Sio Su'a William: General Debate 
Sio Su'a William: General Debate 
[Volume:653;Page:2716] 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO (Labour—Mangere) 
: 
 Kia ora Mr Speaker. Greetings to you and greetings to the members of the House. When I listen to the speeches coming from the other side of the House I have to say that the impression I get is one of cavalier disinterest. We are discussing a very important issue and that is the issue of Auckland governance. It is an important issue. I ask the House to treat it with respect because whether or not we like it or love it the Government’s proposal to establish a super-city for Auckland means that for the next 50 or 100 years we will have a city that will impact on the lives not only of the people of today but of future generations. 
I say that Labour stands in support of Manukau City and its people. We support the people of Manukau City despite the mistake that some of them made in the last election by voting for the Hon Maurice Williamson the Hon Pansy Wong and the Hon Judith Collins. I would say that our people throughout Manukau City are very much in support of the work that we currently do and the encouragement and support that our colleagues like Ross Robertson and others are providing to the people of Manukau City. 
I want to lay some groundwork for my reasoning for saying this is an important issue. Manukau City has been around for 44 years. It has had only four mayors. The first mayor was Hugh Lambie the second was Sir Lloyd Elsmore who passed away not too long ago the third was Sir Barry Curtis and the present mayor is now Len Brown. The chief executive officers of Manukau City Council have numbered only three in 44 years. That gives an indication of the stability that the city has had. Those are men whom I have the deepest respect for. I have had the opportunity to know some of them and they are men who believe in the need to pursue a philosophy of social justice and social equity. They have maintained that belief throughout the 44 years of the city’s history. 
The establishment of a super-city means that we will do away with Manukau City. It means we will do away with Waitakere City North Shore City and Auckland City. But this is about more than doing away with just structures. We will do away with the work the sweat and the blood that past generations and people today have put into this city. We will do away with the special character and the spirit of Manukau City and there is no other city like Manukau City. It has a spirit of its own. I have said in this House and I will say it again that the young generation of Manukau City is not only beautiful but gifted. They will be future leaders of our country. 
What will it mean when this super-city is put in place by Mr Hide with the support of Mr Key and the Maori Party? They will put in place an executive mayor with executive powers. Along with Mr Ross Robertson and Mr George Hawkins I conducted a survey of our constituents throughout Manukau City. The feedback that we are getting is that too much power in the hands of one person is a dangerous thing. The proposal by this Government of putting up a mayor with executive powers who can appoint a deputy mayor and appoint the chairs of various select committees is a dangerous thing. Having a position where someone can hire his or her own staff to drive his or her agenda is a dangerous thing. The feedback that we are getting in terms of the Government’s proposal to have 20 ward councillors with six councillors at large— 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Who set up the royal commission? 
Paul Quinn 
: Labour. 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO 
: Labour did set up the royal commission. Labour set up the royal commission with people on it who are very well regarded. But it is not Labour that is putting the super-city in place—it is National. When the royal commission recommended that the council should have three Maori seats for the Auckland region my kaumatuas in Mangere said to me that three seats is a good start. But what is this Government doing? It is scrapping the three representatives of Maori. What are they going to put in place for Pacific and Asian people?