Sio Su'a William: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — Second Reading In Committee 
Sio Su'a William: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — Second Reading In Committee 
[Volume:654;Page:3230] 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO (Labour—Mangere) 
: 
 The member who just spoke the Hon John Carter said that his Government is all about consultation. I remind the member that prior to the election the Hon Mr Key who is now the Prime Minister said that when the royal commission had completed its work National would consult Aucklanders. Where has that consultation taken place? Is the member talking about consultation at the select committee consideration of the second bill and the third bill? But this bill—the Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation Bill)—is the key bill that sets up the super-city and puts an end to all local governments in the Auckland region. That is what this bill is about. The Government has not consulted the people of Auckland. 
Chris Tremain 
: You have not read the bill really. 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO 
: Well I have read it. Part 2 establishes a super-city like it or not. That is the message that has been sent by this Government: that whether Aucklanders like it or not the Government is doing away with their local governments as they know them today and it will impose a super-city on them. That is what is happening. 
I want to say that at times such as this I feel that I am grieving for the loss of Manukau City. I am reminded of an old Maori saying: ask me what is the most important thing in this world and I will say it is people it is people it is people. If this Government had any care for the people of Auckland it would be out there face to face with every community throughout Manukau Waitakere Auckland City North Shore Franklin District and Rodney District telling them what it intends to do. But it has not because it does not trust the Auckland people. It does not trust them and it is so intent on ramming through this legislation in urgency. Ramming through this legislation in urgency means that Aucklanders will not have a voice on whether they want the super-city. The Government is doing so despite the polls that indicate that people do not want a super-city; people want to be consulted. Yes perhaps there are benefits of having a super-city and of having a plan—perhaps there are. But the decision to rush through the legislation in urgency indicates to the people that the Government does not care—that is what this Government is saying. 
When the Minister of Local Government through a stroke of the pen signs off this legislation it means the death of Manukau City as we know it. The mayor will no longer exist as the mayor the 18 councillors will no longer exist in Manukau City the community boards throughout Manukau City will no longer exist the powers of that council— 
Hon Gerry Brownlee 
: Yes they do. 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO 
: If members look at Part 3 of the bill they will see that those things will exist in name only while the Auckland Transition Authority essentially takes over the running of those cities. This means that it is a sad day for Manukau City; it is a sad day for local governance. 
Hon Gerry Brownlee 
: It’s a great day! 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO 
: It is not. The concern I have is that— 
Hon John Carter 
: You don’t want the city to function better. 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO 
: No. If the super-city is there to benefit all people I ask how ordinary workers will benefit from the super-city. How will the residents of Mangere benefit from the super-city? How will the residents of Otara benefit from the super-city? I do not believe that the Minister can answer those questions truthfully because frankly from the perspective of the people in Manukau City it is difficult to see the benefits. They want to keep their city. Members should talk to the people of Franklin who are saying that they want to stay as Franklin; they do not want to be part of this city. Has anybody spoken to Mr Bill Birch a former Minister of the National Government? He does not want to be part of the super-city; he wants to keep Franklin. Members should talk to the people of Rodney. They do not want to be part of the super-city; they want to maintain their own identity. 
In Manukau City we want to be able to maintain our council’s Te Tiriti o Waitangi committee—a committee set up with elected councillors and appointed representatives from tangata and mana whenua. Where will that committee be placed in the super-city that Mr Hide and Mr Key are setting up? Concerns are coming from people on fixed incomes and old people who currently live in pensioner flats. We know what has happened in Auckland City under Mr John Banks. He sold off those flats. Will that happen with Manukau City’s pensioner flats? We have a rating system in Manukau City that acknowledges that not all of our people are at the same economic level. What will happen when we come under a new rating system? What sort of rating system will it be? We proudly promote a social philosophy in Manukau City. What will happen with the social well-being of the people of the new super-city? 
This Government does not even intend to put forward the recommendation of the royal commission to have a social policy forum. Where will that forum be? We talk about local democracy. Where will the representatives of Mangere be on the Auckland Council which will have only 20 councillors—eight of which this Government is proposing will be elected at large? How many councillors from the ward of Otara will be on that super-city council? How many representatives from the ward of Manurewa will be on that super-city council? How many representatives from Botany Howick and Pakuranga will be on that super-city council? 
The answer is zilch. There will be none. I am not sure that this is the way to go. If this Government was intent on acknowledging and showing some care for the people of Auckland it would have taken the time to confront and engage them face to face and would be able to discuss the proposal that has gone through. Unfortunately having consistently shown a pattern of arrogance over the past 6 months this Government does not want to listen one iota to the voices of Manukau. 
Some of my constituents are saying that this super-city will make the rich richer and the poor even poorer. I again ask the Minister of Local Government to please tell the ordinary workers and those on fixed incomes what the benefits of the super-city will be for low socio-economic communities. That is the question that needs to be answered. Sure we will have a brand that goes out to the rest of the world and says that we have one Auckland City but we in Manukau City are proud of the fact that we have a population that is quite diverse with 182 different ethnic groups. We are proud of the fact that we are able to acknowledge the existence of these people. Wards like Manurewa have diverse representation on their community boards. Representatives include small-business people Maori people Pacific people our kaumatua and professional people. In a similar league there is diversity in the wards of Otara as well as in Botany and Howick. I ask what will happen under this super-city governance arrangement which will have only 20 members on the council of whom six or eight will be elected at large. Only those who have enough money to campaign across the whole of Auckland will be elected. 
This Government says it is listening. If it means what it says and if it is intent on saying that local democracy is important then it needs to consider that power should be given to local councils community boards or whatever name they will be given by this Government under the new structure. Local government is not simply a name on legislation; it needs to be given powers irrespective of how many boards or people are involved—whether it is six 12 15 20 or 30. The real issue for local communities is that they should be given the power to make decisions for themselves on local issues. 
Hon John Carter 
: That’s right—exactly. We agree. 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO 
: Well I ask why that is not reflected in this legislation. The Government is giving the public the opportunity to have a say on the second and third bills but that is a fait accompli. The people have a super-city whether they like it or not.