Kaye Nikki: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
Kaye Nikki: Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:657;Page:6598] 
NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) 
: 
 We are here to deliver a system of local government to Auckland and to New Zealand. We are delivering that system for a unique city in the world; it is a city that is unique in terms of our people and our geography. The system being delivered will have an impact on all of New Zealand for generations with one strong regional entity that will finally be able to focus on delivering more equitable services across the region and with strong local boards so that people can better influence what goes on in their community. It is a system that will help to deliver better services for the arts that will help to deliver better services for people with disabilities that will help to deliver a better public transport system and that will help Aucklanders finally to grab the opportunities and the quality of life that the people of Auckland deserve. 
Aucklanders have been waiting for this system for 50 years. After the royal commission process which took 18 months and 3500 submissions the consideration of the Auckland Governance Legislation Committee which sat for hundreds of hours with over 2500 people involved and the passage through the House of two pieces of legislation with one more piece to go there is no time to delay. Most Aucklanders including the 6500 people working in local government who need certainty for themselves and for their families and the local body politicians who are already out there campaigning are saying that we need to get on with it. The local body elections are 12 months away and 50 years is long enough to wait. As a result of the submissions and of listening to the people of Auckland the legislation has changed significantly: it includes beefed-up powers changes to the boundaries the principle of subsidiarity except where there is a clear regional interest and properly resourced boards with access to staff and facilities. 
The Opposition actually agrees with National members on the basic system of local government that is being delivered which is one regional entity with strong local boards. Where we differ and where I am proud to be on this side of the House is that we believe in stronger grassroots democracy. I am proud to be delivering strong local boards to the people of Waiheke Island and Great Barrier Island who have been after a stronger voice for a long period of time. With the exception of Maori representation the opposing Labour arguments have focused on whipping up mythical fears about problems that do not exist and then delivering half-baked legislative amendments to fix those mythical problems. I have a lot of confidence in Auckland’s local body politicians. I do not believe that they are going to sell all of Auckland’s assets. There was a push from Pacific youth and Asian communities to have a stronger voice and the issue of whether there needs to be legislation to address this will be looked at in the third bill. Putting forward legislation on advisory boards without wide consultation would be a mistake. 
I believe that Auckland would be better off with stronger local body Maori representation. I acknowledge the passionate and heartfelt representations of the submitters the Maori Party and my colleagues including Tau Henare on this issue. Parliament is a better place for having the Maori Party here. Its members are some of the hardest-working politicians in this House. For me the issue is not whether there should be stronger representation but how we achieve that. There are provisions within the Electoral Act to have a referendum on this issue. It is likely that with mayoral candidates campaigning on this issue we could see a referendum in Auckland some time in the future. We know that those referendums have not been successful in the past but I have confidence that Aucklanders will do what is right. 
I thank all MPs from both sides of the House and the officials who have worked on this bill and I thank the Hon John Carter and the Hon Rodney Hide for their leadership. Today is a historic day for Auckland. The new system of local government is only part of what will make Auckland the best city in the world. Let us not forget that it is people who matter: one strong city with many diverse villages. It is a time of immense opportunity for Auckland and New Zealand. I am proud to be part of a historic process focusing on delivering a new era of local government for the people of Auckland.