Hutchison Paul: Local Government (Auckland) Amendment Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee 
Hutchison Paul: Local Government (Auckland) Amendment Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee 
[Volume:618;Page:14030] 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Port Waikato) 
: 
 I want to talk about clause 9 “Functions of ARTA”. Unfortunately those functions give the territorial authorities very little reassurance that they will be treated fairly or reasonably at all. I hope the Minister will take a call particularly with regard to the rural district councils affected. I can think of Rodney but I also think of the area I am so proud to represent that of Port Waikato and the Franklin District Council. The commentary on the bill makes reference to the Franklin District Council specifically and so it should because many members of the Franklin District Council are deeply distrustful of this Labour Government and deeply distrustful of this bill that it has managed to conjure up. There is very good reason indeed for that and that is why I want some assurances from the Minister in the chair. 
 I note that the commentary on the bill states under the heading “Franklin District Council” that: “The majority recommend an amendment to clause 4 to provide for the inclusion of the entire Franklin District within the area to be managed by ARC and Auckland Regional Transport Authority for land transport purposes.” Now that may be fair enough. Maybe that has some rationale to it but when we look at the second paragraph we see that it states: “The majority agree with and respect the concern expressed in Franklin District Council’s submission that systems set up to support the Auckland Regional Transport Authority’s role should not affect the financial assistance rate for funding received by Franklin—or that received by any other territorial authority—from Transfund.” 
This is where the deep suspicion of the Labour Government and this bill lie—because there is quite frankly absolutely no trust that the Government will live up to what the majority on the select committee agree. I would like the Minister in the chair Chris Carter who does not appear to be listening right now to take a call and assure Parliament that indeed local territorial authorities like the Franklin District Council will not be adversely affected by this bill before us. After all this is one of the rural district councils that has vast tracks of roading—both State highways as well as rural roads—bringing the enormous amounts of primary produce that this country is so dependent on to the major cities. Their responsibility is to ensure that they will not be adversely affected. 
If the majority of the select committee believes that their interests should be looked after the very least the Minister could do is give an assurance to this Parliament that that will indeed happen. Consequently I have put forward an amendment to clause 9(1)(a) in Part 2. My amendment would add paragraph (v) and would mean that one of the functions of Auckland Regional Transport Authority would be to “ensure systems set up to support the Auckland Regional Transport Authority role will not affect the financial assistance rate for funding received by the Franklin District Council or that received by any other territorial from Transfund.” 
Right throughout my speech the Minister in the chair has been wittering away to his colleagues. He has not acknowledged the fact that this was an assurance given by the majority of select committee members—his members—and he ignores the very important point that the rural district councils need to be assured by him that they will not be adversely affected. So I am hoping the Minister will stand up and support my amendment. If he does not then he is demonstrating an absolute abject inconsistency that would be consistent with the fact that people from Auckland particularly the Franklin District Council are deeply cynical of him his Government and indeed this bill. I certainly hope that Mr Carter will get up and give us those assurances.