Hide Rodney: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
Hide Rodney: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:657;Page:6586] 
Hon RODNEY HIDE (Minister of Local Government) 
: 
 I move  
That the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill be now read a third time 
. The purpose of this bill is to set in place the policy framework that will deliver one council one mayor and one integrated plan for Auckland by 1 November 2010. The Auckland region needs decisive leadership robust infrastructure and the facilities and services of a world-class city. The Auckland Council as a single unitary authority governing the region will provide leadership and deliver the services its communities want efficiently and effectively. The council’s local boards will ensure that communities are empowered on local issues. That is the foundation upon which we will make a great Auckland even greater and drive New Zealand’s economic growth. This bill provides for the governance structure of the Auckland Council including the high-level framework for the structure of the council 20 members elected from wards between 20 and 30 local boards and direction and provision of powers for the Local Government Commission to determine the boundaries of Auckland its wards and its local boards. 
The Auckland Governance Legislation Committee added tremendous value to this bill in key areas. I emphasise in particular the contribution made to developing recommendations around the roles functions and decision-making responsibilities of the council’s local boards. This work will ensure that local voices are heard in the administration of the new Auckland. Local boards will act for their communities by making decisions on council facilities and services making decisions on promoting the well-being of their communities providing input on Auckland Council strategies policies plans and by-laws recommending by-laws and carrying out council business delegated by the governing body of Auckland Council. The governing body of the new council made up of the mayor and 20 councillors will focus on those matters where an Auckland-wide approach will best promote the well-being of the communities across Auckland and will be most efficient for the administration of council business. 
The policy framework that is established by this bill provides certainty around the overall structure roles and responsibilities of the two tiers of the new council. It provides clarity and direction for the Local Government Commission and the Auckland Transition Agency for the work that needs to be completed by 1 March and 1 November 2010. Later this year I will bring forward a third Auckland bill that will fill in the technical detail and finalise the transition arrangements for moving from the old to the new Auckland. 
I believe it is timely to once again thank the many people who contributed to the success of this bill and brought it to where it is today. I acknowledge and thank the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance for its report the Auckland Governance Legislation Committee for its work on the bill and especially its chair the Hon John Carter who did such a great job in terms of listening and taking the heat out of the issue. I also thank the Government MPs and Ministers who have worked so closely and collaboratively with me on this issue. I also thank in particular Mr Phil Twyford Mr George Hawkins and other members of the Labour Opposition. To be honest they kept us on our toes and they made us check our assumptions and the work we were doing. I believe that as a consequence because of that robust challenging we actually have a better bill as a result. I thank those Opposition members for their work in that regard. 
I thank the councils of Auckland. They took a leadership role in engaging with their communities on Auckland governance issues—thank you to them. I also thank the staff—and particularly the chief executives—of the Auckland councils. This is a tough time for them and their staff and they have worked very diligently with the Auckland Transition Agency and the Government to ensure the least disruption and the greatest amount of certainty in this time of change. They always did so with the best interests of Auckland and New Zealand at heart. In fact through this process of working with councils and Aucklanders the Opposition parties and the Government have seen Auckland at its very best and that bodes well for the new council. 
I am especially grateful for the hard work and dedication of the officials particularly those in the Department of Internal Affairs who put in long hours and produced quality advice and support. I do not believe that as a Minister I could ask anything more of the officials than the intelligence talent hard work and dedication they provided to me John Carter this Government and ultimately to Auckland and the people of New Zealand. They have been fantastic. I especially mention Marilyn Little Anne Carter and the chief executive Brendan Boyle for their outstanding service. 
Finally and most important I thank the people of Auckland who contributed through their submissions to the work of the royal commission and the select committee considering this bill. There has been huge interest in the development of the policies of Auckland that are now expressed in this important bill. We listened to what people had to say and we responded to their ideas and concerns. This is a bill that Auckland needs. Auckland’s success and New Zealand’s success go hand in hand. Getting Auckland right is in the interest of all New Zealanders and certainly this Parliament. Thank you very much.