 allows young people to have a choice in where they can live Density in Northcote - infra followed - affordable housing allows some to move in. If we dont do more, will Hills 3 yr old son have that opport?

Hills - decide more people live where infra is and transport route. 'WE DO NOT GET TO CHOOSE TO THROW THIS OUT' Government has thumb over pen etc for laws. RMA changes make zoning simplier. Hills this allows us to show leadership, and we dont have to wait to address flood risk.

Hills - this addresses concerns on areas where density was going to go with MDRS Also saying this doesn't change viewshafts, despite Minister Bishop saying in speeches. Hills - we are probs only council who will get out of MDRS which put housing everyhwere

Hills basically going through point by point on all the questions concerns brought up by councillors and Houkura members in question time. Hills says some areas might even be too downzoned and could get submissions saying not as much density

Hills - PC120 provides MORE protection for heritage and special character outside of walkable catchments. Also PC120 downzones at risk areas for flooding to 2 stories. Hills going over ALL the places around Auckland where its being downzoned not the MDRS is not applying.

Hills - Wrote to new govt, and took until this year for govt to understand need changes. Wanted it in May/June to do pre notification consutlation Also, PC120 puts intensification where transport and water infra is.

Richard Hills speaking - talking flooding and massive damage in 2023. 6 Days after, wrote for urgent changes to PC78, to enable dealing with hazard risk 971 days post floods to even do something It was urgent the days following, but its taken this long to be able to do something

And we are back. First Richard Hills speaking main item I think, then it goes into all the random amendments that are going to drag this out for hours

Yes Mayor Brown takes a practical straightforward approach to climate action but it’s good to hear it. I was clear in Oct 2022, I wouldn’t accept my chair role if he was going to cut back on action, we may not have been bold enough but we are doing a lot thespinoff.co.nz/politics/22-...

My running mate @jonturnernz.bsky.social doing a great job of pointing out the hypocrisy and that there is an oversupply of carparking in the area around the Dominion Road one atm. You cannot say you truly support public transport and vote against measures to improve it.

I'm at Puketāpapa Local Board and C&R are voting against decreasing congestion by expanding T3 and bus lanes. Claiming that a small loss of on street carparking for a few businesses is more important that travel time improvements of 3 minutes plus per bus passenger. C&R did same at Albert-Eden.

Grumpy, but accurate. We can clearly see that many of those in power aren't working in the publics' best interest and therefore should be voted out of office. Candidates running should be goal/solution-oriented and hard working, as well as avid listeners to each corner of their constituency.

It is time the most urban place in our whole country is represented by someone who understands what cities are and how great they can be. Someone facing forward into this century and seeing the possibility, not just trying (and largely failing) to hold it back! thespinoff.co.nz/politics/17-...

Great dispassionate explainer on Auckland’s proposed plan changes. Very clear, strong recommend: youtu.be/5ELqvbX6ZEg?...

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THIS 100% ⬆️⬆️⬆️ It’s easy to point, to moan, to practice performative politics, to ‘demand’ better outcomes but EVERYONE knows this is NOT how it works. It’s the grinding incremental progress, the trade-offs, the concessions and the wins. Anyone who says anything different is disingenuous at best… 🤔

Grumpy Facebook rant ahoy. 🩷

Further to the 2 million figure - here's a diagram that hopefully helps people understand why it is so high - this is from a presentation that councillors are receiving now, and have been shown this diagram in the past.

Cr Turner now asking how we get rid of increased housing capacity. Complaining about Glen Eden housing built _under current rules_ cos landlords are leaving houses empty. Cr Hills heroically trying to explain to him PC78 is the default & the new plan actually decreases density in much of Glen Eden.

Don't worry he then went on to compare housing to cancer. Honestly these people. PS you may be hearing from some people that we should stage the increase in density allowed on the isthmus - staff have just confirmed that is legally not allowed (also it's a bad idea)

In open workshop discussing plan changes & Cr Williamson is claiming yet again that no one can explain to him where 2 million capacity comes from, despite multiple past explanations, & then several more attempts to explain it to him now, & he just refuses to understand because he doesn't like it.

