Supercity Concerns Real

Manukau Courier
Last updated 05:00 20/04/2010
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/manukau-courier/3596471/Supercity-concerns-real

OPPOSITION to the new Auckland supercity structure is well-founded and not simply a media campaign as claimed by Local Government Minister Rodney Hide, Manukau mayor Len Brown says.

Speaking on talkback radio last week Mr Hide claimed most of the issues around the Auckland supercity have been substantially misrepresented.

Criticism of the structure of the new community boards and the set up of council controlled organisations amounts to a political media campaign, rather than a considered analysis, he says.

But Mr Brown says there is a genuine lack of knowledge about what is happening in the community.

"At the many public meetings I am doing around the region, I spend a lot of time explaining the structure and how the council will function," he says.

"The Government only has itself to blame for that and the widespread concerns. The supercity plan put forward by the Royal Commission has been substantially altered and many in the Auckland region now fear for their local voice in the new structure." He says the Government has made a number of major mistakes including:

- It needed to put into legislation clear roles, functions and responsibilities for the local boards. It refuses to do so;

- It should not have legislated for council-controlled organisations – these should have been left to the new council to decide and establish;

- It should not have established a powerful transport council-controlled organisation when that will be a key issue for the new mayor and council to grapple with;

- Having bulldozed ahead with the council-controlled organisations, the Government should be giving councils a say on the directors but it refuses to do so.

"Failing to listen to the concerns of Aucklanders is the reason for widespread discontent – not any media campaign," Mr Brown says.

"Mr Hide and the Government still have time to amend the third bill. `If they did so they might find some of the opposition might lessen."