King Colin: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
King Colin: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
[Volume:654;Page:3679] 
COLIN KING (National—Kaikoura) 
: 
 I move that the question be— 
Hon Member 
: No no. Take a call. 
COLIN KING 
: The time we are spending in the Chamber today is very important. It is significant from the point of view that we need to be very conscious about what we are actually here for. We are here at this time to be conscious of the importance of every citizen in New Zealand but more important to be concerned that we do what is right and fair for the future of New Zealand. 
Many an amendment has been proposed from the Opposition today. When we look at the title of this particular proposed new Part 5 “The mechanisms to ensure representation of Maori Pacific and ethnic groups in the reorganisation of the Auckland Council” we start to understand the future vision that the other side of the Chamber is proposing. The Government of New Zealand is proposing to do away with those impediments that are holding back New Zealand and have done for the last 9 years under the previous Labour Government which is now a very bewildered and confused Opposition. 
Those members continually try to divert people’s attentions away from the main issues like ensuring that we have a united focus as a country and that we build up a future for this nation that we and our grandchildren can be proud of. We can form such a future by way of a combined city of Auckland that reaches its potential. We must all acknowledge that at the moment it is the young generations whose potential we want to realise whether they are Maori Pasifika or people who come to New Zealand in the future. 
The proposed configuration of Auckland governance is presently being obstructed by a very distracted Opposition. It is an Opposition that had 9 years to do something positive for this country when it was Government but unfortunately the Labour Government will be remembered for its wasteful 9 years in office. We now have a Government that is determined to make the very most of a situation yet we tend to trifle around the edges at a time when we should be pulling together as a nation. I believe that we are at a stage here with the Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill that is certainly significant. The debate around the bill is hugely significant from our point of view because it is a contest of ideas. It is about the future and representation of the people. It is not about ideologies and contests to bewilder confuse and distract which we hear from the Opposition. 
We have had some interesting debates and some very broad debates. Some have been well off the mark and have not concentrated on those things that will make a significant improvement not only to Auckland but also to the nation of New Zealand. Auckland is a shop window to the world a capital city in the context of the largest city of New Zealand with 1.4 million people. It is very important that those citizens are comfortable in the knowledge that they have an overarching arrangement in Auckland that ensures we do not have the dislocation that there has been for many many years. 
Every other New Zealander who looks at Auckland is bewildered that it does not have the cohesion that one would expect. The situation we find ourselves in today can only point back to the previous administration which lacked the courage and ability to take New Zealand forward. The Government today is endeavouring to address and work through what will be the most efficient and practical solution for the candidates the citizens and the arrangements that have existed in a dislocated fashion throughout Auckland’s recent history. Whether it is Maori Pasifika or other ethnic groups that need to be considered let us move forward today. It is a goal to have one people and one nation.