Robertson H V Ross: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — Second Reading In Committee 
Robertson H V Ross: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — Second Reading In Committee 
[Volume:654;Page:3256] 
H V ROSS ROBERTSON (Labour—Manukau East) 
: 
 When one looks at Part 1 one sees that it sets out the background and purposes of the bill. In that respect there are a number of questions that I wish to put to Her Majesty’s Government. What is the purpose of the bill? We are told that it is to improve public services overall organisation overall efficiency staffing and everything else that goes with improving organisations. I hope for the people of Manukau City whom I represent and since the last election also the people of Auckland City that that is correct. My experience having now served in the part of Auckland City that covers my electorate Otahuhu is that that is not the case. Let me put on the record today that as an Opposition we broadly speaking support a unitary council. 
Hon Members 
: Oh! 
H V ROSS ROBERTSON 
: I do not know why members opposite are so surprised. We have said that for a number of days now and we have been quite frank and quite open about it. We support it but I tell the Government that we strongly disagree with a number of the key provisions of this legislation. That is where we— 
Hon Gerry Brownlee 
: Name one. 
H V ROSS ROBERTSON 
: The member wants one. I will give him one. In respect of the number of members who will be elected at large we do not agree that there should be eight; we believe that it should be open and that each person should be able to represent his or her ward. 
We broadly support a unitary council but as a local member of Parliament in Manukau I say there is a concern at the constituency level and how it will impact on the people. I have already had meetings with the Otahuhu steering committee group. I have already had meetings with the Papatoetoe community safety group and met with residents in Otara. We have also attended a number of mayoral forums on this issue. So here is our question to the Government: is the purpose of this bill to run the Auckland region like a business by business and for business? That is not the purpose of local government; local government is there to represent the concerns of the local people. So I call on the Prime Minister to stand up on his hind legs take a call and tell us exactly what he thinks. I call on other Auckland members of Parliament. Let us go through them—I ask them to get up on their hind legs and tell us what they think. What about Paula Bennett? What about Jonathan Coleman Murray McCully Maurice Williamson Jackie Blue Pansy Wong Sam Lotu-Iiga Nikki Kaye Judith Collins Wayne Mapp Tim Groser Richard Worth Tau Henare Melissa Lee and Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi? Why will those members not take a call and tell us that the purpose of this legislation is not to run the Auckland region like a business for business and by business? 
Can those members also tell us whether this legislation is about an asset grab of $28 billion worth of public assets? I know that in Manukau we have a considerable number of assets—Manukau City Investments Ltd Manukau Water Ltd Tomorrow’s Manukau Waste Disposal Services Manukau Building Consultants our city investments our leisure services and our education and employment trust. We have the Pakuranga Arts and Cultural Trust the Highbrook Park Trust Board the Manukau Beautification Charitable Trust the Counties Manukau Pacific Trust not to mention of course the airport shares. We want to be reassured that Manukau will be treated fairly when it comes to the creation of the super-city. 
As a local member I am concerned about the loss of local representation in the area of Manukau. I come back to Otahuhu. I now represent Otahuhu. I was amazed when I went to Otahuhu that it did not even have a swimming pool yet in Manukau every single ward has a swimming pool.