Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) - New Zealand Parliament

16 May 2009 Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill 3749
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am sorry to interrupt the member. An interchange is
going on between two members, and I cannot hear what the honourable member Dr
Jackie Blue is saying. She has only just commenced her speech.
Dr JACKIE BLUE: The facts are that the Royal Commission on Auckland
Governance was set up under the previous Labour Government. It recommended that
there be one unitary council. It recommended that it be implemented urgently, and that
is what this Government has done. The bill that was passed earlier this evening did that.
The bill that we are currently discussing sets up the framework for that council, and
what is important is that it looks at second-tier representation. We were not happy with
the royal commission’s recommendations on the second tier. We want to go to the
community on that issue, and we will be having a select committee process. We will be
having open forums and we will be listening to people. We are not paying lip-service to
the community. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I commend this bill to the House.
CAROL BEAUMONT (Labour): I am glad of the opportunity to speak on the
Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill. This bill does three main things: it sets up
the framework for the Auckland Council, it sets up local boards, and it describes the
role of the Local Government Commission. I will talk about each of those elements,
because we have concerns about all of them.
First of all, the context in which this bill is being received into this House is
absolutely critical. I do not think that members opposite understand the damage that has
been done already. There has been—
Hon David Cunliffe: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. It is a mark of respect for
my colleague that I ask through you that the Minister who had her back to the member
and was wandering around the Chamber, and other members who were wandering
around, do the member the courtesy of listening to her speech. It is important.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you for that. It is important that we give speakers
a fair go. As I have said on previous occasions, if members want to wander around and
talk, they should do that outside in the lobbies. Only whips should be walking around.
CAROL BEAUMONT: There has been an absolute litany of arrogance since
March, when the royal commission report was received. I saw that arrogance just then
when my colleague Su’a William Sio was speaking and describing accurately the view
of the people of Manukau City. Honestly, the smirking, giggling, and carrying on over
on the other side of the Chamber was unbelievable.
Anyway, you took a report that the royal commission spent 18 months working on
and you gutted it in a week—[Interruption] Sorry, not you, Mr Deputy Speaker.
Hon David Cunliffe: “They”.
CAROL BEAUMONT: They, the members opposite, took a report that had taken
18 months of work and gutted it within just over a week. A number of really interesting
and important ideas in that report seem to have sunk without trace. There were good
ideas around economic development, a social board, and greater coordination between
Auckland and central government. Many, many things are missing from the bill we are
talking about now. The development agency is missing, as I said, as are the social issues
board, the joint management structures between the New Zealand Transport Agency and
the Railways Corporation, and many of the things the royal commission worked hard
on. What has happened to those ideas?
More important, the Government’s failure to listen to Aucklanders will mean that
this bill and the legislation arising from it will be fundamentally damaged before they
have even started. Thousands of people have been involved in marches and meetings,
and many more marches and meetings are to come. Let us see what happens with the
hīkoi, shall we? The media have also reflected people’s concerns—even the good old
New Zealand Herald, with headlines like “Let citizens have say on Super City”. What