The Howick Local Board has increased its funding to tackle illegal dumping in an area that council figures rank among the worst in Auckland for it.
Council figures now released show Flat Bush ranked fifth for dumping reports between 2021 and 2025, behind Papatoetoe, Manurewa, Papakura and Henderson.
“We really do want to encourage people to report, but enforcement is also really important so that there’s a consequence to the action,” Auckland Council general manager of waste management Justine Haves told RNZ.
The Board approved its annual work programmes at its meeting on 25 June, including increased funding for tackling illegal dumping.
Its adopted agreement for the year already funds an advisor to monitor and report regulatory breaches including illegal dumping, and to work with builders and developers on reducing waste in Flat Bush.
The Board’s environmental budget for the year is $783,000.
It has also formally asked the Governing Body to provide increased compliance and enforcement through regional wardens.
The Board wants to be allowed to put its own operational funding into enforcement above the level provided regionally.
Council workers collected 1926 tonnes of illegally dumped rubbish across the city last year.
Clearing it cost ratepayers $3.1 million in the last financial year.
Aucklanders made 23,964 reports of dumping.
The council issued $160,200 in fines in the 2024/2025 financial year.
The maximum fine under the Litter Act is $400.
Haves said investigations could be resource-intensive because of the high evidence threshold required to prove an offence.
She said Manurewa had specific initiatives to increase monitoring and surveillance in known hotspots, which allowed the council to gather stronger evidence before deciding what action to take.
About 30 dumping hotspots across Auckland are checked at least once a week.
Mike Bedson, operations manager at Eco Maintenance, which is contracted by the council to clear them, did not want the locations identified in case more people added to the problem.
The most common items collected were rubbish sacks, mattresses and cardboard boxes.
Old couches and chairs were also commonly reported.
Dumping can be reported on 0800 NO DUMP, 0800 663 867, or through the council’s Ask Auckland online assistant.
