AT to cut 150 jobs as Auckland Council slashes funding

Around 150 jobs will be lost at Auckland Transport in an effort to cut costs ahead of Auckland Council’s 2023/24 budget being implemented.

In a statement to 1News, AT Chief Executive Dean Kimpton said the cuts are part of a “change process”, planning to reduce the level of funding required from the Council to deliver services.

“This is consistent with our Letter of Expectation and the Annual Budget,” he said.

A number of changes will be put in place before July 1, including the embedding of operational efficiencies, sub-leasing of property, and a “reduction of roles” with changes in some divisions of the organisation.

Around 150 roles are expected to be slashed, which the 2000 staff at AT were informed of on Monday morning, according to Stuff.

“Our priority remains to support our people through, what is for all of us, a difficult and challenging time,” Kimpton said.

He was unable to comment on any further specifics of changes to the organisation until the consultation process is finished and final decisions are made.

The changes come as Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and his council implement widespread cuts to the city’s budget, in an effort to fill a $295 million hole.

Auckland Transport is currently the largest of the city’s Council Controlled Organisations.

Most council provided services are set to see cuts, with buses, parks, libraries, recreational facilities, clubs, events, and more in the firing line.

Shares to Auckland Airport are also set to be sold and if they aren’t, budget cuts would be “more severe”, Brown told Q+A’s Jack Tame on Sunday.

Currently, complaints surrounding the reliability and consistency of Auckland Transport’s network have been raised, with commuters experiencing long wait times and infrequent services over March and April.

Last month, RNZ reported students in Auckland’s East Coast Bays were getting detentions because their buses were late or not showing up at all.

AT is currently experiencing a shortfall of drivers, compared with a large number before Christmas.

AT said it was hoping to be back up to full capacity by September.