Cunliffe David:  
Cunliffe David:  
[Volume:654;Page:72] 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Labour—New Lynn) 
: 
 The Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill is a very important bill and Part 2 is a key part. Let me divide my comments into two aspects. 
The first is that the Minister asked what Labour means by supporting a super-city. We are at the heart of the problem here. This bill confuses a unitary entity with an integrated entity. Labour believes in an integrated regional entity. We believe in a city that functions well and can discharge regional functions on a regional basis with good regional governance. There is nothing complicated about that. A public transport network is of course regional and needs regional oversight. That is not too hard. Arguably water services are in the same category. It is not complicated. It is true that there were too many functions at the local level that could have been lifted up and better governed at the regional level. That was in the royal commission’s report. It cost a million bucks there were 3000 submissions and it was a year’s work with lots of consultation and good thinking—and what did the Government do? It threw the report away and replaced it with a 10-page ACT manifesto which made a mockery of the whole process. An expendable Rodney Hide will get it in the neck when John Key realises it was a step too far for voters. We stand for strong regional governance. We do not want the ACT version of a unitary entity. 
But the real kicker in this part is the bit that deletes all references to the existing territorial authorities. There will be no more Manukau New Zealand’s most progressive city. No more Manukau means no more Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi. No more Franklin means no more genial Dr Paul Hutchinson. The people of those areas— 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. It is a well-known precedent in this Parliament that members’ names are pronounced correctly. It is “Hutchison”. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Well all one can say to that is “Whhhy not?”. Those members’ constituents can look after themselves tonight. I am more worried about the good people of Waitakere the eco-city. My westies hate this Government now and “hate” is not too strong a word. They hate those Tories who are stealing their city—and who in fact are going further: they are erasing all reference to the name “Waitakere”. Poor Waitakere! You do not have the power to take our name. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: Order! 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: They do not have the power to take our names—you Mr Chair have much power. Those members do not have the power to take our names. 
Speaking of the taking of names it has been an interesting week in New Zealand politics has it not? We have learnt some new words. To be “Masuku’ed” means to be thrown onto the scrap heap. To be “Melissa Lee’ed” means to open one’s mouth and insert both feet and then defend it on the morning news the morning after and then not even explain oneself on  
Close Up 
. To be “Bakshi’ed” is to be the last living defender of the Indian community in the National Party because I tell you what every living Indian I know of in Mt Albert is now voting Labour. They are so pissed off about the Masuku affair and what they got out of it that they are voting Labour. So when you try—Oh goodness me! The “pedal king” Bill English is back. 
Nathan Guy 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. The member has been in the Chamber for a while and he continues to bring you into the debate. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: I did mention that earlier to Mr Cunliffe and he acknowledged that but he has done it again. Do not bring the Chair into the debate. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: It is a perfectly fair comment Mr Chair and I do apologise. I am so emotional about this bill that things got away from me. It is good to see Bill English back in the Chamber again. He has had a rough day too. To be “Bill English’ed” is to make a statement in the House about a Budget and then be slam dunked by one’s leader using exactly the same words within a month. He said: “Not next year not ever—oh sorry boss! Let’s fund it now sir if it’s OK with you.” I guess they do not take tea together very often. Look at that lot over there. They can see their majority dwindling away like the waters of the Manukau running to the sea. They know that in the good hands of the “little emperor” they have made a colossal mistake.