Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) - New Zealand Parliament

16 May 2009 Local Government (Tamaki Makaurau Reorganisation) Bill 3723
been betrayed—absolutely betrayed. John Key has run around the country saying that
he has listened; he did not come to the Chamber to listen to a word of this debate, yet it
has gone on for 4 days.
Hon Shane Jones: He is busy at proselytising for South Auckland.
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS: Ha, ha—yes! I have in my hand a newspaper
advertisement by the National Party, and I am interested that it states: “Have your say
on Auckland local government”. Who is paying for that? The National Party is not; the
Parliamentary Service is paying. Who will pay for the changes in local government in
Auckland? The National Party will not pay; the ratepayers of Auckland will pay for
that, of course. That will cost a huge amount of money, and 1.4 million Aucklanders
will pay. And those who live in Manukau will not have much say, at all; the people in
Manukau will not be able to get people elected to this council, because the intention in
the legislation is to make sure that the blue-rinse brigade and their friends get elected to
the council, instead of ordinary New Zealanders. Members may say that that issue is
covered in the next bill to be debated.
The mayors have been really trying to get people to understand the seriousness of
what is happening to them. On Monday a week ago there was a meeting in Papakura,
and they put out a thousand seats and over a thousand people were there; John Carter
fronted. Over recent weeks Judith Collins has had a few words to say, but members
ought to hear what people say about her. She will not win Papakura next time—oh, no,
she will not. The Mayor of Papakura is disgusted at what she has done—MPs cannot
talk down to people. Even in Franklin they are disgusted. They are absolutely disgusted
in the Hunua electorate. When people have a look around, they wonder what is in it for
them. Yes, there may be a better form of local government for Auckland, but the
Government should tell that to the people who have lost their jobs over the last few
weeks, and to the people who have lost their overtime and cannot afford to pay their
costs. This Government does not want to pay for this change, and I think that that is
absolutely disgusting.
We have a situation in Manurewa—and I am sure it is the same in Manukau East and
it would be true of my friend’s seat of Māngere—where people have been shattered this
week by this Government. It is not just because of the effects of this legislation but it is
a whole feeling of what National is doing to them. National seems to be all about
getting out there and selling a message. I can tell members opposite that not all the
people of South Auckland will be rushing along the motorway to go and rob people in
Mt Albert, but that is Melissa Lee’s contribution to all of this. Well, that is not good
enough. She speaks for the National Party, for the hearts and souls of the National
Party. She tells us what they really believe. They believe that people in South Auckland
do not count for much. Well, I have to tell National members that they do. South
Auckland people are the salt of the earth; they are the best people.
But have those people had a chance to have their say? Not from the Government,
they have not. My friend the member for Māngere, my other colleague the member for
Manukau East, and I have put out referenda, and the responses have been pouring back
in. People think the Government has not consulted on this issue—90 percent of them in
my case. They think the Government has not talked to them or put them in the loop.
Those sorts of people in South Auckland think that National members look down their
noses at them and think they do not matter. Well, for me they do matter. But this bill is
saying to people: “We have robbed you of your democracy. We haven’t given you the
chance.” As Opposition members, we have had to use our time to make sure those
people can be heard—to put up plenty of amendments to the bill, and to keep the debate
going in the Chamber—because the Government cannot trample over the rights of this
House. They may trample over the rights of people out there—