Our central proposal for environmental management and regulation

We work with agencies like the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Tiaki Tāmaki Makaurau | Conservation Auckland to monitor and safeguard the natural environment and make it accessible to you.

Volunteers play an important role in looking after the environment. We will continue to support them to play an active role in the development, funding and caring for our green spaces.

Getting the most out of our regulatory powers (our authority to enforce rules and standards) to achieve good neighbourhood and climate outcomes is also a priority for us.

We will do our best to support these outcomes by using:

  • planning regulations
  • urban design
  • other methods.

This ensures any new development fits the vision for liveable, low-emission, resilient and vibrant neighbourhoods.

Decorative image of a rat, stoat, and a dog wearing a muzzle beside some trees.

Highlights of our central proposal for environmental management and regulation

Under our central proposal we will:

  • resume the Natural Environment Targeted Rate (NETR) at the previously planned level to raise $350 million
  • allocate $200,000 to stop the spread of the toxic caulerpa seaweed. This is currently funded through the NETR, so we may have to reduce funding for other programmes to pay for this
  • continue to work closely with community groups, schools and iwi to improve water quality and biodiversity through local board investment
  • provide resources and digital conservation tools, like the Home Fit assessment tool
  • support communities that are interested in or already carrying out conservation and climate activity
  • partner with a regionwide network of community organisations to reduce emissions and increase resilience at a local level and support Māori-led community partnerships
  • support restoration and local Pest Free Auckland initiatives that encourage the community to manage pest animals, plants and pathogens (like bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites) and restore and connect native ecosystems
  • provide marine biosecurity education and engagement programmes and carry out increased monitoring of marine pests
  • continue to provide the food scraps service and move to a rates-funded refuse (general rubbish) kerbside collection service across the region
  • improve how we keep rubbish out of landfill (rubbish dumps), work to reduce commercial waste (particularly construction and demolition waste) and continue to focus on stopping illegal rubbish dumping
  • continue to protect and renew critical closed landfill assets (sites that were used to dispose of toxic materials but are now shut down) as per the asset management plan requirements
  • improve the consenting process and digital interactions (online communication and access) through simplification, automation and analytics
  • continue to provide regulatory services (activities that monitor and encourage compliance with regulations) to reduce risk and harm
  • fund safety initiatives and increased capacity for animal shelters.

The central proposal has a savings target of $50 million. A contribution towards these savings could come from:

  • delaying the introduction of any new or improved discretionary services (non-essential or optional services that are not required by law) and only prioritising new initiatives once existing ones are completed
  • reducing our contribution to environmental and sustainability education programmes, such as support for school engagement on environmental issues.

Decorative image of a man wearing a shirt that says central and holding a large bag that says more and a smaller bag that says less.

Trade-offs

We have developed other options for environmental management and regulation projects should we pay less or pay more for it through our rates.

Pay more, get more

A pay more, get more scenario could:

  • resume the Natural Environment Targeted Rate at the previously planned level
  • increase it by 3.5 per cent per year, in line with inflation, to raise $412 million over 10 years.

This is $62 million more than the central proposal.

The additional investment would enable us to:

  • deliver most of the programmes committed to in the Regional Pest Management Plan and maintain support for community initiatives such as education programmes
  • increase levels of support and grow community caretaking of green spaces and partnership support for mana whenua, exercise kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and support larger initiatives
  • receive additional climate funding, rising to $100 million each year from year three of the long-term plan, to use for initiatives that support reducing Auckland's regional carbon emissions.

Pay less, get less

A pay less, get less scenario would mean:

  • resuming the Natural Environment Targeted Rate at a lower level compared to the central proposal to raise $245 million over ten years - $105 million less than the central proposal
  • significantly reducing existing programmes, which would lessen our ability to deliver on the Regional Pest Management Plan commitments
  • reduced investment in community-led actions for stewardship of public and private green spaces and partnership support for mana whenua to exercise kaitiakitanga
  • climate funding would be retained as per the central proposal.

Contribution towards a higher savings target than the central proposal could result in:

  • reducing or stopping non-statutory (not legally required) waste services (illegal dumping and hazardous waste contracts)
  • less reusable and recyclable items diverted from landfill (with inorganic waste collections)
  • more untidy streetscapes (including buildings, footpaths, gardens and landscaping)
  • reduced monitoring and enforcement activities, such as managing pests
  • delayed or reduced production of maps, hazard studies and plans.

You should know

The information on this page is an edited version of the proposed Long-term Plan 2024-2034 Consultation Document.

For more information about our proposals for environmental management and regulation, see page 44-46 of the Long-term Plan 2024-2034 Consultation Document [PDF 17MB].