Jones Shane: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Jones Shane: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:653;Page:2592] 
10.  
Hon SHANE JONES (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Local Government 
: What opportunities will he make available to the people of Auckland to be consulted over the Government’s decisions about Auckland local government reform? 
Hon RODNEY HIDE (Minister of Local Government) 
: 
 The people of Auckland have been consulted and they will be further consulted. The people of Auckland have made their views crystal clear. The Government has listened and accordingly has provided for one mayor and one council for Auckland while ensuring what is important for Aucklanders—their local representation through local boards. The people of Auckland will also have the opportunity to participate in the select committee process later this year. 
Hon Shane Jones 
: Does he agree with Tony McGowan of Community Waitakere that the Government’s “take it or leave it” attitude was incredibly arrogant and that in 2 days the Government has overturned a decision that took a year millions of dollars and 3500 submissions to make; if not why not? 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: No I do not which should not come as a surprise to that member. The Government has consulted through the royal commission process since receiving the royal commission report. That is why we listened to Auckland and provided for local representation. The Government will consult through the website www.Auckland.govt.nz which has had over 10000 visits and over 25000 page views in the past 48 hours. The Government will be consulting through the transition process and indeed through the select committee process. What I will say though is that this is a Government that consults listens then makes decisions and most important for Auckland acts—something that the previous Government never did. 
Hon Shane Jones 
: How can the Minister maintain his positive disposition and belief that Maori will gain from the local government reform when Dr Sharples’ office is organising a hikoi and a report from the Maori Party identifies the situation as hiding racism and states that there ain’t a dog’s show of Maori getting a favourable result from any poll? 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: I am a lot more optimistic than the member Shane Jones who demonstrably cannot get elected—demonstrably cannot get elected. It is my job as Minister of Local Government to ensure good government at the local level around New Zealand especially in Auckland. To have good government we need the input of Maori and I want to say here publicly that the Prime Minister has directed me to engage with Maori to involve Maori in the decision making and also to encourage Maori to stand for the council in Auckland and for the local boards. Unlike Shane Jones I believe that there are Maori who can stand and that Auckland will vote for them. 
Hon Shane Jones 
: Does the Minister agree with the Auckland mayor John Banks that “Low-level unseemly sort of seagull behaviour and rain-dancing never helps in the process.” and “If these people think that by jumping up and down as a small minority group they are going to bully Rodney and his coalition Government they’re mistaken.”; and are these comments not representative of his attitude and the Government’s broader attitude to Maoridom in general? 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: This Government has listened to Auckland and has consulted. It has then made the all-important decisions for Auckland and is acting on them. This Government is committed to engaging with the civic and city leaders of Auckland and more particularly with Maori interests and with the many diverse ethnic and cultural interests across Auckland. But members should bear in mind that Auckland governance is broken; it needs fixing. This is the Government that will do it.