Dean Jacqui: Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Dean Jacqui: Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 27 November 2012. Volume:686;Page:6785. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki) 
: 
 The Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill does not remove the power of general competence from councils. This bill will not stop councils from doing any new activities which was told to us a number of times by the councils themselves. What this bill does is focus local authorities on providing good services for their communities and for their ratepayers. It is interesting is it not that during the whole course of this debate the noise coming from the other side of the Chamber does not seem to include the rights of the ratepayer; it seems to focus almost exclusively I would venture to suggest on the local government sector. Well of course the local government sector does not want to feel something is going to be taken away from it—of course it does not. But this Government is absolutely focused on a bill that will provide good services and core infrastructure for the ratepayers and for their communities. This bill focuses on exactly what we want it to and that is to require local government to stick to its knitting. 
I want to go into the Local Government Act 2002 for a moment and just note this to the Committee. Perhaps members opposite before they advance this idea which they seem stuck on that refocusing the purpose clause of local government is going to stop councils from doing anything should just for a moment consider the Local Government Act 2002 and have just a wee look at sections 11 and 12 which are not amended by this bill. Section 11A of the Local Government Act 2002 says: “In performing its role a local authority must have particular regard to the contribution that the following core services make to its communities:”—and it is to its communities not to itself but to its communities—“(a) network infrastructure: (b) public transport services: (c) solid waste … (d) the avoidance or mitigation of natural hazards: (e) libraries museums reserves recreational facilities and other community infrastructure.” Community infrastructure—it is there in the 2002 Act and it is not repealed by this bill. 
I now want to direct members opposite—they can look this up on their laptops or go out into the lobby and find the Act if they care to to inform themselves in this debate—to section 12(2)(a): “For the purposes of performing its role a local authority has—(a) full capacity to carry on or undertake any activity or business do any act or enter into any transaction;”. 
 So do not tell me members on the other side of the House that the power of general competence has gone. Do not tell me that councils are going to be absolutely hamstrung in the future and will not be able to look after the needs of their communities. Do not tell me that there is going to be endless litigation in the courts. There never has been in the past. Do not—do not—give the lie that is out there that the refocusing of the purpose of local government is going to shut down the local government sector because it is not. What the refocusing of the purpose of local government is going to do is provide good service to ratepayers. It is going to provide good local government services to communities. And that I venture is what the purpose of local government is actually for. Thank you.