Local Board meeting 9 June 2011

On the Local Board agenda for a meeting on 9 June I found this:

Matiatia Wharf Tax

A board enquiry about where the wharf tax money is held and the policy around its use. Are the funds used to improve regional facilities?

Auckland City Council (ACC) traditionally collected a charge for its ferry assets involved in public transport. ACC had more recently reviewed and negotiated a rate for wharves revenue with operations of 52 cents per travelling passenger. This income from every individual passenger was chargeable at all ACC controlled public transport sites across the Gulf Islands. The income generated by this is directed back into all Gulf island sites (Waiheke, Great Barrier and Rakino) for maintenance and general upkeep. It is worth noting that this income does not cater for renewals or replacements of any infrastructure after the given life cycle of a particular site. It is now acknowledged that this income represents a considerable and rather sizable under-recovery against all these asset sites (my emphasis)

Does this mean they are planning to up the wharf tax?
There is still no mention where the past paid money (is it still in dispute with Fullers?) is or has gone to.

Fullers bidding for the Sydney ferries contract

From Radio New Zealand:

New Zealand ferry operator Fullers is one of 28 companies to have registered interest in the running Sydney's ferry service.
The New South Wales Government plans to have a private ferry operator in place by the end of next year, but will retain control of the fare structure and routes.
The Commonwealth Bank, Macquarie Capital, and Manly Fast Ferry are among the Australian companies to have registered.
British firm, Serco, which runs the new Mt Eden jail in Auckland, has also registered its interest.
New South Wales transport minister, Gladys Berejeklian says the interest is encouraging, because only 10 firms applied during an aborted franchise process in 2008.
She says the organisation hasn't been well managed for a decade, while the private sector has demonstrated its ability to efficiently run other transport services in Australia.

When will the Auckland Council grow the balls to implement a similar structure here, retaining control of fares and routes?