Robertson H V Ross: Local Government (Auckland Law Reform) Bill — In Committee 
Robertson H V Ross: Local Government (Auckland Law Reform) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:663;Page:11541] 
H V ROSS ROBERTSON (Labour—Manukau East) 
: 
 Kia ora tatou no reira e te Whare. Malo le soifua talofa lava and thank you for the opportunity to address the Committee this afternoon. Fa‘afetai lava. 
Lynne Pillay 
: Thank you Carmel. 
H V ROSS ROBERTSON 
: And of course I thank my colleague Carmel Sepuloni for speaking up for me. I thank her. 
The Local Government (Auckland Law Reform) Bill will make Auckland’s governance less transparent less accountable and less responsive to Aucklanders. The new council therefore should have more community involvement. In that respect I advocate for senior citizens. 
This afternoon the Minister of Local Government the Hon Rodney Hide has already made a considerable concession to the Labour Party through the acceptance of the Hon George Hawkins’ amendment to the bill and I thank him for that. I hope that the Minister might do the same for the amendment that I am proposing to clause 111. I will tell the Minister what it states. I want to amend clause 111(1) by inserting the following new paragraph: “(ba) establish a Senior Citizens Advisory Panel;”. My amendment then outlines the purpose in new clause 111(3A): “(a) to identify and communicate to the Council the interests and preferences of the Senior Citizens of Auckland in relation to—(i) the content of the strategies policies plans and bylaws of the Council; and (ii) any matters that the Panel considers to be of particular interest or concern to the Senior Citizens of Auckland; and (b) to advise the mayor and the Council’s governing body and local boards”. 
People often ask what “old” is. Well when I talk to senior citizens they say that it is 10 years older than they are. One of the things that I think we need to do as a constituency in this Parliament is to provide some leadership and recognition of the contribution that senior citizens make to New Zealand. One of the things that they bring is intellectual capital. They have been around for a while. Hopefully they have established wisdom sincerity and a commitment to do better for their fellow men and women. That is why I am advocating strongly for the establishment of a senior citizens advisory panel for the Auckland super-city. 
A prevailing myth is that older people are past it but that view ignores the very real contribution that senior citizens make to New Zealand. That attitude needs to change. We need an attitudinal change. The problem is that the media exacerbates that myth by saying that the only old things that are good are wine and art. Despite discrimination against age being outlawed by the Human Rights Act much of our culture still promotes youth and ignores senior citizens. So I am pleading if you like with the Minister of Local Government the Hon Rodney Hide to consider very seriously the proposal that I am advocating: the establishment of a senior citizens advisory panel for Auckland. 
Senior citizens can make a contribution. They have the ability; they have the welfare of the State at heart. In many cases they have gone over and beyond what it is necessary for them to do as senior citizens. Members can look around the Chamber and see the plaques on the wall. They can see the commitment that our senior citizens gave in providing us with a democracy. I am now asking for the Minister to go one step further with that democracy and give our senior citizens the chance to advocate on the Auckland super-council. I ask the Minister to accept my proposed amendments to clause 111 to establish a senior citizens advisory panel. I ask the Minister to give it very serious consideration. I think that the amendment is worthy of that consideration. I am sure that given the opportunity the Minister for Senior Citizens the Hon John Carter would be happy to support this amendment given his support his strength and his advocacy for senior citizens. 
Again I thank the Minister of Local Government for the part that he played in accepting the Hon George Hawkins’ amendment with regard to democracy. I ask him to consider accepting this amendment to establish a senior citizens advisory panel and to let the senior citizens of Auckland and this country have a say in this super-city. Their contribution is worthy.