Hutchison Paul: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — First Reading Second Reading 
Hutchison Paul: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — First Reading Second Reading 
[Advance Copy - Subject to minor change before inclusion in Bound Volume.] 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Hunua) 
: 
 Mr Assistant Speaker Barker thank you for the opportunity to speak on this important and timely Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill. I acknowledge the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance for all the substantial work it did over 18 months—work that the previous Labour Government did not do over 9 long tedious years. I also acknowledge the Prime Minister John Key who unlike the previous Labour Government has got on with the job of making Auckland the great city it could—and should—be. 
I acknowledge the Minister of Local Government the Hon Rodney Hide and his associate the most honourable member for Northland Mr Carter. They have done the very hard yards that have made the technical import of this bill. They have been very very helpful Ministers. They have spent a lot of time going round Auckland attending meetings and being absolutely assiduous to the democratic process we are seeing unfold before us. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: What? 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON 
: I knew that would give Labour members a good deal of difficulty. Earlier on we heard the Hon Shane Jones whinge and whine about this urgency motion. But I point out to the Labour Opposition the  
Royal Commission on Auckland Governance: Executive Summary 
. It states in paragraph 89: “The Commission respectfully urges the Government to view its recommendations … which needs to be adopted with urgency so that changes can be implemented in readiness for the October 2012 local body elections.” It goes on to state: “The Commission has consulted widely and believes that overwhelmingly Auckland is ready now for positive change.” 
I heard Phil Twyford speak on this bill. He wanted a referendum. I happened to be looking at the biggest local government reform which took place in 1989 under the Hon Michael Bassett. It was very interesting. Michael Bassett made the point in his opening remarks that it was the largest reform of local government for 112 years. They reduced 486 councils down to 89. Was there a referendum? No there was not. Was there a royal commission? No there was not. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Was Phil Goff there? 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON 
: Phil Goff? Well he might have been around. Yes he was a bit of a problem at that stage of events. Also earlier this evening I heard Su’a William Sio make mention— 
H V Ross Robertson 
: Good man that one. 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON 
: He is a good member the excellent member for Mangere. He made the point that the excellent member for Hunua had held a public meeting very soon after the Government’s response to the royal commission. That is absolutely right. It was not just one meeting; it was two. One of those meetings happened to be down at a place called Te Puru which is in the northern part of the excellent Hunua electorate. It is between Beachlands and Maraetai. A modest number of people attended the meeting. They said they wanted good representation acknowledgment of the rural nature of part of their electorate and acknowledgment that part of their community of interest was in the Howick and Pakuranga area. 
In the southern part of the electorate of Hunua—deep in the heart of Franklin at Pukekohe—I held another meeting. Over 500 people were there. They came with a very clear message. Firstly they wanted to retain the name “Franklin”. This is where the royal commission got things slightly wrong. The commission wanted to put this vast rural area under the Hunua council. One of the reasons they wanted to retain the name “Franklin” is that “Hunua” means high infertile ground. It is diametrically opposite to the fertile lush soils of Pukekohe and its surroundings; it is the food basket of Auckland and New Zealand. Franklin is absolutely diametrically opposite to Hunua. 
The other point was that the people from this part of the electorate are of the view that they want to stay with the Franklin District Council. This is where the second bill absolutely comes into its own. It will allow the select committee that was set up earlier this afternoon to hear submissions from right around Auckland. This is the democratic mechanism. Aucklanders are allowed to come to the select committee and express their highly diverse views. It is inappropriate for Opposition members to suggest that the democratic process is being held up. This is a perfect mechanism and it is the traditional mechanism of Parliament to allow the democratic process to carry on. 
The royal commission said that failure to take action on Auckland local government will result in citizens and businesses continuing to incur high transaction costs in dealing with councils. It said that important decisions are either not being made or being made too late and central government is unable to develop an effective partnership with Auckland local government. There was no doubt that the commission believed that it was absolutely vital that we act now and not later. The Labour Opposition would have us go into a foray of referenda of consultations and of powwows that would only hold up what is clearly necessary right now. I say that it is an absolute indictment on Ports of Auckland Ltd that produce from my electorate —the onions the potatoes—is sent to the Port of Tauranga which is many hundreds of kilometres away from Pukekohe because it is more efficient and cheaper than sending it to the Port of Auckland. That is an indictment on the organisation of local government in Auckland. It is must be fixed and this bill will allow it to be fixed. 
The expected 18-month time frame for the establishment of the Auckland Council is ambitious but achievable. The royal commission said that it is important that the deadline is met. Thank goodness this bill is driven by a fresh forward-looking National Government instead of by that lazy languid previous Labour Government. Thank goodness because Labour would have let it go on for month after month. This bill is the first step towards a unified governance structure to bring unity and progress to Auckland for the benefit of its citizens for the next 50 to 100 years. There is no doubt that it is timely it is important and it is appropriate that we get on with it.