Drop your votes back to any library, Woolworths, transport hub (e.g Smales Farm Station, Devonport Ferry, Waitematā Station) any post box or NZ Post retailer. Please offer to drop them back for your neighbours, whānau and friends. Drop boxes near you: voteauckland.co.nz/en/informati...

Delivering leaflets for @richardhills.bsky.social and came across this great sign

A reminder that Councillor Mike Lee fought hard to stop all improvements downtown as he does to this day everywhere. Fortunately he is also ineffective and was unable to stop these upgrades. He is stuck in last century and stuck in the role. Help him move on: Vote for a positive future

My recovery is so sloooow but another step forward today (For those just joining us, my leg was broken in a crash in late June, car driver cut a corner while I was biking to work, and I later developed blood clots & a pulmonary embolism from it). I’m on the 25L into the city to attend a committee…

Coffee to prepare for a full day of chairing the second to last Policy and Planning Committee of the term, with only a month to go until election day! Work feels like it’s ramping up not cooling off, but lucky I love it and this city. 💚

Lake Pupuke distracting me while I deliver flyers. Thanks to all the good humans who are out there doing this too. Hopefully not at this time though. 😆🩵

Late night flyer delivery views. Hope you all had a good Father’s Day!👏🏻🌃

Kind words from Kerre about me and my work as her local councillor - and for reminding people about all the great services and community assets council provides. Yes it’s a massive job and no it’s not glamorous but it’s a rewarding one, especially if you’re willing to put the work in.

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This is a very enlightening interview with @richardhills.bsky.social and Christine Fletcher about plan changes. On one hand you have fearmongering and misinformation from Fletcher. On the other you have actual substance and work to get better outcomes with Hills. www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

…here it is, one rational accurate councillor @richardhills.bsky.social and one scaremongering to panic the electorate for votes. So it goes. www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

The replacement plan change has same capacity as the current plan. Filling up the 2 million capacity would mean every single property in Auckland was developed to its full potential. What’s worse? CF is happy to misinform the public or that she might actually believe this?

Hopped off the 95B to our first candidates debate of the election season. Nice to be in Glenfield where I grew up. Love the Shore. ❤️

As someone who lives 100m from Dominion road: That’s so daft. It should be 24/7 double deckers unobstructed in both directions.

C&R’s big transport policy this election is to reverse the Dominion Road bus lane time extension. Folks, you could’ve had Light Rail down that road but National’s local govt grouping won’t even let you have bus priority at peak times. 10,000 people bus through there each day!

The very stunning Lorraine Downes, former Miss NZ and Miss Universe with the backdrop of an equally stunning Auckland sky! Great to have something so positive & fun on a Monday night in the city. Make sure you check out a show or two this NZ Fashion Week - Kahuria. www.nzfashionweek.com for more.

At the opening of New Zealand Fashion Week - Kahuria with our most fashionable colleague and friend Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson. Stunning night in Tāmaki Makaurau - Auckland.

Electric motorcycle thumbs up @richardhills.bsky.social :)

Honestly where’s this rain coming from? A massive storm just formed over land with no warning.

KPop Demon Hunters at 7am on a Saturday of course. 💜

Alas it is grandstanding rather than governing that keeps them handsomely in work.

Thankfully, there's a brilliant candidate that's working tirelessly to unsent Ol' Mate Mike.

Not only are wrong, they’re also useless. Pouring energy into raving lost causes. Grandstanding not governing.

Essential reading and sadly this was tame from some of them. Usually they’re far worse. thespinoff.co.nz/politics/22-...

Turner goes on to say he's 'insulted' by the women's concerns. That's a classic eg of DARVO - deny, attack, reverse victim and offender - and of male fragility, both deployed here to further undermine the women & sustain a patriarchal culture🧵

Turner also seeks kudos by appeal to a 'benevolent patriarch' trope, saying he'd "throw his body" between protestors & women colleagues to protect them. BRO, the idea that women 'need' protecting from men only exists b/cos patriarchal culture is inherently about controlling women 🧵

Cr Lee also seeks to validate & legitimate shouting at people as normal political behaviour - but this is only 'normal' because of patriarchal cultural norms of hyper-competitive aggression. 🧵