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Cr Michael Lee

Auckland Regional Council Chairman

Michael Lee

Michael Lee is into his second term as Chairman of the Auckland Regional Council (ARC) and fifth term as an ARC councillor.

He was first elected to the ARC in a by-election early in 1992. In March 1992 he co-sponsored a notice of motion with the late Bruce Jesson that effectively halted the ARC privatisation of Ports of Auckland. He was also an outspoken opponent of the dumping of dredgings in the Hauraki Gulf. Mike was re-elected to the ARC in October the same year.

He served as Chair of the Parks Committee from 1992 to 1995 and oversaw the acquisition of Whakanewha Regional Park on Waiheke Island and Duder Regional Park at Umupuia, and additions to the Hunua Regional Parklands and the Waitakere Ranges.

As chair of parks, he also led negotiations with the Government, persuading it to cancel plans to sell Hamlins Hill to enable this land to be managed as parkland.

Since Mike was elected council chairman in 2004, the ARC has acquired four new coastal parks and added to existing parkland. Through Auckland Regional Holdings it has bought back a 20 per cent share of Ports of Auckland, which had been privatised by the Waikato Regional Council.

However, most of the ARC effort during Mike's time as chairman has been dedicated to transport. With its subsidiary Auckland Regional Transport Authority, the ARC has boosted public transport services and infrastructure (rail, bus and ferry) across the region.

Rail, neglected for decades, has seen patronage grow from 2.5 million passengers per year to 8 million in five years. Mike has lobbied hard for electrification of Auckland's rail network and integrated ticketing. He succeeded in having the Onehunga Branch Line recommissioned and has been an outspoken champion for extending rail to Auckland International Airport.

During Mike's time as chairman, ARC rates increases have been kept below 5 per cent per annum - the lowest in the region. This year the ARC rates increase is 3.9 per cent.

A former ships officer, Mike holds an MSc in biological sciences.

Click on the links below to view recent speeches given by Michael Lee:

Continue to Election results 2007