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3734 Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill 16 May 2009 time while the House is sitting, except during oral questions, during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House, or on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House, and to meet outside the Wellington region during the sitting of the House, despite Standing Orders 187, 189, and 190(1)(b) and (c). Auckland is New Zealand’s only city of scale, and it is the country’s main gateway to the world. Because of Auckland’s scale, Auckland’s and New Zealand’s success go hand in hand. As a large and outward-looking city, Auckland can, and should, contribute more to national prosperity and productivity than it does now. Governance arrangements for the Auckland region have been a cause of concern for at least the last 50 years. There have been some efforts by successive Governments to address the problems, but those efforts have clearly been insufficient. How local government is structured is important in determining what gets done, and, indeed, what does not get done in Auckland. Governance arrangements affect the capacity to plan on an integrated, region-wide basis, and the ability to solve large and longer-term challenges effectively. Governance arrangements affect citizens’ ability to have a say about what services and initiatives they value. The previous Government commissioned the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance to inquire into, investigate, and report on the local government arrangements that are required in the Auckland region over the foreseeable future. After wide consultation with Aucklanders, and consideration of over 3,500 submissions, the royal commission reported to the Government on 25 March 2009. The royal commission has done an admirable job of consulting with Aucklanders and formulating their recommendations. I take this opportunity to thank the commissioners for their work. The royal commission’s report identified two broad, systemic problems evident in current Auckland local government arrangements. Regional governance is weak and fragmented, and community engagement is poor. The commission’s report addressed the issues and identified solutions. In particular, it exhaustively described the range of opinions in Auckland’s many communities. We accepted the key points of the recommendations: one council for Auckland, one mayor with governance powers, one long-term plan, and one rates bill. We did not agree with the recommendations about Māori representation. That will not come as a surprise. If the people of Auckland or the council want specific Māori seats on the council, they already have the ability to enable that. The Government will not impose the seats. We did not agree with the proposal to have six sub-councils. We want more local representation, not less. We want communities to know they have their own local representatives, so we have opted to have 20 to 30 local boards. I am proud that places like Waiheke, which Nikki Kaye represents so well, for the first time will have their proper local representation recognised in statute. This Government has resolved to act. The Government aims to put the new structures in place in time for the October 2010 local government elections. This short transition period will minimise uncertainty and disruption for council staff and the public. Legislation required to give effect to these decisions has been introduced as three separate bills. We have tried to balance the need for action with the need for continued democratic input. That is why we have split the legislation to effect reform into three bills, of which this bill is the second. The first urgent bill—the Local Government (Tamaki Makaurau Reorganisation) Bill—provides the necessary legislative mechanisms for transition to the new Auckland governance arrangements, which needs to occur as soon as possible in order to establish the Auckland Council by 2010. That bill has proceeded through all stages under urgency and without select committee consideration.
16 May 2009 Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill 3735 Hon David Cunliffe: Start at the top of the page, Pinocchio. Hon RODNEY HIDE: I thank Mr David Cunliffe for his assistance. A third bill, expected to be introduced later this year, will provide for the ongoing governance structure and detailed legislative framework for the governance arrangements. This second bill—the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill—provides for the governance structure of the Auckland Council, including the high-level framework for the structure of the Auckland Council, with eight members elected at large and 12 members from wards; in the order of 20 to 30 local boards, including their high-level functions; and the direction and provision of powers for the Local Government Commission to determine the boundaries of the wards of the Auckland Council and the local boards, and the number of local boards and their membership. I intend for this bill to proceed through a compressed select committee process, with the committee reporting finally to the House on or before 4 September 2009. We need to balance the need for action with the need to ensure democratic input. That is what the select committee process is about. I urge all Aucklanders to take advantage of it. It is imperative that this bill be enacted by late September 2009 to enable the Local Government Commission to set the region’s boundaries in time for the 2010 local government elections. This bill implements the royal commission’s fundamental recommendations of a mayor for Auckland, to be elected at large with specific governance powers, and a single unitary Auckland Council, as the first tier of governance. As I mentioned earlier, the royal commission formulated these recommendations after wide consultation with Aucklanders and after considering over 3,500 submissions. This bill is essential to allowing work to get under way to put the Government’s plan into action and to build a world-class city for the good of all New Zealand. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Hon GEORGE HAWKINS (Labour—Manurewa): That was a very interesting speech by the member Rodney Hide. When he mentioned Waiheke, it made me think “Oh, there’s the expert on public toilets in Waiheke speaking.”, and some members will remember that. Nikki Kaye: That’s offensive! Hon GEORGE HAWKINS: Ah—diddums. However, this is a very important bill. Being here this week is like being on the set of Blackadder, where Blackadder and Baldrick—the two local government Ministers—are hatching up a cunning plan for Auckland. But what have they delivered? A giant turnip for Auckland. That is what has happened. You see, this bill is dealing with the rats and mice for Auckland; the big decision has already been made. I think people on the Opposition side of the House agree that one council for Auckland is the right idea, but we do not like the Government trampling over Aucklanders without giving them a say on the really important part—the really big change. Hon John Carter: Which is what? Hon GEORGE HAWKINS: The Associate Minister of Local Government is asking what that is. No wonder we are in trouble! Let me tell members that the honeymoon for National is over, and the brides sitting opposite are going home to their mothers and saying: “Well, it wasn’t that exciting.” They are disappointed, and they will feel from now on that Aucklanders really are upset with them—really annoyed. You see, we will be given the opportunity to talk about local boards. Those are what we are going to have, but they are not going to have very much power, at all. I suppose the most important power they will have is to decide who gets the key to the local hall. Perhaps they might be in charge of dogs, and in making decisions about brothels. I dare say my colleague on the other side of the House, Mr Bakshi, a list member for National, would know all about that, so he might be able to help there. The boards will talk about
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