Auckland needs a bed levy to attract major events, mayor Wayne Brown says
Photo:
RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Auckland's mayor Wayne Brown is
renewing his call for a bed levy for the supercity
, as it deals with
some serious economic troubles
.
Its unemployment rate of 6.1 percent is the highest of any region.
National Minister and Auckland-based MP Paul Goldsmith told
Morning Report
on Wednesday there's been a long Covid hangover.
"The economy's flat, everybody's feeling it. Of course there's two speeds, down in the south and in rural New Zealand we're getting some growth and some upbeat economic news from the regions but of course it's a real struggle in Auckland so that's what our real focus is on."
Brown agreed the government would be focused on the city because it was where the election in a year's time would be decided.
He was adamant that what he was advocating for was a bed levy - not a tax - and it wouldn't go to the government.
"They [the government] use the word tax so they can say no more taxes. It's just dumb, it's not a tax any more than it would be a targeted rate. The people who've asked for it are the industry it would be collected from."
He wanted it to be set at 2.5 percent which would raise $27 million which would be enough to attract the likes of a Taylor Swift concert or a State of Origin match.
Cities need around $3 million to $4m to attract concerts by artists such as Taylor Swift, the Auckland mayor says.
Photo:
AFP
Cities needed to pay upfront around $3m-4m to bring in each major event. It would enable Auckland to compete against the likes of Sydney which has a bed night levy, he said.
"It doesn't cost the government anything. ... It doesn't make sense ..."
When Auckland held large events and the hotels filled up, another $100 could be added to the cost of a hotel room "so noone's gonna miss it".
It was also "bollocks" for the government to blame the cost of living crisis, Brown said.
Those most affected couldn't afford $500 Taylor Swift concert tickets or to stay at the top hotels.
He said the government was focused on tourism but had raised the international tourist levy so it was "cheeky" to deny Auckland a bed levy.
Brown believed the government would "cave" on the issue, in part because Auckland was the region that decided the fate of the government at elections.
He had built a good working relationship with some of the ministers, such as Chris Bishop and Shane Reti.
"We have had a number of wins."
He believed it was ACT that was the main handbrake on the government agreeing to the bed levy.
Councillor Kerrin Leoni, who is standing against Brown in the city's upcoming mayoral election, said she also supported a bed tax.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero
,
a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
New RMA Amendment To Speed Up Consenting Of Much-Needed New Generation
Energy Resources Aotearoa is celebrating a significant win for New Zealand's energy sector, with Parliament today passing the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill at its third reading. The new Act amends the RMA to open up a consenting pathway for specified energy activities, which is intended to reduce costs for operators and unlock much-needed investment in renewable energy infrastructure. Energy Resources Aotearoa is pleased the Act adopts its key recommendation to extend the same streamlined settings to thermal electricity generation. Projects such as gas-fired peaking plants - essential for meeting demand when wind generation is low, hydro storage is depleted, and solar output is unavailable - will now benefit from faster consenting, with decisions required within 12 months. Chief Executive of Energy Resources Aotearoa, John Carnegie, says this change is a big win for the energy sector and New Zealand households and businesses. "Renewables will power more and more of New Zealand's future energy needs, but we need firming capacity to step in when the weather doesn't co-operate. This decision means we can plan and build the backup generation that keeps the grid stable and the country's economy and industrial base humming." Carnegie says that in adopting this change, the Government has agreed with Energy Resources Aotearoa's call for a broader, fuel-agnostic consenting framework that includes all activities improving New Zealand's energy security. "We've long argued for a fuel-agnostic approach where projects are judged on their merits, not their fuel or technology type. Parliament has recognised that reality today, and it's a vital step toward a more secure system that provides the energy abundance New Zealand needs to thrive." Energy Resources Aotearoa commends the Government for taking a whole-of-system approach to resource management reform that recognises the interdependence of renewable and thermal generation in maintaining a secure and reliable electricity supply for New Zealand's future.
