Hide Rodney: Local Government (Auckland Law Reform) Bill — In Committee 
Hide Rodney: Local Government (Auckland Law Reform) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:663;Page:11542] 
Hon RODNEY HIDE (Minister of Local Government) 
: 
 I thank Mr Ross Robertson for his contribution and his amendment to clause 111. I think we can all agree that senior citizens have a passionate advocate in this House in Mr Ross Robertson. Despite his youth and energy he understands the role that senior citizens play in our community and in society. 
I also agree with him about the importance of the new Auckland Council and indeed the local boards and the council-controlled organisations interacting with senior citizens and gathering up their views. One of the things that is most important to consider as we construct a new council for Auckland which by its nature will be a large organisation is that it does not lose touch with the community. I will let Mr Ross Robertson down gently by saying that although the Government is not supporting his amendment we do agree with the sentiment behind it. One of the difficulties we have is the criticism we take from the Labour Party—and fair enough—that this reorganisation is all about Wellington telling Aucklanders what to do and how to do it. It is not our intention to do that but if we agree to have one Auckland Council and one mayor we need to provide them with a governance structure so that they can operate things like especially civil defence from day one. But do we as a Parliament want to specify how political operatives—the mayor the councillors and the local boards—will interact with every community across Auckland? That would be— 
Phil Twyford 
: Or CCOs. 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: The member is exactly right. That is why it is the case that from day one the council can sack any council-controlled organisation board member and after— 
Phil Twyford 
: But why set the CCOs up at all? 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: That is like asking why we set up an administration of an organisation. From day one we need an operating structure across Auckland. Mr Phil Twyford has failed to understand any of the reforms— 
Phil Twyford 
: Because you’re so intelligent and all-knowing! 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: It is not that I am so intelligent and all-knowing; I just ask the member to appreciate that we cannot elect a new mayor and a council and not have an administration underneath them. 
Phil Twyford 
: No no just run them in-house like every other council in New Zealand. 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: Actually they are not run in-house now. There were 42 council-controlled organisations across Auckland; there were 300— 
Phil Twyford 
: Every other council in New Zealand runs these things in-house; why not let Auckland do it? 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: I am not addressing Mr Phil Twyford because I have to say with great reluctance that I have given up on him. I am going back to Ross Robertson. To be fair Mr Phil Twyford has not put up one serious amendment in this process. Mr Phil Twyford has not made one serious contribution to the debate. Mr Ross Robertson has— 
Phil Twyford 
: You can’t have been listening to my last speech. 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: Actually I did listen to the member’s last speech. It was atrocious. I say to Mr Ross Robertson that yes we would like to think that the council will do that but we figure that it is up to the council to decide the best way to engage with seniors across Auckland. We think it is smarter to leave that up to the council rather than to prescribe it from Parliament. I thank the member for his passion and his interest in the subject and I ask him to prevail upon his colleague Mr Phil Twyford to engage in the process and for once make a similarly worthwhile contribution.