Robertson H V Ross: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — In Committee 
Robertson H V Ross: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:654;Page:3406] 
H V ROSS ROBERTSON (Labour—Manukau East) 
: 
 Thank you Mr Chairman. Kia ora tatou; no reira te Whare e nga iwi e nga reo e nga hau e wha. 
[ 
And so greetings to us the House the people the languages and the four winds. 
] 
It was a long night and it is certainly a short morning this morning. I want to raise the issue of and debate Part 2. I want to address clause 9 because some very good amendments have been put forward. They have already been debated last night by several of my colleagues. Part 2 establishes the territorial authority for Auckland to be known as the Auckland Council. What it does is gut Manukau Papakura Franklin North Shore Waitakere and Rodney. Worse it is an insult to democracy and the rule of law. Right from the outset Labour members have supported a unitary authority for Auckland but we disagree strongly with a number of key provisions of the Government’s proposal. That is why today we will continue this fight in Parliament in the name of democracy. We have to ask ourselves whether clause 9 is a good thing. What about the relationships with the other councils? How will this new council be able to work cohesively and to draw the other people in to make sure that it runs smoothly? What are the right functions of this proposed council? 
I want to know what the Auckland members on the other side of the Chamber have to say about it. I want to hear a call from Paula Bennett. I want to hear a call from Murray McCully from Maurice Williamson from Jackie Blue from Pansy Wong Nikki Kaye Judith Collins Wayne Mapp and Richard Worth. Where are they? I ask them to get off their hind legs. I say to Dr Paul Hutchison that Bill Birch the author of Think Big is opposed to this think-big city. I tell Paul Hutchison to get off his hind legs take a call and tell this Committee what he really thinks about this legislation which is going to gut the Franklin District Council. 
Does this proposed district regional council have the power to do the job? How will it do it? We have had none of those questions answered yet. When will it do it and who will actually do this job? What are the responsibilities and powers? They are not outlined in this legislation. I understand that this legislation replaces the Auckland Regional Council and the six city councils—Manukau Papakura Franklin North Shore Waitakere and Rodney. In fact what is does is take the power away from local people. It guts our local democracy. 
I know that I speak for the people of Manukau when I say that we are concerned. I represent part of Auckland City and now Manukau City. I know having represented part of Auckland City that it has neglected its southern suburbs. I am looking at the  
New Zealand Herald  
for 29 April where there is quote from John Key the Prime Minister—“Super city will think small”. The article says: “Prime Minister John Key has given an assurance that small grass-roots projects will not fall victim to the Auckland Super City structure.” Well I say to the Committee that it has already happened. Auckland City has slashed funding for two free community events in Onehunga which have been cancelled: $24000 was cut from the Onehunga Festival and $20000 from That Thing in the Park. Those cuts are totally contradictory to what was promised by the Prime Minister. Local democracy is being gutted. 
Clause 9(3) repeals section 23 of the Local Government Act which states: “(1) A territorial authority must be either a city council or a district council. (2) A territorial authority that is a city council must be described as the ‘[name of city] City Council’.” and it goes on.