Scoop
5 hours ago
- Scoop
Māori Health Leaders Warn Against Government Bill Stripping Treaty Rights
Ka anga atu au ki te anamata, ka titiro ki tua ki te pitomata, he ao anō kei mua i te aroaro – he reanga hou, he reanga reo! Te Pae Oranga o Ruahine o Tararua is today cautioning the Government's proposed Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill and its reduction of Māori governance in health decision-making. Te Pae Oranga Pītau Whakarei (Chief Executive) Naomi Manu MNZM says, 'While we are disappointed with the proposal to remove our direct link to Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand and the Government, we remain resolute in our focus on oranga tonutanga (lifelong wellness) for whānau in our rohe, and upholding mana motuhake (self-determination) in health decision-making.' Te Pae Oranga was established as the Mid-Central Iwi Māori Partnership Board in the 2022 Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act to represent and advocate for the health needs of the 44,000 Māori in the Manawatū, Palmerston North, Horowhenua, Tararua and Ōtaki regions. 'On behalf of the seven mana whenua in this rohe who entrusted us with their mandate, we will continue to advocate for the health needs and aspirations of whānau in this rohe, advise how the healthcare system is performing, and recommend health system design and service delivery to improve outcomes for our whānau.' Te Pae Oranga says the Bill proposes changes that undermine Te Tiriti obligations, iwi and Māori governance roles in health, and equity protections across vulnerable population groups. The proposed Bill strips key functions of the locally appointed IMPBs, removes explicit Crown responsibilities concerning Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and removes the health equity principles, which significantly weaken Crown responsibilities to marginalised populations, including Māori, disabled communities, refugees, migrants, LGBTQIA+ communities, and others. The principles guide the healthcare system to specifically work towards better outcomes for communities that historically suffer worse health outcomes, including Māori, who die an average of seven years earlier than non-Māori in New Zealand. 'We agree with the Minister of Health's focus on the healthcare system's accountability, efficiency and delivery of better outcomes for patients. Te Pae Oranga already holds proven solutions and local data to inform this work, and we invite Health Minister Simeon Brown to engage with us on how to deliver those outcomes together,' says Manu. Manu asks, 'Who is better placed to represent Māori communities than locally chosen Māori health leaders? We're still here and we will continue doing the work to improve the health system.' In April this year, Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand reported back to Te Pae Oranga results of their hauora Māori services outcome reporting and noted that: '43% of the people accessing hauora Māori healthcare services in the Mid-Central district do not identify as Māori, showing we know what works across the system.' The Government introduced the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill to Parliament on 2 July to amend the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022. Parliament referred the Bill to the Health Select Committee, which will receive written submissions until 1 pm on 18 August 2025. The Committee will then report back to Parliament by 24 November 2025. The 2022 Act established the Iwi Māori Partnership Boards (IMPBs) and outlined their role in engaging with communities, assessing the state of hauora Māori, monitoring health sector performance, and working with Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora to develop priorities for improving hauora Māori. About Te Pae Oranga o Ruahine o Tararua Te Pae Oranga o Ruahine o Tararua is the Iwi Māori Partnership Board established in the 2022 Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act to listen to and advocate for the health needs of the 44,000 Māori in the Manawatū, Palmerston North, Horowhenua, Tararua and Ōtaki regions known as the Mid-Central District. Te Pae Oranga is an iwi-mandated Charitable Trust representing the seven mana whenua, mātāwaka and mana whaikaha across the Mid-Central district. Te Pae Oranga board members were appointed by the Mid-Central community after its establishment in 2022. As in the first article of Te Tiriti o Waitangi – governance over Māori affairs – Te Pae Oranga works towards better health outcomes for the Mid-Central district. About Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards IMPBs are representatives connected with and appointed by their communities because they are best placed to understand the needs of whānau, hapū and iwi in their respective regions, working to a future of pae ora (good health). IMPBs' role is to listen to the health needs and priorities of Māori communities, and work to meet these with government and the health sector.
1News
5 hours ago
- 1News
Cutting kupu Māori in books does more harm than good
Critics of the Government's decision to phase out nearly all Māori words from early reader books are describing the move as damaging. An education ministry report shows Minister Erica Stanford decided late last year to cut Māori words, except for characters' names, from any new books in the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series. Some of those words include puku (stomach), ka kite (goodbye) and ka pai (good). Stanford says the decision will help children master English phonics, despite the ministry's report saying there is 'limited evidence' about the impact of using te reo and that expert opinion about the use of non-English words is 'mixed'. Dr Awanui Te Huia, associate professor at Victoria University of Wellington's Māori studies department, Te Kawa a Māui, said the ministry is "creating damage" where there is an opportunity to normalise te reo which has 'massive, positive impacts' on children's learning. ADVERTISEMENT Associate professor Dr Awanui Te Huia (Source: 1News) She said there are a lot of outdated theories around the idea that when people learn a second language it's at the expense of the first. She said the root of the issue comes from fear of what it meant to be monolingual. 'So the fear is actually stemmed from a misunderstanding by monolingual speakers about the positive impact of having more than one language, and translanguaging is a well-regarded method of teaching people how to engage in more than one language and we've seen multiple examples of how children and adults can freely go between multiple languages.' Move between languages She explains that translanguaging is the idea that speakers are able to move between languages. 'We can identify which language is appropriate for a particular context. We can also start to identify in text which language is being presented to us. So with repeated exposure, the child can actually grasp these concepts really readily. And the challenge here is that what the minister's decision is doing is that it's reducing the opportunity of our children to have this exposure, which is what they really need in order to be able to make these differentiations with the language.' She added there was no evidence to suggest that children 'in the right environment' would find it difficult to grasp the concepts. ADVERTISEMENT (Source: 1News) The minister made notes on the report including one that said: "Interestingly - I asked kura leaders if they would accept English words in te reo Māori decodable books and they said no. So it would be consistent to keep one language only in very early Year 1 decodable books, except for names." When asked if the minister had a point, Te Huia dismissed the idea that the argument is the same. 'We are talking about the exposure. Our children are exposed to English language outside of the classrooms, every day, in multiple ways, and that's just not the case in the reverse. 'So the fact that our kura are deciding not to have English text at that earlier age, that's just an example of why we need to provide our children with environments where they are able to actually have that isolated experience, because we are flooded with English outside of these confined spaces.' Tara Taylor Jorgensen, the Ministry's general manager for strategy and integration, told Breakfast in a statement that as of August, it has released 78 books as part of the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series. Of these, approximately 30 books include kupu Māori. The series reflects the diverse characters and contexts of Aotearoa New Zealand, ensuring that Māori students - and all learners - see themselves, their cultures, and their communities represented, Jorgensen said. ADVERTISEMENT No other titles in the series have been changed.
