Auckland Budget 'a big step up'

People who rent out homes on platforms such as Airbnb could pay thousands of dollars extra in rates under an Auckland Council budget to be finalised this week. The bill for anyone renting a property for more than six months a year could be an extra $7200 annually. The move is part of the council's aim to fund a record $26 billion of capital spending over the next decade. But part of that new revenue stream is being challenged in court, and the mayor Phil Goff has taken another swipe at the accommodation industry. RNZ Auckland correspondent Todd Niall has been looking at some of the details of the budget and joins us to explain.