Twyford Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Twyford Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:656;Page:5373] 
12.  
PHIL TWYFORD (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Local Government 
: Does he believe the Government is providing clear leadership on the reform of Auckland governance? 
Hon RODNEY HIDE (Minister of Local Government) 
: 
 I thank the member for the question. Yes Prime Minister John Key and this Government are providing Auckland with precisely the leadership that it needs and has lacked for many years. I am particularly pleased to have the support of one special commentator who when comparing the present leadership with the previous Government stated: “There was a feeling for quite a long time that the city wasn’t working” and who stated that the previous Government “was very late in coming to the party and doing something about it.” That commentator was Mr Phil Twyford commenting in the  
Listener 
 on why Labour was punished at the last election and why it remains unforgiven by the public. 
Phil Twyford 
: Does the Minister agree with Mayor of Auckland City John Banks who was telling his mates that a deal has been done with the Government for 18 ward and six at-large councillors on the new Auckland Council? 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: I have no idea about whatever comments Mr Banks might be making. But I can say that under this Government and this Minister things are looking up for Auckland compared with the situation under the 9 years that Helen Clark and the Minister with responsibility for Auckland Issues Judith Tizard managed things when one commentator of whom I am fond stated that “the city wasn’t working properly with traffic problems crappy infrastructure and a downtown that looks like a bomb site.” That was after 9 years of Labour and the commentator was list MP from Auckland Mr Phil Twyford. 
Phil Twyford 
: Does the Minister stand by his recent statement that none of the current incumbent mayors in Auckland are “up to the job of super-mayor” or is it that he now wants to call off the race because his horse—John Banks—is coming second? 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: I stand by all my comments. It will be up to the people of Auckland to decide who will be the next mayor of Auckland and it is quite clear that they have decided that they do not like Labour. That is not surprising when Phil Twyford stated that after 9 years the city is not working that the Government is late in fixing it and that there are “traffic problems crappy infrastructure and a downtown that looks like a bomb site.” If that is the legacy of Labour in Auckland then it is no wonder the people of Auckland love this new Government. 
Phil Twyford 
: Which of these statements made by the Minister is correct: “Rate rises should be capped at the rate of inflation or less.” which was made in February this year or: “I am not proposing rate capping or rate setting.” which was made last week? 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: Both of them are correct. 
Phil Twyford 
: How does the Minister respond to reports that his “make the boat go faster” reforms met rough waters at the Local Government New Zealand conference last week where many of the 600 delegates said they wanted him to “drop the anchor on Auckland’s Super City” and his plans to restrict councils to core services? 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: I respond very positively to the warm welcome that the Prime Minister John Carter and I got at the Local Government New Zealand conference. It contrasted sharply with the comments that I got about the visit by the Hon Phil Goff and that is not surprising when Phil Twyford actually summarised what happened in Auckland after 9 years of neglect by the previous Government. Mr Twyford’s comments are so memorable that I seek leave to table them plus Clare Curran’s comment about Phil Goff which was: “He is a real man and we need one.” 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The House needs to know what the document is that the member is seeking to table. 
Hon RODNEY HIDE 
: It is from the  
Listener 
. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that article from the  
Listener 
. Is there any objection? There is objection.