Twyford Phil: Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Twyford Phil: Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 27 November 2012. Volume:686;Page:6804. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
PHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatu) 
: 
 Never mind the fact that this Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill is based on a lie—Nick Smith’s shonky figures and his wilful misrepresentation of the data on local government spending and debt. Never mind that this bill constitutes a threat to local government’s powers and mandate by central government and never mind that the whole notion of core services that is embodied in the winding back of the mandate of local government is illogical. One minute V8 races are out the next minute they are in; flower shows are apparently OK. But one of the things that is most irritating and galling about this bill is that the whole thinking that underlies the narrowing of the purpose statement of local government is a kind of primitive 1950s thinking about the role of government and of community leadership. 
I wanted to respond to the comments that Jacqui Dean made where she tried to convince the Committee that the new purpose statement in the bill would not have any effect at all on the scope and activities of local government. It immediately begged the question of why National is making these changes. Why is it passing this bill if it does not want to have any impact? I ask listeners to consider whether this purpose statement will in fact wind back the activities and the scope of local government. The new statement is: “to meet the current and future needs of communities for good-quality local infrastructure local public services and performance of regulatory functions in a way that is most cost-effective for households and businesses.” 
Well I ask listeners to consider whether or not these activities are as I would submit treasured and valued by the citizens of their communities. Think about economic development. So many submitters came along to the Local Government and Environment Committee and expressed alarm that the new purpose statement of local government would undermine or even prohibit their councils undertaking economic development activities. All over New Zealand communities and councils consider that economic development is one of the most important functions of local government. Why? It is actually really easy to understand: because this National Government is not doing any meaningful economic development around this country. Local communities are facing job losses and firm closures and the only people whom they can look to under this National-led Government is their council—to stand up for them to develop economic development strategies and to mobilise firms local institutions and the community behind economic development strategies. 
Think about environmental well-being. I ask the House to consider the situation in Auckland where currently the kauri dieback disease threatens the species and certainly all of the major stands of kauri in the Auckland isthmus. Central government is doing next to nothing to fund and support the science to try to find out how to deal with that. Who is leading the fight against kauri dieback disease? Auckland Council. Under this bill the narrowed statement of purpose for local government would threaten many of those kinds of activities. 
Think about social activities. Who is providing the leadership at the moment for tackling the affordable housing crisis in Auckland? It is the Auckland Council. The Government’s response to the affordable housing crisis in Auckland has been pathetic. Under this bill under the narrow purpose statement of local government you have to think that any significant action to tackle affordable housing would be questionable and would be subject to ratepayers the chamber of commerce and—who knows—the Employers and Manufacturers Association (Northern) taking legal action against the Auckland Council for pursuing things that are arguably outside Dr Smith’s new remit for local government. 
I ask you to think about the Pasifika Festival in Auckland which attracts several hundred thousand people every year to Western Springs. It is a showcase for Pacific culture in Auckland. It generates several million dollars in wider economic benefits for the city of Auckland. It would not be the success that it is today it would not be the matter of pride that it is for the community in Auckland if the Auckland City Council over many years had not fostered and supported what started out as a community event. But does the Pasifika Festival meet the requirements of the new purpose statement of local government? Is it a regulatory function? Is it a local public service? Is it infrastructure? Arguably not and yet I argue—