What's your job about?
Auckland Transport is the asset-owner for the majority of Auckland’s road corridors (roads and streets) and is responsible for planning, managing and operating the infrastructure in these corridors to ensure optimal transport outcomes across a range of modes for all Aucklanders.
I work for Local Government. We manage things specific to local/ regional areas. We are funded by Auckland ratepayers to make the city work better for more people.
I am a Graduate based in the Planning & Investment Division of Auckland Transport. My first rotation is in the Development Planning Team, although I am also supporting a Business Technology project. In my role as a Development Planner, I provide feedback on resource consent applications that affect the road corridor in some way. For instance, if a developer wants to put a new apartment building in on a busy road, I work to ensure the development meets the relevant regulatory requirements of the Auckland Unitary Plan to be safe and accessible for all modes of transport. This often involves gathering input from specialists across AT – traffic engineers, urban designers, lawyers etc. I write up all the feedback in a report, or present it at meetings with applicants. The role requires a lot of negotiation and synthesising of sometimes complex information to ensure we achieve the best outcomes. As part of my Business Technology project, I am assisting with an initiative to install on-bus audio messaging for Auckland’s bus network. This is about making our buses intuitive and accessible for all users, as well as promoting ‘sense of place’ messaging across the beautiful and culturally-rich Tamaki Makaurau region. Specifically, I am working to make sure the names of Auckland’s bus stops are useful, intuitive, and reflect the rich culture and natural heritage of Auckland.
What's your background?
I am a born and bred Melbournian, a sustainability advocate, and outdoor activities enthusiast. In 2015, I commenced a Bachelor of Environments (with an Environmental Geography major) at the University of Melbourne. During my undergraduate degree, I was fortunate to spend a year studying overseas on exchange at Uppsala University (in Sweden). At Uppsala, I studied climate change, economics, philosophy and politics at Uppsala University’s Centre for Sustainability (CEMUS). A highlight of my exchange was being selected to attend the 2017 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change intersessional meeting in Bonn, Germany. I attended as an observer where I developed my knowledge and concern for climate issues. Following my exchange, in mid-2018, I moved to Tāmaki Makaurau where I interned in the Auckland Council’s Chief Sustainability Office. While there, I worked on the preliminary development of Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland's Climate Plan. Spurred by my passion for cities, transport and social and environmental issues, in 2019 I commenced a master’s in urban planning at the University of Auckland. During my Masters, I worked part-time as a sustainability specialist for Jacobsen Holdings Limited, conducting a carbon emissions audit. My Masters 3 dissertation focussed on the relationship between urban density and transport patterns in Auckland and transport and land use integration policy.
My studies in geography and urban planning have lit a passion for social and environmental justice. These values continue to drive my academic and professional interests.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Broadly speaking, there are two ‘types’ of planners, and at a basic level, either could be done without training, but beyond that you really need to have done a degree or worked in the field for many years. It’s the role of strategic planners to plan where urban development should occur considering a range of factors – sustainability, the existing environment, safety, growth pressures, other government policies and social factors. Strategic planners also develop policies and regulations to manage urban development to ensure development is appropriate for the context and location. It’s the role of a statutory planner to ensure developers are adhering to these regulations, and in the case where developers are breaching planning rules. Planners need time management and relationship/ negotiation skills to ensure the best outcomes while balancing multiple considerations. It’s often about being a ‘jack of all trades but master of none’. Having background knowledge and training in planning is essential for dealing effectively with these challenges.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
What I love is that I get to work in an area of planning that I’m passionate about – transport. I’m passionate about making Auckland a better place to live now and into the future, and AT has a huge role to play in improving how we plan and manage our transport system to get these good outcomes.
What are the limitations of your job?
The biggest limitation of my job is what we can and can’t control to address the problems Auckland is facing! There are so many complex and interconnected (planning) issues affecting Auckland, but we have the inertia of a transport and land use planning system based primarily around car transport which makes addressing – inequity, climate change (mitigation and adaptation), traffic congestion issues quite tricky! Often, we (as planners) are limited by the structure and legislative directives that are outside our control – we simply must do the best we can. Sometimes we get really good results, other times it can be frustrating when we are not able to achieve the best outcomes, but that’s life!
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...