Auckland Council's 'pie in the sky' goals slammed

The Auckland Council is under fire for “pie in the sky” social goals, but the government is partly to blame.

The draft Auckland plan, which will be released for public consultation next week, contains a series of targets in areas such as health and education.

It aims that by 2020 the number of early childhood education centres in south and southwest Auckland will increase by 100, by 2030 all school leavers will be achieving NCEA level two and by 2040 all young adults will complete a post-secondary qualification.

Cameron Brewer, the councillor for the Orakei Ward in the city’s eastern suburbs, says the targets are beyond the council’s remit.

He says there’s no need for everyone to have a tertiary qualification when many jobs don’t require one, and that some parents prefer to stay at home to look after their young children rather than sending them to early childhood centres.

“The targets are pie in the sky,” he says. “There’s a lot of socialist social engineering going on here.

“Every time we go out as the education and health police we take resources and focus away from the real issues that matter to ratepayers which is local infrastructure.”

Mr Brewer is also sceptical about the council’s goal that, by 2040, 80% of the population has a cardiovascular assessment by a primary care provider.

“What are we going to do, send out vans to haul people off the streets and take them to their primary healthcare providers, pull up their shirts and check their tickers?”

The Auckland Council is trying to make the plan “all things to everyone,” Mr Brewer says. “It’s a case of ‘we all want to go to heaven but no-one wants to die.”

And he warns that, innocuous as the may sound, these sorts of targets could lead to ongoing costs for ratepayers.

“What these targets will do is legitimise ongoing continuance of social policy and PC committees and forums. People will say, ‘You can’t disband the social policy forum, it’s in the spatial plan!’”

But according to Auckland Council chief planning officer Dr Roger Blakeley, these social objectives are actually required by law, under the Local Government (Auckland Council) Amendment Act 2010.

Part 6 of the act says: “The purpose of the Spatial Plan is to contribute to Auckland's social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing through a comprehensive and effective long term (20-30 year) strategy for Auckland's growth and development.”

It also says, in Section 79 (3) (a), that the Spatial Plan will: “set a strategic direction for Auckland and its communities that integrates social, economic, environmental and cultural objectives.”

“It is clear from Section 79 that it is a "spatial plan for Auckland" with the broad objectives set out above and not only matters that the Auckland Council must deliver and fund,” Dr Blakely says.

“The legislation requires consideration of social goals, which cover health, education, crime, etc. Central Government is the primary funder of programmes in these areas.

“Council has been working closely with Central Government agencies and community organisations in developing the social goals in the draft Auckland Plan.

“They are goals for Auckland for the next 30 years, and will require collaborative action by Central Government, Auckland Council and the community.”

Some of the Auckland Council's social policy targets-

By 2017 all pre-school children demonstrate at the before school check that they have strong family or whanau attachments and have the foundation for success in school and life.

By 2020 increase the number of early childhood education facilities by 100 (10 per year) in southwest and west Auckland (areas of highest need)

By 2030, all school leavers will be achieving NCEA level 2

By 2040 all young adults will complete a post-secondary qualification

By 2020 reduce preventable housing-related hospitalisation by 35% (measure of meningococcal infection, rheumatic fever, respiratory infections etc)

By 2040 80% of the population has a cardiovascular assessment (measure of obesity and onset of diabetes) by a primary care provider