Thursday, 18 December 2025

Wayne Brown Begins Cleaning up Phil Goff Budget Mess, Asks Local Board to Cut 5%

NZ Herald

December 3, 2022

Jay Farnworth, Michael Craig

PHOTO: Jay Farnworth, Michael Craig

day after proposing selling the council’s stake in Auckland Airport – which he said could raise almost $2 billion – Brown has asked all elected members, including local boards, to do their part in trying to plug the forecast $295m budget shortfall.

Brown’s 2023/24 budget proposal is seeking record savings of $130m across Auckland Council and council-controlled organisations (CCOs).

That includes Auckland Transport, Tataki Auckland Unlimited and Eke Panuku Development Auckland.

Brown confirmed on Saturday he will ask local boards to find 5 per cent in cost savings from their total annual funding of $298m when the 2023/24 budget proposal is put to the governing body next week.

“Things are tough for everyone right now,” he said.